R. Amnon Bazak, associated with Yeshivat Har Etzion and Machon Herzog, in an essay entitled, “Mesiruto Shel Shliach,” in his collection on the weekly Tora reading, Nekudat Peticha: Iyunim Ketzarim BePeshuta Shel Parashat HaShavua, notes that despite Beraishit 24 being one of the longest chapters in the entire bible (67 verses), the name of the protagonist, Avraham’s representative who seeks out a wife for Yitzchak, is never explicitly mentioned. The only personal information about him in chapter 24 appears in v. 2: “And Avraham said unto his servant, the elder of his house, that ruled over all that he had…” We wouldn’t know his name at all were it not for an earlier reference (Ibid. 15:2): “…and he that shall be possessor of my house is Eliezer of Damascus.” One would think that someone whom Avraham entrusted to perform such an important function, something that would impact profoundly upon not only Yitzchak’s future, but the fate of the Jewish people as a whole, should be made known to us in detail. Furthermore, had Eliezer failed, we might understand a desire to protect his anonymity, as appears is the case at the end of Megillat Rut, when the individual who “passes” on the opportunity to marry Rut and thereby redeem her late husband’s name and lands, is referred to only as the “Go’el” (redeemer) (see Rut 3:12-3; 4:1, 3, 4, 6, 8); but Eliezer succeeds brilliantly and therefore we would expect the Tora to trumpet him and his success to all.
Principles of Shlichut (Surrogacy) Derived from Eliezer in Parashat Chayei Sara
01 Sunday Nov 2015
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