Chayei Sara Answers

Chaye Sara 5724

Alef.

1. RaMBaN: a) Avraham was insistent that Yitzchak’s wife belong to his family.

b) The fact that Eliezer later says that Avraham requested that the girl belong to his family was not a change that the servant made, but had been the intent all along.

    Ibn Kaspi:  a) This was LeChatchila, but not a “deal breaker”.

                        b) Eliezer’s not stating this at the outset is to be taken literally, because it would not have made a difference if it had turned out that she was not from Avraham’s family.

                            Or even if it had made a difference, Eliezer had plenty of additional gifts and therefore would not have cared if he had given her presents and in the end she would not have qualified since she did not come from Avraham’s family.

2.  In addition to the possibility that Eliezer’s account to the family informs us of the order of his actions earlier on, v. 27, in which he thanks HaShem for Guiding him to Avraham’s family,  suggests that he was always looking for Avraham’s family, as opposed to thinking that this was an ideal but not necessary.

3.  Ibn Ezra’s proof is from Eliezer’s account to the family. Eliezer may have wanted to embellish the story in order to give the impression that this was fated to happen and therefore the family should not stand in the way of the inevitable. However, the true account is to be found in the original, objective account before Eliezer reprised the events.

4.  The giving of the gifts to Rivka don’t seem to be a ploy in order to spread the word of Eliezer’s arrival as a bearer of gifts, the wealth of Avraham, or payment to Rivka for if nothing else, her kindness of watering his animals, because v. 22-3 mention  that upon finishing watering the animals, Eliezer not only gives her the jewelry, but also asks her who her family is and whether there was place for him to stay. If he would have ended up looking for someone else, why would he have been interested in accepting lodging with Rivka’s family?

Beit.

Mincha Belula’s assumption is that the Amida is constructed as a series of Berachot HaSemuchot LeChavertot (blessings where one coming on the heels of the previous one, depends upon it, i.e., the final portion of the previous one,  for its own introduction. However the very first blessing, which is standing alone, should contain the full standard blessing. Consequently, it is appropriate to ask about why “Malchut”, i.e., the portion that reads “Elokeinu Melech HaOlam”, was omitted. Consequently, because the first three Berachot of the Amida are each associated with a different one of the Avot, with the first being Birchat Avraham, therefore it is appropriate for this first verse to omit mention of Malchut in the world, in light of the context in which Avraham began described by RaShI.

Gimel.

1. The problem is how can Avraham say that Eliezer should not cause Yitzchak to “return” to Aram Naharaim when Yitzchak was born in Canaan and had never been to Aram Naharaim?

2.  Ibn Ezra: Since the focus of the story is upon Avraham and his point of view, and he had lived in Aram Naharaim, Avraham’s employs the language of returning.

      Ibn Kaspi: The word does not have to be taken so literally, but rather is an indication of movement from one place to another. (This discussion has interesting implications regarding the concept of Teshuva. If you are dealing with someone who never was observant and never learned about observance, then when he comes to religion, he is not returning to something which he previously left, but rather coming to a new lifestyle for the first time.)

3.  Evil doers were never in “She’ol” (the grave—unless you invoke the principle of Gilgul Neshamot [reincarnation]) that would engender taking the term “return” literally when speaking of their deaths.

Daled.

1. א. In verse 3, when he is applying an oath to Eliezer, Avraham identifies HaShem as the God of Heaven and Earth, whereas when he reflects upon his early history, he says that HaShem is God of Heaven alone.

ב. Just as there seems to be a reversal in terms of how Avraham refers to HaShem, so too there is a reversal with respect to the sequence of Eliezer’s giving Rivka gifts and asking her  (24:22-3 vs. 47).

ג. In chapter 12, Avraham has not settled in to begin his campaign to spread monotheism as yet. Consequently when he constructs an alter, it is in order to acknowledge and thank HaShem for Promising to Give the land of Israel to Avraham’s offspring. Once that Promise has been made, and the Tora repeats the phrase that Avraham called on the Name of HaShem (13:4; 21:33) , we can interpret those verses as part of Avraham’s attempt to influence others to accept monotheism.

בראשית פרק יב

(ז) וַיֵּרָא יְקֹוָק אֶל אַבְרָם וַיֹּאמֶר לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לַיקֹוָק הַנִּרְאֶה אֵלָיו: 

(ח) וַיַּעְתֵּק מִשָּׁם הָהָרָה מִקֶּדֶם לְבֵית אֵל וַיֵּט אָהֳלֹה בֵּית אֵל מִיָּם וְהָעַי מִקֶּדֶם וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לַיקֹוָק וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם יְקֹוָק:

ד. Beraishit 13:18 After being told by HaShem to travel the length and breadth of the land, he builds an alter to HaShem, suggesting that Avraham is publicizing HaShem’s Existence in association with his travels.

