This week’s Parashat tells about the death of Sarah, a wife for Isaac, the death of Abraham and Ishmael’s descendants.

I would like you to focus on the wife for Isaac portion. Abraham takes his most trusted servant Eliezer which is not called by name he is only called servant. We know through earlier Parashats and all the external readings that this is Eliezer. Abraham makes him swear to go to his home land and find a wife for Isaac. Eliezer loads up 10 camels with a dowry, gifts for the family of the woman he finds to marry Isaac. 

Eliezer makes a request of God to show him who the right woman is for Isaac. His prayer is based on God showing him KINDNESS for his master sake. His focus is on KINDNESS. His request is based on KINDNESS he asks God to have the woman give him water and also his camels which is showing KINDNESS. When Rebecca goes back to tell her family Laban comes out immediately to welcome Eliezer and his men. He says I have made room for you and your camels. The story continues going into detail of getting straw for the camels and washing the camels and the men’s feet. Here is where we miss out not speaking or understanding Hebrew. Many modern translations say Laban is the one who got the straw and washed the feet. However it was not Laban it was Eliezer? The Bible in the original language refers to Eliezer or the servant as the man all throughout the story. It’s says the man got the straw and washed the feet. The word used to reference the man is IYSH which means man or servant.

In the story we have 2 tellings of the events that unfolded. We have the narrators telling and we have Eliezer’s retelling. They are different in many ways. Eliezer saw something in Laban which caused him to change the telling of events. He saw that Laban cared about looking good. He cares about wealth and family. In Eliezer’s retelling he focused on searching for his master’s family in search of a wife for Isaac. He also goes into detail of Abraham’s wealth and that Isaac now has possession of all Abraham’s wealth. Notice how Eliezer said nothing about KINDNESS in his retelling?

There are many more subtle differences in the text. However this is what I believe we are to get out of this week’s Parashat. We need to listen before we speak. We need to know where people are coming from before we make a move. The Bible is clear we are supposed to be as wise as a serpent and as gentle as a dove. We are also not to let the right hand know what the left hand is doing. We are being divided with all the vax no vax, mask no mask, CRT and the list goes on. Listen then tailor your speech for the audience you are in.