Torah Portion —11 1

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JEWISH NEWS

Faithfulness, Commitment
And Jewish Continuity

naturally, he wished to see. her mar-
ried to his master's son. When he
proposed this match to Abraham, it
was rejected. "Your daughter, dear
friend, is not the right person to
build the future nation of Israel."
So, somewhat in anger and disap-
pointment, Eliezer diverted from his
his week's sedra is about
original destination, observed the hos-
some of the most pivotal
pitality of Rebecca at the well and was
characters in early Jewish
convinced that she would, indeed, be
history: Abraham and
a more appropriate future matriarch
Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and
of the Jewish people. His daughter
Eliezer, Abraham's faithful servant.
would never have passed the test of
It is Eliezer's task, when complet-
ultimate kindness, for she
ed successfully, to find a
would have seen watering
proper wife for Isaac and
the thirsty caravan and
secure the future of the
camels as a chore. Rebecca,
Jewish people.
Eliezer realized, was differ-
Abraham was old; his
ent, and any anger he may
beloved wife, Sarah, had
have felt toward Abraham
died and he had buried her
for refusing his proposal
in the cave of Machpelah.
was dissipated. Leaving his
Abraham was unsure of his
personal agenda aside,
relationship with his son,
Eliezer could be more faith-
Isaac, with whom he had
ful to his mission.
RA BBI
shared the traumatic and
Still another version of
NOR MAN T.
awe-filled experience on
the
story notes that it was
RO MAN
Mt. Moriah. But one of his
Eliezer
who insisted that
Specia 1 to the
last wishes was to see his
there
be
other criteria
Jewisl News
son married, grandchildren
besides place of birth for
to be born and the lofty
Isaac's future wife. These
ideals of his new faith community to
rabbis note that Abraham's instruc-
be continued. So he entrusted
tions were for the servant to proceed
Eliezer with the delicate mission,
to my country and the place of my
exacting an oath of loyalty and pur-
birth" (24:4). It was only afterward,
pose by saying, "Go to my country,
when Eliezer discovered that the love-
to the place of my birth and take a
ly woman who fulfilled his conditions
wife for Isaac."
Now, some of our
commentators read the
next part of the story in
different ways, each
interpretation adding a
meaningful lesson for
our day.
In one account, the
rabbis note that
Eliezer diverted from
his master's direction;
he went to the local
well in Aram
Naharayim instead of
the house of
Abraham's family.
There he set up his
test of kindness and
Rebecca at the well, from a painting by Nicholas Poussin.
generosity for the one
whom Isaac should marry. This was
at the well was actually Abraham's rel-
unusual behavior for a servant who
ative that he put these words into
had been so faithful in the past; he
Abraham's mouth when he spoke to
should have gone directly to Nachor,
Laban, "You shall go to my father's
Milcah and Bethuel. But, these sages
house, to my family and get a wife for
tell us, Eliezer had a daughter; and,
my son (24:38). In the original
words of Abraham, there is no men-
Norman T. Roman is rabbi of Temple
tion of "my family." If there had been,
Kol Ami.
Eliezer's task would have been simple

Shabbat Chaye Sarah:
Genesis 23:1-25:18; I
Kings 1:1-31.

T