<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">Before Rivkah's family sees her off, they give her a blessing. The blessing concludes with the words (<a href="https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.24.60" _mce_href="https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.24.60" target="_blank">24:60</a>) "<em>veyirash zar'eich eis sha'ar son'av</em>," and your progeny shall seize the gates of those who hate them. This phrase is quite similar to that found in the&nbsp;<em>berachah</em>&nbsp;given to Avraham by HaShem following the&nbsp;<em>akeida</em>, (<a href="https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.22.17" _mce_href="https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.22.17" target="_blank">22:17</a>) "<em>veyirash zar'acha eis sha'ar oyevav</em>," and your progeny shall seize the gates of their enemies.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The obvious difference is the use of the word&nbsp;<strong><em>oyevav</em></strong>&nbsp;with Avraham as compared with&nbsp;<strong><em>son'av</em></strong>&nbsp;with Rivkah. But before attempting to explain the difference between the two, it is quite interesting to note that Onkelos translates both words exactly the same – <em>san'eihon</em>.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">To better understand the difference between the words, it is best to observe them side by side as we do in Shemos (<a href="https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.23.4-5" _mce_href="https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.23.4-5" target="_blank">23:4-5</a>.) We are commanded to return the ox of one's&nbsp;<em>oyeiv</em>&nbsp;if we happen upon it and it appears to be lost. If one encounters a donkey belonging to his&nbsp;<em>sonei</em>&nbsp;crouching beneath its burden, he is commanded to lend a hand and help unload the burden.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">It would seem the defining difference between these two cases is that when you find someone's lost ox, you are not coming in direct contact with the individual initially, just the ox. When you aid in the unloading of the burden, however, you are doing so together with the owner. It would follow, therefore, that hatred is something felt up close while enmity is felt even from a distance. Perhaps this suggests that the&nbsp;<em>berachah</em>&nbsp;given to Avraham was greater and farther reaching than that given to Rivkah as it included the demise of even the distant enemies.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">[Interestingly, even in the above passages from Shemos, Onkelos once again uses the exact same word to translate both&nbsp;<em>oyeiv</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>sonei</em>.]</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">Netziv, in <a href="https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.24.60?lang=bi&amp;with=Haamek%20Davar&amp;lang2=he" _mce_href="https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.24.60?lang=bi&amp;with=Haamek%20Davar&amp;lang2=he" target="_blank">Ha'amek Davar</a>, explains further that an <em>oyeiv</em> refers to a feeling felt in the heart whereas <em>sin'ah</em> is when that hatred is carried out into action. Thus, HaShem refers to enemies in his blessing to Avraham as only He truly knows what lies in the hearts of others. On a human level, we can only be aware of the <em>son'im</em>.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;"> Have a good Shabbos.</span><br> <br></p>