    Ibid. 14:14 There are students of Avraham that he takes into war with him in order to rescue Lot.

    Ibid. 17:1 The Divine Order to walk before HaShem could connote Avraham’s attempt to win hearts and minds for believe in God.

ה. The fact that the Chitim refer to Avraham (Beraishit 23:6) as a “Prince of God” suggests that they have heard Avraham spreading the message of monotheism.

2. א. “Diber Li=Alai” = for my needs, benefit. Speech that describes my condition, situation.

          “Amar Li” = directed his speech towards me. Speech that is a communication between the speaker and me.

ב. Since Avraham wants to demonstrate HaShem’s Power and Beneficence to Eliezer in order to encourage him on his mission to find a wife for Yitzchak, the fact that HaShem Spoke to Avraham is less important than the content of that communication, in this case that Avraham’s offspring have been Promised that they will inherit the land of Israel. Just as HaShem is Interested in this inheritance,  so too He is likely to take an interest in the identity of the wife of Yitzchak.

בראשית פרק כד

(ז) יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקי הַשָּׁמַיִם אֲשֶׁר לְקָחַנִי מִבֵּית אָבִי וּמֵאֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתִּי וַאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לִי וַאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לִי לֵאמֹר לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת הוּא יִשְׁלַח מַלְאָכוֹ לְפָנֶיךָ וְלָקַחְתָּ אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי מִשָּׁם:

ג. 1. Since the verse in Chapt. 24 is talking about a benefit that would be forthcoming to Avraham’s offspring, as opposed to Avraham himself, to say that HaShem Spoke with Avraham re something that would be to his benefit is inaccurate. In the verse in Chapt. 28, we are already speaking about two  generations in the future  (Yaakov) and therefore the idea of Avraham’s offspring benefiting from the blessing  is coming closer to fruition.

בראשית פרק כח

(טו) וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ וַהֲשִׁבֹתִיךָ אֶל הָאֲדָמָה הַזֹּאת כִּי לֹא אֶעֱזָבְךָ עַד אֲשֶׁר אִם עָשִׂיתִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי לָךְ:

2. The problem in 24:7 is one of delayed gratification with respect to when, in terms of future generations, the benefit that was Promised would come true. The problem in 28:15 is that HaShem is Referring to a benefit and suggesting that He had Revealed Himself to Yaakov with regard to this Promise, which when we check the biblical text, do not find this to be true.

3. א. If the reason why Avraham was objecting to Canaanite women was their immoral practices, it is quite probable that Avraham’s allies, i.e., Aner, Eshkol and Mamre, were exemplary in the manner in which they conducted themselves and their affairs, and therefore Avraham did not have to be concerned about the quality of their children in general, and in this case—the wife for Yitzchak—the propriety of their daughters.

         Avraham distinguishes between the Canaanim in general and these three allies when he tells the King of Sodom that his men are entitled to a share of the spoils, even if other Canaanites would not be—Beraishit 14:24.

ב. If we assume that Avraham’s intention was for Yitzchak to marry not only someone from his country of origin, but also from his family, it is logical to assume that if this does not work out, then there are potential mates from others who are part of Avraham’s extended family, i.e., Yishmael and Lot, to the exclusion of daughters of the three allies, who albeit “having Avraham’s back”, nevertheless are closer to the Jewish people than the children of Avraham’s allies.

4. Perhaps Rivka’s family would take offense if they are told that Yitzchak did not have permission to leave Israel in order to visit them. Therefore Avraham via Eliezer, is trying to reassure the family that a future offspring i.e., Yaakov,  will return to Aram Naharayim. And even continue to live there for s significant amount of time.

Heh.

ז וַיָּ֧קָם אַבְרָהָ֛ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ לְעַם־הָאָ֖רֶץ לִבְנֵי־חֵֽת׃

1. There is a disconnect between the verb at the beginning of the verse, “VaYakam” and the subsequent verse, “VaYishtachu”. If “VaYakam Avraham” is a phrase unto itself, as the Baalei HaTa’amim, implied when they imposed notes that would group the two words at the beginning of the verse together. A Zakef associated with “Avraham” would then assume one continuum between the two verbs, probably suggesting that Avraham rose, walked over to the leadership of Benia Chet and bowed at that point.

2.  Since in v. 3 the essential meaning is for Avraham getting up, there will be emphasis upon the “VaYakam”. In v. 7, the emphasis is upon the “VeYishtachu”, a downwards movement and therefore the note is applied in accordance with the sense of the verse.