Rabbi’s Message
To visit my father-in-law on Lopez Island off of Washington state is a real life case of “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles”. Except in this case it is planes, boats and automobiles. To get to and from the island requires a ferry, two multi hour car rides and a plane. Coming home from the Island we had to rise at 4 AM to insure that we got on the 6:30 AM shuttle since there is only room for 30 cars and people begin to line up at 5:30. From there we drive to Seattle – 2 ½ hours. Take the flight to Chicago and go and pick up our car at the Park and Fly hotel. Eleven hours and yet to eat more than a scone and coffee into our travel journey we were waiting for our shuttle back to the Wyndham hotel to pick our car. However we were unaware that there are 4 Wyndham hotels near the airport. We got on the one that is 35 minutes from the airport not on the one 5 minutes away. Well, just take us back to the airport. No, that was the last shuttle of the night. Now I am fed up and swearing a blue streak, demanding that the shuttle drive us to the right hotel! I’m sorry sir that is not possible but I can call a cab for you. And my wife, who as you know is among the 36 righteous people in the world, goes over to the driver, who does not speak any English and gives him 2 dollars for carrying her bags. I’m flabbergasted, he didn’t take us to the right hotel! Well, says Lizzie, he still carried my bags for me. Two minutes later, while waiting for the cab, the driver, Mr. Patel, comes out and says, “I take you in my car”. Amazing. The drive takes him 20 minutes out of his way to drop us off. Lizzie’s generosity and Mr. Patel’s thoughtfulness - Such are the small acts of kindness upon which our world survives.
The Torah portion of Hayei Sarah also turns on a small act of hesed. Sarah has died, and Yitzhak was nearly slaughtered. Avraham becomes anxious about continuity. So he calls upon his servant Eliezer to go back East to Avraham’s extended family to find a wife for his son. When Eliezer arrives at the place, he prays to God to give him guidance in choosing the right woman.
He prays to God: “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, grant me good fortune this day, and deal graciously with my master Abraham: Here I stand by the spring as the daughters of the townsmen come out to draw water; let the maiden to whom I say, ‘Please, lower your jar that I may drink,’ and who replies, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels’—let her be the one whom You have decreed for Your servant Isaac. Thereby shall I know that You have dealt graciously with my master.”
Some commentators have questioned Eliezer’s tactics. Was he engaging in some kind of divination or magic so that God would provide a sign? The commentator known at the Malbim argues no, this was simply a character test.
“(Eliezer) required to find out more about her inner qualities and this he did by the drink and “I shall water your camels too” formula. This would indicate that she was a hospitable, considerate and unassuming person and this on four counts:
1) “Behold I am stationed by the well” – the ordinary reaction of the girl would be: You are standing by the well; help yourself to the water!
2) There were plenty of girls going out to fetch water. She could say: why pick on me when I’ve already replaced the jug on my shoulder. Pick on another girl who is still holding the water jug in her hand.
3)I shall ask her to tilt the jug herself to enable me to drink. This means a special effort for her to let down the brimful water jug in order to give me a drink. She would be justified in being annoyed and saying: Tilt the jar yourself from my should and drink but don’t make me do it myself.
4) Her offer to give “my camels a drink” too would indicate her thoughtfulness and understanding, showing that she had said to herself: This man is obviously handicapped and cannot draw the water himself form the well and lower the jug. If he can’t give himself a drink then he most certainly isn’t up to watering the camels too. This would indicate her kindness to animals.
It was most apt that the young woman who was destined to become a matriarch of the holy Jewish people should be singled out for her hospitality to both human and animal.
Note how committed Rebecca was to serving the needs of this stranger and his camels - When she had let him drink his fill, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they finish drinking.” Quickly emptying her jar into the trough, she ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. As Eliezer watches her the text tells us once again that “And it came to pass, as the camels had finished drinking…” Three times the Torah mentions this factor of the camels drinking and Rebecca making sure they had their drink. Nechama Leibowitz points out that this detailing is clear – Rebecca was constantly refilling the water until they had finished drinking.
It is the way of the world to herald great acts of tzedakah and compassion – Mother Theresa is justly honored as a saint for her tireless and selfless giving but few can reach such a level. Bill Gates is honored for the billions of dollars he and his wife have given to tzedakah, but few can give this kind of largesse. But the Torah indicates to us that it is the little acts of kindness and selflessness, helping stranded travelers and inconveniencing yourself to assist others, that not only set holy individuals apart from others but bring true holiness into the world.