בראשית, פרק ל״א, פסוק ו׳

Facing a brewing family crisis, Jacob stands before his wives, Rachel and Leah, to defend his integrity and work ethic against the growing hostility of their father, Laban. He appeals directly to their personal knowledge, highlighting the massive gap between his absolute dedication and Laban's deep ingratitude.

Jacob directs his words specifically to the two women [הכתב והקבלה], drawing a sharp contrast between them and their father. Unlike Laban, who views him with suspicion and an unjustified angry expression, Rachel and Leah know the absolute truth [ביאור יש״ר, בכור שור]. He turns to them because they are already fully aware of the situation and require no further proof or investigation [העמק דבר]. This open communication reveals that Jacob regularly shared his daily struggles and work experiences with his wives, keeping no secrets from them regarding his livelihood [ברכת אשר על התורה].

In defending his record, Jacob asserts that he worked with complete faithfulness, never taking even his guard duties lightly [רד״ק, העמק דבר]. His labor demanded daily endurance against harsh natural conditions in the open field, forcing him to absorb heavy rains, hail, and severe heat [קיצור בעל הטורים, רד״ק]. It was precisely because of this exhausting effort from the very beginning that Laban received a massive blessing of property and flocks. Consequently, any complaints from Laban's sons were rooted purely in jealousy [רמב״ן]. Jacob's account also exposes Laban's cruelty. While Jacob did only good and worked with all his might, Laban repaid his dedication with evil, deceit, and trickery [בכור שור, רד״ק].

From Jacob's steadfast dedication, commentators derive a fundamental moral and legal principle regarding employment. A hired worker is obligated to perform their duties with all their strength, exactly as Jacob did. Because of this standard, a worker is forbidden from starving themselves, taking on a second job at night, or accepting restrictive vows of self-denial. Such actions weaken the body and compromise the worker's ability to provide the employer with the full effort and output they promised [תורה תמימה על התורה].