בראשית, פרק כ״ט, פסוק כ״ז

Following the shocking revelation that Leah has been substituted for Rachel, a tense negotiation unfolds to resolve the deception. Laban proposes a new agreement: Jacob must finish the current wedding celebrations, after which he will immediately receive Rachel in exchange for another seven years of labor. The primary approach among commentators is that Laban first demands Jacob complete Leah's seven days of wedding feasting. Hosting a week-long feast was an ancient custom among dignitaries, mirroring the seven days of mourning [רמב״ן, טור הארוך, ביאור יש״ר]. Laban insists on this completion to publicly validate Leah's marriage [נחל קדומים] and to ensure Jacob does not cause her sorrow during her dedicated time of celebration [קונטרס חיבה יתירה]. From this forced separation of the sisters' festivities, a broader principle is derived: one should not mix one joyous occasion with another, as every wedding deserves its own undivided focus [רד״ק, מזרחי, תורה תמימה].

Regarding the promise of Rachel, commentators present different understandings of Laban's phrasing. Some view it as a simple guarantee that Rachel will be given to Jacob immediately after Leah's week of feasting concludes, sparing him another long wait before the marriage [אבן עזרא, רשב״ם, רד״ק]. Others interpret Laban's words as a collective promise made on behalf of the town. In this cunning explanation, Laban claims the locals previously opposed marrying off the younger sister first. However, if Jacob cooperates now, the entire community, alongside Laban, will respectfully consent to the union [רש״י, רמב״ן, שד״ל]. This pledge of public backing is deliberately intended to reassure Jacob, who has completely lost faith in his father-in-law [חזקוני].

The terms of this new arrangement require Jacob to work an additional seven years after marrying Rachel. In Laban's eyes, both daughters hold equal value, each demanding a seven-year price [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Even though Jacob had already completed a full term of labor for Rachel, Laban deceitfully argues that the initial period is incomplete, either by claiming they were not full calendar years [העמק דבר] or by disputing the exact start date of the work [חתם סופר]. To ensure Jacob cannot apply his past labor to the new debt, Laban deliberately emphasizes that these must be entirely separate and additional years [ביאור יש״ר].

Offering a unique legal perspective, it is suggested that Laban actually inverted the transaction. He framed the first seven years of labor as the payment for Rachel, whom Jacob desired from the start, while Leah was essentially given on credit, to be paid off by the upcoming seven years of work [מלבי״ם]. Ultimately, when Rachel's wedding does take place, it lacks the grand public gathering of Leah's. Laban does not assemble the townspeople for a second feast, as he no longer needs the noise and chaos of a crowd to camouflage a deception [תורה תמימה].