Parshat Chayei Sarah
November 21st-22nd, 2003
27 Cheshvan, 5764

(Genesis: 23, 1 to 25, 18)

What are the scenes in this week’s Torah portion that someone is most likely to remember a few days from now?

I should make clear that I’m speaking of a person who takes the time to read the parsha, in a language that he or she understands! To quietly listen to the public recitation of the Torah in synagogue (for those who attend) is praiseworthy, but if you don’t comprehend much biblical Hebrew, then the experience cannot be all that intellectually (or spiritually) rewarding. SO READ THE PARSHA IN ENGLISH IF NEED BE—AT HOME, IN SHUL, OR WHEREVER. [This has been a public service announcement from the Associated Parsha Patrol of America, or APPA…]

Back to our original question. What are the scenes in this week’s Torah portion that someone is most likely to remember a few days from now?

I would imagine that people will remember Avraham patiently bargaining with a conniving local chieftain for a plot of land in Chevron [Hebron] to bury his departed wife, Sara (and showing extraordinary self-restraint in the process). Perhaps they will remember the first description of Rivka (who will become the wife of Avraham’s son, Yitzhak), energetically tending to the needs of Avraham’s servant, Eliezer, and his camels, upon their arrival at her home from the Land of Canaan. Perhaps also, Rivka’s first glimpse of the awesome Yitzhak, and her immediate response of covering her face with a veil—the source of the "bedecken" ceremony at a Jewish wedding, when the groom veils his bride right before the chupah—will stick in their minds.

But there’s a large portion of the parsha which may seem, well, somewhat pedestrian…and not especially memorable. Much space is taken up with a lengthy description of the mission that Eliezer, Avraham’s servant, undertakes at his master’s behest: to travel to the home of Avraham’s nephew, Besuel, to find a bride for Yitzhak (from the extended family), so that the process of building the Jewish nation can proceed. The outcome of that mission is surely important…but what can we learn from all the details of the story along the way?

Well, as is the case with every verse (and word) of the Torah, the answer is: PLENTY! There is a whole lot to learn from the story of Eliezer and his journey. We’ll focus on just one aspect here.

We see in Eliezer, our commentaries note, the model of a faithful servant (eved, in Hebrew).

Note (when you read the parsha!) the alacrity with which he carries out his master’s desire, and the pride and absolute devotion with which he speaks of Avraham.

When he arrives at the well outside the city of Avraham’s nephew, he calls on Hashem to help his mission succeed: "And he said, ‘Hashem, G-d of my master, Avraham, may You so arrange it for me this day that You do kindness with my master, Avraham." When Divine Providence causes the young Rivka (from Avraham’s own family—the very people whom Eliezer is seeking!) to suddenly appear at the well, Eliezer expresses his gratitude: "So the man bowed low, and prostrated himself to Hashem. He said, ‘Blessed is Hashem, G-d of my master, Avraham, Who has not withheld His kindness and truth from my master.’" And when he follows Rivka to her home, and is brought inside (convinced that she is the one chosen by Heaven for Yitzhak), he opens his speech to the family again with humility and gratitude: "Then he said, ‘A servant of Avraham am I. Hashem has greatly blessed my master, and he prospered…"

The S’fas Emes (great modern commentary on the Torah) cites the Zohar, the central work of Jewish mysticism, which praises Eliezer for how he glories in being (and publicly identifying himself as) the faithful "servant of Avraham." The S’fas Emes writes that we should emulate Eliezer, and serve G-d with the level of faithfulness and devotion that he showed to his master. We should glory in having been chosen (as Jews) to carry out the will of Hashem (as expressed in the Torah), we should always praise G-d for the privilege [yes, privilege] of being able to serve Him! Just as Eliezer cherished the designation of "servant," so should we Jews as well. "A servant of Hashem am I," should be our motto…and our source of pride.

The S’fas Emes writes that we should particularly try to awaken in ourselves the feeling of pride in being servants of G-d, and a longing to get closer to Him, when we recite the Shema each day. For the Shema is is nothing but the (wholehearted) declaration of our acceptance of the Kingship and Unity of G-d. It is meant to be our own deeply felt and personal expression of loyalty unto G-d (and His Torah), our "pledge of allegiance" to the One King, the Holy One Blessed be He. "A servant of Hashem am I!"

The designation of "servant" does not sound so glamorous to our ears. We all love to be masters. (B.M.O.C.—"Big Man on Campus"…or even better, "of the Cosmos!")

But there is actually great dignity and honor in being a servant—at least if your master is a pillar of kindliness, justice and righteousness, as was Avraham. And even more so if your master is the One Whom Avraham himself served--Who breathes a soul (neshama) into every human being, creating him or her in His image, and endowing us with the ability to reason, to choose good over evil, and to elevate all of Creation with our acts of righteousness. To be a servant of such a master is some distinction in itself.

Then, further, to be a part of the Jewish people, blessed with the opportunity to connect to G-d through even more "divine pathways" (i.e., the 613 mitzvot, or commandments of the Torah), with additional opportunities to bring holiness to this physical world….Why, we Jews should be dancing for joy, and singing in the streets: "A servant of Hashem am I!" [If a policeman stops you, you can just show him this parsha sheet!]

Better (so as not to disturb our neighbors), we should be inwardly singing, and that joy should express itself outwardly in deeds of holiness and chesed (kindness), and in the devoted study of our great Torah.

Remember that Moshe, our teacher, was described by the Torah (in the final verses of Deuteronomy) as nothing else than--or less than--a "servant of G-d (eved Hashem)! That is the greatest distinction of all.

The classic work of Jewish ethics, Duties of the Heart, writes about the qualities a servant should show to his master:

"He should honor him [the master]; exalt him with his tongue and in his heart; praise and thank him by day and by night; recall his beneficence in private and in public; recount his glory and praise as befits him; run to do his service with joy and good intentions, out of love for him, to find favor before him, to draw near to his will." [Feldheim edition; I, p. 299]

That is a perfect description of the behavior of Eliezer, faithful servant of Avraham. And it can be a guide for us (as is the example of Eliezer himself) in our own (lifelong) mission to become "servants of Hashem."

GOOD SHABBOS.

My e-mail address is yosefe@comcast.net

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Rabbi Yosef Edelstein, Savannah Kollel. Phone: 912-351-0469; fax: 354-9923