True Love

And Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days, in his love for her.                                                  Genesis 29:20

          Malbim notes that the situation should have been the opposite. Because of his love for Rachel, the seven years must have seemed like an eternity to Jacob.

          The verse, explains Malbim, teaches us that Jacob’s love for Rachel was based upon Rachel’s qualities, not her physical beauty. Jacob’s love for Rachel was devoid of any aspect of lust, therefore the seven years passed as “but a few days”. For this reason, the verse states “in his love for her”.

          As our Sages tell us [Pirkei Avot 5:16], any love which is dependent upon something tangible will not survive. True love is based upon intangibles. Malbim adds a psychological insight into the nature of love. Malbim comments that love which is dependent upon tangibles ultimately is not love at all, rather egoism.

          We can add Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe’s comment, based upon Rabbenu Yona [1210 – 1263] that true love motivates one to seek the welfare of the loved one, rather than his own benefit.