Reply To: wording to decline a hand shake?

I have had difficulty with udnerstanding the Yaakov and Rochel story all my life. It makes little sense to think she was only 3 (like Rivka), as Yaakov clearly fell in love with her and immediately wanted to marry her. Even if he kissed her “only” on the forehead or hand, it is still negiah, and he made a point of saying im Lavan Garti (v’Taryag Miztvos shamarti). the fact that he kissed her at all, a total stranger to him, is strange. Even if she WAS his relative, so what? Negiah doesn’t count with cousins??? As I said, I have had trouble understanding this all my life. No one has given me an explanation that doesn’t produce even more questions.