Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

“As the camels had done drinking, the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold, and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay?” She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” She said moreover to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge in.” The man bowed his head, and worshiped Yahweh. He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me on the way to the house of my master’s relatives.” The young lady ran, and told her mother’s house about these words.”
(Genesis 24:22-28)

The servant, knowing she was the one he was seeking, immediately gave her gifts. She must have been surprised. He hasn’t said a word to her of his real mission. She must have been shocked at the valuable reward she got for her kindness in giving water. She got about five ounces of gold here (today’s prices puts that around $21,995 USD or $30,500 CAD). He doesn’t know who her family is when he gives the gift. He is operating on trust in God.

The servant doesn’t spill the beans. He is now seeking information and a way to speak to her family. When she tells him who they are, it is confirmation that she is indeed the one God has picked. His response was to immediately worship the Lord for the miracle. No middle men. No stepping stones. He put his trust in the Lord and the Lord immediately brought it all about.

Rebekah told who her family was and was able to speak on their behalf, knowing their situation and their generousity and hospitability. She did this BEFORE she knew whose servant he was. She did this before he was anyone but a stranger. These were decent people. She was in no way being selfish in her motivations. She had good character.

Once she heard whose servant she was, she took off. She was so excited about the connection with her family that she ran home, leaving him behind. She told the story, showed the gifts, and told of everything that had happened.

The sage Rav Hirsch writes: ‘V. 22. ויקח. It does not say that he gave them to her yet. In his story in V.47, he also says that he only gave her the jewellery after she had told him who her family was. But he thought it just as well to bring it out already, to let her see some of the riches which he had with him. He now wanted to ask for lodging in her home. Eliezer knew the world, anyway the Aramitic world, otherwise he would not have found גמילות חסד something special, or showing special character. For the readiness to take in ten camels and the men attendant on them, it was necessary to find, not merely an Abrahamitic daughter but a whole Abrahamitic house. The girl was certainly a pearl in humaneness but who could tell in what metal the jewel was set. In any case Eliezer thought, that before he asked about her home, and the possibility of being received there, it was just as well to allow some gold to be seen. Who can say, also, whether Rebecca — as an understanding girl who knew full well the character of her brother, who ran the home, and who would scarcely have offered a friendly welcome to a number of mere servants and camels — would have given Eliezer her name at all if she had not seen something shining in his hand, which, certainly not for herself, but for the ruling spirit of her home, would have a somewhat greater attraction than just an opportunity of exercising humane hospitality. That Eliezer omitted this little incident when recounting the story in her parents’ house, and only mentioned the appearance of the presents as coming after the information given concerning her family and home, is again an example of the fine feelings and delicacy which characterised Eliezer’s behaviour and speech throughout the whole story. V. 23. הגידי נא. He hardly expected that the girl would just tell this to a strange man, so he repeats his question more pressingly. V. 24. She mentions Milcah and Nahor, being brother and sister of Abraham, as names likely to be known. V. 25. Here again her delightful nature shows itself. Her first thought is for animals whom she has just relieved of their thirst and how refreshed they are, “well they have drunk, let them now have something to eat”. (It has been ascertained that 5 camels in two drinks a few hours apart, drank 140 gallons of water. Ten camels in the first drink would accordingly store away at least 140 gals, probably much more. The loving task which our Rebecca so happily undertook, going down to the well, lowering and raising the bucket, going to and fro and filling the trough with more than 1120 pints of water, was indeed no light one. I.L.). Her feeling for the poor thirsty animals was still pulsating through her. יודע צדיק נפש בהמתו “A righteous man understands the feelings of his animal”. (Prov. 12,10), hence in Judaism no society for the prevention of cruelty to animals is necessary, our ancestress Rebecca looked after that. V. 26. קידה is bowing the head down to the ground without bending the knees, making as deep a bow as possible and means to submit your head, your mind completely to the one to whom you bow. השתחויה, prostrating the whole means placing the whole body, the whole of yourself at the disposal of the one before whom you prostrate yourself. Thus the people received the command to hand down to their children the meaning of the Pesach, with קידה and השתחויה (Ex. 12,27). Thereby they undertook to devote mind and body to this educational task as the positive duty of a Mitzva. Similarly Moses when the deepest revelation of God’s mode of management was vouchsafed to him (ibid. XXXIV,7). Here, too, Eliezer first bows his mind before the management and guidance of the Divine Providence which had so clearly been demonstrated to him, and then gives himself up entirely to it. He bows his own mind before the All highest Mind that had looked into his heart and that had sent Its angel ahead of him. V. 27. חסד ואמת. What אהבה is in feelings, חסד is in deeds, love translated into action. אמת is, to a certain extent, a restricting, or at least a limiting addition. חסד ואמת is an act of love where the love does not run too close to overlooking the truth (not allowing one’s heart to run away with one’s head I.L.) Human love is blind. It is inclined to accede to the wishes of the beloved one without considering the true worth of these wishes. God’s Love is חסד ואמת, it only grants such wishes in which the truth is conserved, which truly do lead to happiness. Thus with Jacob (Ch. 47,29) the care for his burial in general is an act of חסד, the limitation, the observing the condition “but not in Egypt”, is the אמת. So, too, what the spies were to do for Rehab was a חסד ואמת, a conditional act of kindness (Jos. 2,14). So perhaps here too. To see their children married is the dearest wish of parents. If they try to accomplish it at all costs, without consideration of the true essentials (if it is not with a girl with an Abrahamitic disposition, well then we will take one from ענד אשכל וממרא or from ארם) then they are endeavouring to do חסד without אמת. But Abraham wanted only חסד together with אמת and both were granted to him by God.’

The Torah: A Women’s Commenraty writes: ‘22–27. Based on this impressive display of character, the servant presents Rebekah with adornments even before she informs him that she is the granddaughter of Abraham’s brother. Her lineage is additional and decisive proof of divine intervention. I am Bethuel’s daughter; [he is] the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” Rebekah introduces herself by naming her grandmother Milcah (compare v. 15). Rebekah’s mother remains unnamed in the story, even though she plays a role in the marriage negotiations (24:53). her mother’s household. Although the servant asked about her father’s house (24:23), Rebekah goes to her mother’s house. At the end of this chapter she will move into Sarah’s tent (24:67). The mention of women’s domain (tent or house) occurs only in Genesis 24, the book of Ruth (1:8), and Song of Songs (3:4, 8:2)—texts in which we find women of strong character. The expression “mother’s household” (beit em) emphasizes that the household is associated with women’s activities.’