Page 15 - HaMizrachiChayei Sarah AUS 2020

MIZRACHI SCHOLARS-IN-RESIDENCE TORAT MIZRACHI

Preserving Our Culture When building a Jewish home, these are servant Yitzchak. Thereby shall I know
its foundations. Put a muzzle over the that You have dealt graciously with
Avraham and Sarah are establishing a mouth of your camel. And in today’s my master.’ He had scarcely finished
new culture in the world: “Then the ser- terms, that can refer to one’s car, one’s speaking, when Rivka, who was born
vant took 10 of his master’s camels and home, one’s cell phone. We have been to Betuel, the son of Milcah the wife of
set out, taking with him all the bounty building an alternative culture here for Avraham’s brother Nachor, came out
of his master; and he made his way to 4,000 years. with her pitcher on her shoulder.”
Aram-naharaim, to the city of Nahor.”
This is why it is clear to Eliezer that Rabbi Shabtai Sabato writes that Rivka
Rashi tells us that “his master’s camels” the first test of any intended bride for left her house even before Eliezer began
were distinguished from other camels Yitzchak - who will continue the culture to pray! Even before he arranged his
by being muzzled so they should not of Avraham and Sarah - is a test of kind- prayer, reality was moving in the way
graze in other peoples’ fields. ness. This is the only way she will fit into he wanted, so to speak.
this special family: “Let the maiden to
This detail is mentioned again when the whom I say, ‘Please, lower your jar that Eliezer is not the only one to pray in this
servant arrives at Rivka’s house: “So the I may drink,’ and who replies, ‘Drink, episode of course. Yitzchak, the chatan,
man entered the house, and the camels and I will also water your camels’ – let also prayed. When Eliezer and Rivka
were ungirded [he removed their muz- her be the one whom You have decreed and the whole caravan arrive, Yitzchak
zles - Rashi]. The camels were given for Your servant Yitzchak. Thereby shall has just established tefillat Mincha and
straw and feed, and water was brought I know that You have dealt graciously Rivka is impressed as she sees a person
to bathe his feet and the feet of the men with my master.” praying for the first time.
with him.”
Today too, young men and women For sure we should be acting in a prac-
You may remember we have already look for many character traits in their tical way, but let us pray to G-d before
encountered this very detail in Parashat prospective dates. Eliezer reminds us every step we take.
Lech Lecha, when Avraham enters the the first attribute we should be looking
stage of history. It is one of the first for in a descendant of Avraham and In Conclusion
things we hear about him. Lot’s shep- Sarah – chesed. Generosity. Thinking We have discussed three elements
herds were wicked and grazed their ani- of others. Good midot. that appear in Chayei Sarah – vehe-
mals in other fields, and because of this, ment opposition to assimilation and
Avraham’s shepherds rebuked them for Connecting Heaven and Earth souls being detached from the Jewish
this act of robbery (Rashi). None of this works without emunah people, a culture counterintuitive to the
and tefillah. Eliezer, Avraham’s ser- accepted world culture, a world rooted
Lot chose to go to Sodom, and Avraham vant, sets out and knows what he must in self-sacrifice, chesed and generosity,
parted from him to build a society with do first: “And he said, ‘O L-rd, G-d of and of course prayer, constantly linking
a different culture. Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe my master Avraham, grant me good our actions to G-d. May we continue in
writes: This is Avraham Avinu’s innova- fortune this day, and deal graciously this path and, as her sons and daugh-
tion. Truth is not some abstract ideal, in with my master Avraham: Here I stand ters, be a worthy continuation of Chayei
thought only. Truth is expressed in the by the spring as the daughters of the Sarah.
smallest deeds of man. Avraham Avinu townsmen come out to draw water;
renewed leadership in the world, how let the maiden to whom I say, ‘Please,
camels should walk, and when anyone lower your pitcher that I may drink,’
saw a camel with his mouth muzzled, and who replies, ‘Drink, and I will also Sivan Rahav Meir and Yedidya Meir are
they said: This camel belongs to Avra- water your camels’ – let her be the popular Israeli media personalities and
ham Avinu. one whom You have decreed for Your World Mizrachi’s Scholars-in-Residence.

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