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Spirituality
TORAH PORTION
Biblical Love Story
Parshat Chayei Sarah: Genesis 23:1-
25:18; I Kings 1:1-31.
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D
o you remember the moment
you first fell in love? What
was it like? Can you still
picture that moment today? What
time of day was it? Who else was
there? Was the moment recorded in
some way? If you close your eyes, can
you transport yourself back to that
moment in time?
This week, we read the Torah por-
tion of Chayei Sarah, which relates
to us the death and burial of Sarah
at the beginning and the death
and burial of Abraham at the end.
In between these two deaths, and
comprising the largest section of the
parshah, is the story of the finding of
a wife for Isaac.
Abraham, the Torah tells
us, is now "old, advanced
in years" and decides
that the time is correct
to find a suitable wife
for his son and spiritual
heir, Isaac. Yet Abraham is
concerned about selecting
a woman from the local
population and under no
circumstances is Isaac
to go back to Abraham's
place of birth. Instead,
Abraham sends his most
trusted servant, probably Eliezer,
to Abraham's birthplace to find an
appropriate wife for Isaac.
The servant makes the journey
and almost immediately encounters
Rebekah, a relative of Abraham's
through his brother Nahor. Right
away, Eliezer recognizes the kindness
and beauty of Rebekah and decides
to meet her family. After Abraham's
servant relates at length his story
to Laban (Rebekah's brother) and
Bethuel (her father) they agree to let
Rebekah marry Isaac. The servant
and Rebekah then set out on their
journey back to Canaan. Here, the
Torah tells us of the first recorded
moment in biblical history when a
person is struck by love.
According to the Jewish
Publication Society's translation of
the Torah, we read, "Isaac had just
come back from the vicinity of Beer-
lahai-roi, for he was settled in the
region of the Negev. And Isaac went
out walking (or, perhaps, praying) in
the field toward evening and, look-
ing up, he saw camels approaching.
Raising her eyes, Rebekah saw Isaac"
(Genesis 24:62-64).
The moment has now been framed
for us: Isaac is walking (or
praying) out in the field
toward late afternoon.
Rebekah is just completing
her long journey. The sun is
slowly lowering in the sky;
perhaps the wind is blow-
ing a gentle warm breeze
across the picturesque
Negev region. The young
man and young woman
catch sight of each other.
At this point, we need
to translate the text more
literally. The Hebrew says,
"va'tipol me'al ha'gamal," after seeing
Isaac, Rebekah literally "falls from off
of the camel!' She then turns to the
servant and asks, "mi ha'ish ha'la'zeh?"
or literally "who is that guy!?" In that
moment, we can imagine her heart
aflutter as she gazes at Isaac; Rebekah
literally "falls" for Isaac from the
moment that she sees him.
And so begins the great love story
of Isaac and Rebekah.
❑
Robert Gamer is rabbi of Congregation
Beth Shalom in Oak Park.
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Lois Haron Allied Member ASID 248.851.6989
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•The servant chosen by Abraham to find a bride for Isaac is given one
of the most important tasks in the Bible, yet his name is omitted. Why?
•The Torah tells us that Isaac and Ishmael come together to bury their
father, Abraham. How is it that the brothers are able to come together
at that point? What do you think the conversation was like given that
Abraham expelled Ishmael and was willing to sacrifice Isaac?
• Despite the many trials Abraham had to endure in his life, he dies "at
a good ripe age, old and contented." How do you think Abraham was
able to do this?