“Vayihiyu Chayii Sarah Meah Shanah v’esrim Shana v’Sheva Shanim”; “And the lifetime of Sarah was 127 years ...” This is the opening verse of this week’s Parsha, Chayeii Sarah. The Parsha describes Avraham coping after Sarah’s death. Abraham’s experience with mortality leads him to focus on the next generation to ensure the continuity of his family line. Perhaps even more importantly for Avraham, to ensure the continuity of his newfound religion. He turns his attention to his beloved son Isaac. He knows that Isaac is shy and reticent—so much so that the Torah describes him as Yoshev Ohalim, a tent dweller. Yitzhak didn’t go outdoors much—he liked the comfort and security of the tent. Yitzhak didn’t travel much; again, he liked the comfort and security of his tent. So Avraham takes it upon himself to find a wife for his tent-dwelling son Yitzhak. He sends his trusted servant out on a monumental mission, to find a wife for Isaac, thereby ensuring the continuity of Avraham’s family line and his religion.

The servant travels through the desert with his caravan, arrives at the edge of town, and sits down near a local well. Overwhelmed by the weight of his task, the servant prays the following prayer recorded in Genesis: Chapter 24 verse 12—I’ll paraphrase. “Adonai, God of my master Abraham, here I sit by this well, watching all these girls drawing water—I don’t know which one to choose for Isaac! I know,” he prays, “I’ll say to them, ‘Give me some water from your pitcher and I will drink’. The girl who says, ‘Drink and I will also give your camels some water to drink’—this is how I will know that she’s the one you’ve chosen for Isaac and you’ve done right by my master Abraham.”

Enter Rivka, right on cue, Tovat Mar’eh M’od, with a very pleasing appearance; she passes the test, and the servant brings her home to marry Yitzhak.

Here’s my question—isn’t that “water” test just a little too simplistic? Why is it that “willingness to be kind to a stranger” is the ultimate test for Isaac’s wife? The continuity of the Jewish people is at stake and you’re looking for someone nice?! Wouldn’t you want the future of the Jewish people entrusted to someone who’s intelligent, wise, pious, and responsible ... why is the servant just looking for someone who’s simply kind?!

The Malbim, a 19^th century German Torah commentator, helped me answer this question with three words—“Shezu Midat Avraham”—“because chesed / kindness is the characteristic of Avraham.” The characteristic that defined him and distinguished him for other religious leaders was chesed—kindness. Yitzhak didn’t have this quality because chesed requires charisma, self confidence, and positive energy. Yitzhak is defined by Pachad fear of God, and he had other important qualities. But, Judaism couldn’t survive without kindness as its center. Avraham’s servant’s test for kindness was to ensure that Avraham’s defining quality of chesed was also central in the second generation.

The servant's prayer is the very first prayer of its kind recorded in the Torah. It is the prayer of a faithful servant who understood the family dynamic as an intelligent outside observer. It is a prayer that God answers as Rivka entered with her pitcher perched on her shoulder. As Avraham’s servant watched Rivka’s chesed as she enthusiastically watered his camels, perhaps his mind flashed back to Avraham’s chesed. Perhaps he visualized the countless times he watched his master enthusiastically welcoming guests to his tent, bringing them pitchers of water to wash their hands and feet, watering their camels. Yes, thought the servant, this is the girl for Yitzhak. Master Avraham’s religion will be safe in Rivka’s kind, loving hands.

As Jewish leaders, we, like Yitzhak and Rivka, are Avraham’s descendants. We, too, have the responsibility to preserve the character of Judaism’s founding father. We, too, have the responsibility to embody chesed. If we can’t do it ourselves, we need to find a Rivka to help us.

In our positions of Jewish leadership we wear many hats: politician, advocate, CEO, counselor, teacher, posek—the list goes on. This passage from our Parsha teaches me very clearly that Avraham’s chesed is the core of what it means to be a Jewish leader. 

© Ranon Teller 2001

 Sermon Classification: 27

 Key Words: Abraham, Isaac, chesed