A thought on Parshas Chayei Sara
A Thought On Parshas Chayei Sara
"...boruch HaShem...asher lo ozav chasdo v'amito..." (24:27)"...blessed is HaShem...Who has not withdrawn His kindness and His truth..."
Avraham's servant Eliezer declares his awe and praise of HaShem for leading him on the right path, and for "not withholding His kindness and truth." That latter clause is puzzling. There are many things which one can thank HaShem for, and there are many, many things for which we are in awe of His deeds and the ways in which we perceive His "attributes."
The terms "kindness and truth" - chesed and emes - need elaboration. What does the Torah convey to us through the words of Eliezer? What did he see, what did he realize, that must be taught to the Jewish people for the rest of time?
The Ralbag explains: "kindness" - chesed - is the goodness given graciously. "Truth" - emes - is giving what is required. If I offer you something out of compassion or friendship, that is kindness. If I have committed myself to giving you something, and give it, then I am being "true to my word" which is emes.
HaShem's pledge to grant Avraham descendants was kind. HaShem graced Avraham with this gift of a son, and delighted him with the promise of descendants through that son. This was chesed, and Eliezer makes reference to it as such. The fulfillment of a prophecy, when HaShem's promise begins to actualize and unfold, may still feel to the recipient as great kindness and grace, but from the perspective of the true believer in HaShem, a promise is a promise, and when HaShem "follows through", that is a display of emes, of justice and truth. This was referenced by Eliezer as well. He knew of the prophetic promise and how Avraham felt HaShem's grace and kindness. However, future generations needed to know that from the world-view perspective, transcending time and circumstance, the events which fell in to place in such perfectly fitting sequence were the revelation of Divine emes.
The Ralbag adds that this is the meaning of some familiar words found in the navi Micha
(7:20) - "ti'ten emes l'Yaakov chesed l'Avraham" - "You have given truth to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham." That which was originally seen as graciousness when shown to Avraham became a truth when bestowed unto his descendant Yaakov.
May our people feel HaShem's closeness and experience His chesed, which is our emes.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
"...boruch HaShem...asher lo ozav chasdo v'amito..." (24:27)"...blessed is HaShem...Who has not withdrawn His kindness and His truth..."
Avraham's servant Eliezer declares his awe and praise of HaShem for leading him on the right path, and for "not withholding His kindness and truth." That latter clause is puzzling. There are many things which one can thank HaShem for, and there are many, many things for which we are in awe of His deeds and the ways in which we perceive His "attributes."
The terms "kindness and truth" - chesed and emes - need elaboration. What does the Torah convey to us through the words of Eliezer? What did he see, what did he realize, that must be taught to the Jewish people for the rest of time?
The Ralbag explains: "kindness" - chesed - is the goodness given graciously. "Truth" - emes - is giving what is required. If I offer you something out of compassion or friendship, that is kindness. If I have committed myself to giving you something, and give it, then I am being "true to my word" which is emes.
HaShem's pledge to grant Avraham descendants was kind. HaShem graced Avraham with this gift of a son, and delighted him with the promise of descendants through that son. This was chesed, and Eliezer makes reference to it as such. The fulfillment of a prophecy, when HaShem's promise begins to actualize and unfold, may still feel to the recipient as great kindness and grace, but from the perspective of the true believer in HaShem, a promise is a promise, and when HaShem "follows through", that is a display of emes, of justice and truth. This was referenced by Eliezer as well. He knew of the prophetic promise and how Avraham felt HaShem's grace and kindness. However, future generations needed to know that from the world-view perspective, transcending time and circumstance, the events which fell in to place in such perfectly fitting sequence were the revelation of Divine emes.
The Ralbag adds that this is the meaning of some familiar words found in the navi Micha
(7:20) - "ti'ten emes l'Yaakov chesed l'Avraham" - "You have given truth to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham." That which was originally seen as graciousness when shown to Avraham became a truth when bestowed unto his descendant Yaakov.
May our people feel HaShem's closeness and experience His chesed, which is our emes.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 7:49 AM
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