Art by Sefira Lightstone
A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT FROM RABBI MORDY
This week’s Parsha (Chayei Sarah) contains many interesting lessons; it continues the story of Abraham after his wife’s (Sara, hence the name) passing. Abraham immediately sets his mind to finding a bride for Isaac and thereby continue his legacy. So the Parsha is a bit of a mix of Abraham and Isaac. And yet, a fair amount of the Parsha really is the story of Eliezer. Eliezer is Abraham’s manservant who serves as his emissary to seek out a bride, eventually Rebecca, for Isaac. And the saga is conveyed in great detail. Let’s consider this for a moment: we’re in the throes of this biblical story, talking Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca and their impacts on society and the Jewish people, and somehow we pause to tell what amounts to the story of Eliezer. Who was Eliezer? Eliezer was, effectively, the help! Not only was this the case but the story is conveyed twice. First as Abraham commands it and second as Eliezer carries out his wishes. Furthermore, Eliezer has his own wishes and desires. Our sages tell us that Eliezer didn’t just do what Abraham commanded him but had some reservations. Eliezer had a daughter of his own whom he wished would be an ideal mate for Isaac. And yet, while personally conflicted, he sets out to complete this task.
What can we take from this? That Eliezer is the relatable hero. Abraham, Isaac, Sara and Rebecca are surely the stars of the show. Our forefathers and mothers should inspire us as truly righteous people who embody the qualities we should aspire for. And Eliezer is a guy. He’s a man with his own wants and desires; he’s someone selfish who may debate getting up in the morning versus hitting the snooze button another time. Yet he perseveres. He does the right thing and therefore allows for Judaism and monotheism to perpetuate. And we can learn a lot from him. So let us all, each of us, overcome any whims or flaws and do what we know is right. Whether it is a “mitzvah” that is challenging or something deep within ourselves that needs correcting, let’s take this inspiration to do the right thing. Regular folks rock! Good Shabbos!