Close To Torah

In Perek 24: 22-23 the pesukim discuss something very interesting. Eliezer was sent to find a wife for Yitzchok. After Rivkah performed kindness with him, he placed jewelry upon her, and afterward he asked her who her father was, in order to insure that she was from the family of Avraham. That does seem a bit out of order doesn’t it? He should have first asked her who she was. What if after giving her the jewelry it became known that this isn’t the girl he is looking for? Why did he choose to go about it in this way?

Rashi explains that he was sure that in the merit of his master Avraham, his mission would be successful. That is an interesting assumption. Why would Hashem make his mission successful? It was because he was going to do the right thing with the correct intentions. At first when Avraham asked him to find a wife for his son he wanted his own daughter to marry Yitzchok. Amidst strong feeling, he surrendered his own will to the wishes of his master. He was working for the fathers of Klal Yisroel, and Chazal stress the importance of listening to a talmid chacham. He was putting into practice what he had been taught, following the teachings of the Torah without putting his own personal thoughts and feelings into the equation.

There are many times in our lives that it is necessary to take certain actions, even though we may not want to do so. There is a higher power above us that directs the world, and has specified how he wants us to utilize our time here. A person might ask: Why should I go and listen to him when I am doing just fine with my own approach?

There was once a person that bought a sports car. After a few hundred miles of travel, the check oil engine light went on. He pulled into the nearest gas station to check out what the problem was. The attendant informed him that he needs to add more oil. The car owner, who knew nothing about cars and oil, asked the attendant which oil he needed, as there were many to choose from. He replied “Usually sports cars take synthetic oil”. Another customer overheard the conversation and asked the sports car owner “Why don’t you just check the manual in your glove compartment?” He thought to himself, “great idea!” As he went over and opened up to the section about oil, he noticed big bold letters stating:”Do not use synthetic oil, it will destroy the car”! The sports car owner said to himself, “they are probably trying to trick me, in order to ruin my car, I won’t listen to them, I’ll use synthetic because that’s the best! (Heard from R Z.Wallerstein)

What would you say about such a person? He sounds a bit illogical, and in a short period of time, his engine will burn out, and his fancy car will become food for the junkyard. The manual is there for a reason; to guide the owner on how to use the product, if the instructions are not followed then the car will be ruined.

The same goes for our use in this world. Hashem gave instructions on how to use it. The instructions are the Torah. If we follow the instructions we only stand to gain. It will give us clarity in our lives; it will help us on the path of life. Whenever we go through a struggle, we will never be alone, because someone that follows the Torah is in the hands of Hashem, and is considered one of his loved ones. When a person chooses the right way, he has a special help from heaven, and all his missions will be met with success. Eliezer was doing the right thing. That is why he was able to give Rivkah the jewelry and then ask who she was afterward. He had the merit of Avraham and that of his own humbleness. If we too act in this mindset, we will also have the same success, and we will have happiness and serenity in our lives, because we will know that we have chosen the right path.

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