Parasha Thoughts |
By: Rabbi Shlomo Zargari Shalom! There is an interesting observation in our Parasha that will help us be stronger in our daily tasks. Avraham Avinu sent Eliezer, his loyal and wise servant, to find a wife for his son, Yishagh. As he comes close to the city in Aram, he prays to Hashem and begs for success in his mission. Before he even finishes, he sees Rivka going to the spring of water to draw water. He notices that the water came up to her and she had no need to draw the water, as it says: “She descended to the spring, filled her jug, and ascended” (Bereshit 24:16). The Torah does not say that she “drew ” the water. This comes to teach us that she had no need to draw because the water came up. Seeing that, Eliezer runs to her and asks for some water and she complies. Then she ran to the spring to bring water for his camels. Now the Torah writes : “…(Rivka) kept running to the well to draw water; and she drew for all his camels” (Bereshit 24:20). At this point she had to draw the water. Why, you ask? Because now it’s a Misva and a Misva doesn’t come cheap. You have to work hard for it. Our sages teach us in Pirkeh Avot (5:23) that in accordance with the pain is the reward. And every obstacle, every hardship and blockage makes the reward even more, hundreds of times more. People complain, It’s hard to be a Jew, it’s tough to perform Misvot. You come back from a hard day of work, tired, eyes are closing. All sorts of enticements are beckoning, you overcome them and are on your way to learn Torah in the Kollel and …the phone rings. The guests come and what not?? And when we overcome the obstacles and do the Misvot we get the bigger reward. The water didn’t come up, so that she should get a bigger reward, and the same is true for us. Shabat shalom. |
