and straightforward; he would not
have had to develop a test at the well.
(Wasn't there even the possibility that
one of the beautiful water-drawers
might not be of the same tribal origin
as Abraham and Nachor?)
Confused as he arrived in Aram
Naharayim, Eliezer remembered the
simplest of his master's teachings:
trust in God and pray when in
doubt of difficulty. This servant,
who had been born in Dasmacus of
heathen background, perhaps an
idolater, had seen the importance of
prayer and faith in Abraham's life.
Naturally, when faced with a most
awkward choice, he prayed to
Abraham's God for help. And we
know the rest of the story.
For completing his mission,
Eliezer prayed again, "Blessed be the
God of Abraham, Who has guided
me to the house of my master's fam-
ily" (24:27). Eliezer helped Abraham
remain faithful to the promise of
continuity among the Jewish people.
My teacher Dr. Larry Hoffman
suggests that we not overlook "God's
neemanut, or faithfulness, in the
larger scheme we call history. Before
reciting the daily Shema, we say El
Melech Neeman, God is a faithful
ruler; and we introduce the weekly
haftorah with a blessing for "God
Who is righteous across the genera-
tions, a faithful God whose word
becomes fact."
He further comments that we
should all strive for this quality of
neemanut demonstrated by Eliezer,
to emulate faithful commitment to a
future that transcends our own lives.
We should all approach our tasks
and opportunities with the loyalty
and confidence in the future demon-
strated by those whose lives we read
about this week. fl

Conversations

Can you still be loyal to some-
one's instructions if you make
changes in what you have been
told to do? What factors would
cause you to consider making
those changes? What would
you have said to Eliezer if you
were Abraham (or Isaac) when
a marriage with the servant's
daughter was proposed? Do the
generations differ in the "test"
of who would make a good
spouse for our children or us?

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