Chayei Sarah

This week’s parashah tells the story of the shidduch of Yitzchak and Rivkah.
Rivkah, we are told, was righteous even as a child (see 24:16). She was so great that the water in the well rose up toward her (Rashi 24:17). When she left home to marry Yitzchak – at the age of 3 – she was brought to Sarah’s tent. Upon her entry the miraculous blessings that had ceased with Sarah’s demise – the candles would remain lit from one Friday to the next; the dough was blessed, so that people were satisfied with only a small amount; and a Divine cloud hovered above the tent – all returned (Rashi 24:67).

How could a young girl grow up in a wicked city and a family and know not to act like them?

When Eliezer describes to Rivkah’s family how he met her, they respond “MeiHashem Yatzah hadavar, this is clearly Divine intervention…Hinei Rivkah lifanecha, kach va’leich, behold Rivkah is before you, take her and go… (24:50-51)” Yet, as Eliezer is about to leave with her, they suggest “teishev hanaarah itanu yamim o assor, let the girl remain with us for a year or 10 months (v.55).”

What’s going on?

Later, when Rivkah is leaving to get married, they wish her that the blessings Hashem gave Avrohom following the akeidah should be fulfilled in her children (Rashi 24:60). Apparently, they were well aware of the blessings and firmly believed they would come true. In fact, we continue to invoke their words to this day (see, for example Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 147:3).

So did they believe in Hashem or did they not?

It seems that Rivkah grew up in a family that, intellectually, recognized the truth. The problem was they did nothing about it. Even as they recognized the clear hashgachah pratis and declared, “here is Rivkah, take her and go,” they still tried to stop it. Even as they believed that Avrohom was blessed by Hashem, they could not embrace the Truth of his teachings.

This was nothing new, their grandfather, Terach, had similarly conceded to Avrohom that his idols were powerless. Yet despite this, he continued to worship them and even gave his son over to be killed for challenging their efficacy.

The difference between a righteous person and an evil one isn’t in what they believe, it is in whether the person conducts his life based on his beliefs.

Rivkah grew up in a home where she was exposed to the truth. What distinguished her from those around her was that she – like her uncle Avrohom and aunt Sarah – behaved in accordance with the values she held dear.

Anyone in Rivkah’s family had the tools to become great; only Rivkah used those tools to become a Mother of Klal Yisrael.

May we all learn from her example to live our lives according to the Torah, so that we, too, can “be all that we can be.”

Gut Shabbos.