Rachel's Stealing of the Terafim/2
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Rachel's Stealing of the Terafim
Exegetical Approaches
Survival
Rachel stole the terafim so that her father could not use them to divine the whereabouts of the family after they fled.
Sources:Tanchuma #1, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer #1, Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, Tosafists, Radak, Ramban,1 Ralbag #2,
What are terafim? According to these commentators the terafim were objects used for divination.2 As evidence, Rashbam points to Zekharyah 10:2 which mentions "terafim speaking" and links them with magicians ("הַקּוֹסְמִים"),3 and to Hoshea 3:4, which pairs them with the "אֵפוֹד", another item associated with prophecy and occultism.4 Bereshit 30:27 might provide further support for this reading, since there Lavan says of himself that he uses "ניחוש".5
Etymology of the word – Tanchuma asserts that they are called "תְּרָפִים" because they are a "מַעֲשֵׂה תֹרֶף", an object of impurity. Ramban, in contrast, suggests that the term comes from the fact that their words are like a weak prophecy (נבואה רפה) and not very reliable.
"לָמָּה גָנַבְתָּ אֶת אֱלֹהָי" – Ramban asserts that many people would turn their terafim into gods, much the way the Israelites strayed after the "אֵפוֹד" set up by Gideon.6 Thus, too, Lavan might have considered and referred to the terafim as gods, even if they were not originally intended as such.7 Radak similarly suggests that Lavan referred to the objects as gods because he trusted in them as one would in the word of God.
"וַיִּרְדֹּף אַחֲרָיו" – Considering that Lavan seemed to have no difficulty finding the family even without the use of his terfaim, it is questionable how Rachel could really have thought that stealing them would suffice to prevent discovery of the escape.8
Belief in magic and divination – This position assumes that Rachel believed in the powers of impure objects (though she might never have used them herself). Moreover, most of these sources themselves assert that the terafim really did have the ability to speak, reveal secrets, or tell the future, albeit often incorrectly. Ralbag, in contrast, asserts that the magician using the terafim merely imagined it talking,9 while Ibn Ezra assumes that Lavan's divination was related to his astronomical abilities.10
Sitting on the terafim – According to Tosafot, Rachel sat upon the terafim with force to prevent their crying out and telling Lavan where they were. Alternatively, she embarrassed them into silence for they would never reveal that they were so degraded to be sat upon. Ralbag and Ibn Ezra would more simply suggest that this was just a good way of hiding them from her father.
Evaluation of Rachel's actions – This approach might view Rachel's intentions as meritorious as she was attempting to protect her family. Radak, though, suggests that she should nonetheless not have stolen from her father.
Religiosity of the forefathers – This position views the forefathers as righteous believers in Hashem, and assumes that Rachel would never have taken impure objects for her own use..
Michal and the terafim – If the terafim were impure items used for magical purposes, it is not clear why they should have been present in the home of Michal and David.
The "אֱלֹהֵי הַנֵּכָר" buried by Yaakov – According to this position, the foreign gods which Yaakov buries upon leaving Shekhem do not include the terafim and have no connection to Rachel's actions at all. They were objects taken when the brothers looted Shekhem.
Religious Motivations
Rachels' taking of the terafim related to their idolatrous role.
Preventative
Rachel took the terafim so that her father would no longer worship them.
What are terafim? These commentators assume that the terafim were idols, worshipped by Lavan. This is supported by the fact that Lavan refers to them as such, asking "לָמָּה גָנַבְתָּ אֶת אֱלֹהָי" and by Shofetim 18, where they are linked to "פֶסֶל וּמַסֵּכָה". According to this understanding, however, it is not clear why idolatrous terafim would be present in the house of David and Michal in Shemuel I 19.11
Why hold onto them? Ibn Ezra12 questions why Rachel would not have buried or destroyed the terafim if they were idols and she did not want her father to worship them. Toledot Yitzchak responds that she feared that she would be seen, and was waiting for an opportunity to do so in secret.13
Would this convince Lavan? Abarbanel questions why Rachel's taking of one set of idols would prevent Lavan from simply making replacements and continuing to worship. R. Chananel suggests that Rachel was trying to convince her father of the worthlessness of idols; if they can be stolen they must have no power.14
Sitting on the terafim
Personal Use
Rachel wanted the terafim for her own personal use.
Economic Advantage
The terafim testified to Yaakov's rights to Lavan's inheritance.
Sources:Modern scholars
