Hayyei Sarah 5762, Genesis 23-25:18
Shabbat Shalom-
There is a saying in the 2nd century Ethics of the Fathers 5:22. Ben Bag Bag says "turn it and turn it [the Torah] for everything is in it". This week's reading has a lot of interesting things in it.
For example, the second Biblical pickup line is in this week's portion:
Genesis 24:23 "Does your father's home have a place for us to spend the night?" Not nearly so hot and steamy as Abraham in Gen 12:11 "Don't you know you're a fine looking woman"? (reading 'yadati' as archaic feminine) but still a good line.
Another reading shows the antiquity of the statement: "The only two certainties in life are Death and Taxes". If you change the letter spacing, Gen 24:25 reads "And she said to him 'And you must understand, there is a great tax here with us'".
And lastly, we speak of true love and getting the girl. Now, Isaac our ancestor was a shy fellow. His father Abraham didn't let him out much. He was very protective of him. After the grief of losing his son Ishmael and almost killing Isaac (perhaps to punish himself), he loses Sarah, his beloved wife. Abraham realizes the value of companionship and that he's got to let go of Isaac and get him a wife. The boy was 40-years-old, for goodness sake.
So, Abraham sent his servant back to the homeland to pick up a woman from his family (Gen 24) so he could avoid dealing with inlaws. He was an old man and didn't have time for that kind of stuff. While the servant is away, Abraham tells Isaac he's gotta shape up, suck in his gut, brush his hair, and man, learn how to talk to the women! So, Isaac went out into the field to go practice on the sheep, talking I mean (24:63) and was working on some really good lines, when he looked up and saw camels in the distance. So, he did everything his dad taught him, brushed
his hair, and tried to look manly among the sheepfolds. He was going to meet his wife!
Rebecca, meanwhile, was sold off by her father and brother to the kindly old servant of the great Abraham. She didn't know much about him except that he was wealthy, and had left the family behind back in Aram Naharayim. Knowing her family, it didn't seem like such a bad idea. So, when the servant came and offered to take her there, it seemed like a pretty good idea. But it wasn't really up to her in those days. Only at the request of the servant did she get the choice to go immediately and she bolted.
Rebecca knew nothing about Isaac except that he was her ticket out of her household. But she was nervous. So when she saw the composed young fellow in the field walking to greet her, her heart beat that it be Isaac and not just another servant. She jumped off her camel, practically fell (24:64), and asked the slave accompanying her who he was! It was he so she veiled herself in modesty and prepared to meet her husband.
Now, we know that Isaac and Rebecca hit it off and got married but that they were never quite on the same
page (cf. Gen 25:28, 27:13). What we learn from this story is that even with the best preparation and the most chiseled figure, marriage is a relationship between two people. It is more than a friendship-- it is a partnership. Since Isaac was a recluse and
Rebecca a strong-willed and wild woman, they managed to stay out of each other's hair. But, if you want a
life-mate, you've got to do more than just be attracted to someone; you've got to make a friend. But I'm not saying not to practice your pickup lines.
Have a caring week!
Benjamin Fleischer
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