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MIZRACHI SCHOLARS-IN-RESIDENCE TORAT MIZRACHI

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

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