Page 5 - HaMizrachiChayei Sarah AUS 2020

TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Danny Mirvis

The Chatter

that Changes Lives

n the middle of Parashat Chayei repeated in the Torah, and many of learn from the examples set to us
Sarah, Avraham orders his trusted the Torah’s fundamentals were only from our forefathers and foremothers
Iservant to journey and find a suitable taught with hints” (Bereishit Rabbah themselves.
wife for Yitzchak. While this servant is 60:8).
the central character of this part of the Whilst our educational systems place
story, his name is not revealed in the While we can understand the obser- great focus on developing and deliver-
Torah itself, and Chazal identify him as vation which led to this conclusion, ing content, how much focus do they
Eliezer. The Torah describes his story in what is the reasoning behind it? place on providing role models who
great detail, as he sets out on his jour- personify Torah and Torah values?
ney, holds a discussion with Hashem, “” Sometimes, the Far more than learning the do’s and
witnesses the successful test, presents presentation of don’ts of Judaism, it is essential that
Rivka with gifts, blesses Hashem and our pupils (whether they be children,
returns with her to her home to finalize a living example students or adults) have exposure
the arrangement (Bereishit 24:1-32). influences and guides to living examples who embody the
As Eliezer arrives at Rivka’s home, far more successfully Torah they teach.
we then read the whole story and than the formulation If we consider the individuals who
details of the test again as he retells have made the greatest impact on our
the events to her family (Bereishit of direction through lives, while they may have held formal
24:33-49). This repetition signifi- commandments. educational or leadership positions,
cantly lengthens the parasha, without the chances are that we were far more
seeming to add anything new to the
narrative. My Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Aharon impacted by their general demeanor
Lichtenstein zt”l, explained that or behavior (when they were not
Why does the Torah include Eliezer’s the Torah has two ways of show- intentionally aiming to impart a mes-
retelling of the story when we have ing us how to behave. The first one sage), than their formal or frontal
just read the entire narrative in great is formulated as commandments, education.
detail? Would the Torah not have expressed through directions of how
delivered the same message by writ- to behave and how not to. The second Every individual is similarly capable
ing, “And the servant told them every- is expressed through people, whose of making a positive impact on others
thing that occurred”? deeds, behavior and lifestyles give us and whether we like it or not, we are
direction. Sometimes, the presenta- all educators. Regardless of our indi-
Many of the Torah’s fundamental vidual level of observance, there will
halachic principles are taught almost tion of a living example influences always be people who look up to us as
incidentally, in great brevity, or with and guides far more successfully than representatives of Judaism, whether
hints. Why does this servant’s rep- the formulation of direction through from inside or outside the faith.
etition of a story we have just read commandments.
deserve such attention? Rabbi Acha’s rule comes to teach In addition to paying attention to our
technical performance of Torah, we
In explanation of this seeming lack us that the example of a living role must ensure that our “chatter,” our
of balance, Rabbi Acha taught in the model, who embodies and represents everyday behavior and lifestyles, suit-
Midrash: the letter and spirit of the Torah, can ably reflect our positions as represen-
be a far more influential educational
“The chatter of the servants of the tool than learning the technical com- tatives of the Torah and ambassadors
forefathers is better before Hashem mandments and details alone. If this of Hashem.
than the Torah of their children is true of the servants of our forefa- Rabbi Danny Mirvis is the Senior Rabbi of
(descendants), for Eliezer’s passage is thers, how much more so is there to Mizrachi Melbourne.

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