Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Daily Aliya for Chaye Sarah, Revii (4th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Rivka ran to tell her family about the man at the well, and her brother, Lavan, went out, greeted the servant, and invited him to spend the night. The servant told Rivka's family the purpose of his mission to the city, and recounted the heavenly sign that designated Rivka as his master's son's wife. Rivka's family agreed that the match was divinely ordained, and consented to the proposed match.

It's interesting to note that in this Aliya the Torah recaps Eliezer recapping the day's events to Lavan and Betuel. We were told of Eliezer's plans before they happened, the events themselves were written, and now we get a recap of a recap. Rashi mentions a teaching from Rabbi Acha, who said: "The ordinary conversation of the servants of the Patriarchs is more beloved before the Omnipresent than the Torah of their sons, for the section dealing with Eliezer is repeated in the Torah, whereas many fundamentals of the Torah were given only through allusions." In fact, some of Eliezer's words are used in the "Hineni" tefilla recited every Rosh Hashana/Yom Kippur. There is so much for us to learn from the respect and commitment that Eliezer handled himself with.

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