JEWISH SENTINEL

JEWISH WORLD • NOVEMBER 18-24, 2022 7 Abraham, committed to performing an act that will determine the con- tinuity of the Abrahamic vision. A midrash even suggests that Eliezer had a daughter of marriageable age whom he had expected to wed to Isaac, allowing his grandchildren to inherit the Abrahamic mantle. But Eliezer forgets any of his person- al ambition; he is the consummate servant, using all of his wisdom and ingenuity to carry out his master’s will. (See Rashi on verse 24: 39 quoting Bereishit Rabbah 59: 9). In this he is like Moses, who uti- lizes all of his spiritual and intellec- tual prowess in the service of his Master, the Lord, God of Universe. Just as Moses was both an eved and an ish at the same time (See Deut. 33:1 and 34:5) – with his individual personality dedicated to God’s will – so was Eliezer. Shlomo Riskin is chief rabbi of Efrat, Israel. to find a suitable mate for his heir to the covenant, Isaac. For this mo- mentous task he chooses “his trust- ed servant, the wise elder of his household, who controlled all that was his,” Eliezer (Genesis 24: 2). Eliezer demonstrates great skill in understanding what is required for the wife of Isaac: that she must be a member of the Abrahamic fami- ly (Rebekah is the granddaughter of Abraham’s brother, Nahor), and must not dwell among the evil and accursed Canaanites. He further understands that the young woman must be will- ing to live with Isaac in Abraham’s domain rather than at the home of her family; Rebekah must come under the influence of Abraham. Most of all, he understands that Isaac’s bride must be as hospitable as Abraham, to the extent that she will not only draw water from the well for him, the messenger, but also for his camels. And of course he must arrange for the young © 2022 Ronald M. Dragoon Relax While The Turkeys Are Cooking! Preferred Patron Club Members: Order our package for 10 and receive two BUY-1-GET-1 FREE meal rewards or order our package for 6 and receive one BUY-1-GET-1 FREE meal reward for future use. Orders must be placed by Monday, November 21st, to receive rewards. ENTREE Whole Roast Turkey (15 lb. avg.) Ben’s Own Stuf ng & Gravy SIDES (Choose 2) Roasted Red Potatoes w/Garlic & Rosemary Thyme Baked Yams • Fresh String Beans Almondine Fruit Noodle Pudding • Sweet Potato Pudding Homemade Mashed Potatoes ACCOMPANIMENTS (All Included) 1 qt. Cranberry-Pineapple Compote 1 qt. Fresh-Cut Cole Slaw Assorted Relish Tray • 1 doz. Mini Rolls Thanksgiving Feast for 10 $279.90 Thanksgiving Feast for 6 $169.90 ENTREE 2.5 lbs. of Fresh Breast of Turkey Off The Frame Ben’s Own Stuf ng & Gravy SIDES (Choose 2) Roasted Red Potatoes w/Garlic & Rosemary Thyme Baked Yams • Fresh String Beans Almondine Fruit Noodle Pudding • Sweet Potato Pudding Homemade Mashed Potatoes ACCOMPANIMENTS (All Included) 1 pt. Cranberry-Pineapple Compote 1 qt. Fresh-Cut Cole Slaw Small Assorted Relish Tray • 6 Mini Rolls Our Dining Rooms Are OPEN Thanksgiving Day! Roast Turkey Dinner $32.99 Including homemade soup & soft drink Kid’s Feast $10.99 Including soft drink & kid’s dessert REGULAR MENU ALSO AVAILABLE • RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED THANKSGIVING DINING ROOM SEATINGS Queens, Long Island & Boca Raton, FL Seatings: 12:00 pm, 1:30 pm, 3:30 pm & 6:00 pm Manhattan Seating: 12:00 pm, 1:30 pm & 3:30 pm (no 6:00 pm seating) Complete Your Last Minute List At Ben’s! From turkey, stuffing and gravy to soups, sides, salads and dessert — everything you need to complete your holiday table is available at our takeout counter! See in-store yer or visit BensDeli.net for details. The Righteous Servant Parshat Chaye Sara Genesis 23:1- 25:18 By SHLOMO RISKIN “And Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of his house, that ruled over all that he had: ‘Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh. . . . You shall go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son, even for Isaac.’” (Genesis 24: 2-4). T he portion of Hayei Sara comprises two chapters of the Book of Genesis: Chap- ter 23 deals with the death and burial of the matriarch Sarah, and Chapter 24 deals with the selection of a suitable wife for her son Isaac. The connection between these two themes is clear: With the loss of his beloved life partner, a bereft Abraham understands the awesome responsibility that lies before him woman to make the journey to Isaac and live her life in the Land of Israel, under the tent of Abraham. Eliezer arranges a match that will determine the destiny of God’s cov- enantal nation with wisdom, tact and sensitivity. The Bible states that Eliezer set out for his mission “with all the bounty [goodness] of his master in his hand” (Ibid 24: 10). Rashi takes this to mean that Abraham gave Eliezer a blank check to pay any price necessary for the right wife for Isaac. Rabbi Moshe Besdin in- terprets the verse very differently: All the bounty and goodness that was Abraham’s was now placed in the hands of his most trusted ser- vant because the future of Abraham was dependent upon Isaac, his heir apparent, and the future of Isaac depended on his future wife. S trangely, throughout this lengthy biblical tale, Eliezer’s name is not mentioned. He is referred to as eved (the servant) 10 times and as ish (the personage) seven times, but never once by his name. Wouldn’t such an important in- dividual, entrusted with such a sig- nificant mission, deserve to have his name in lights for everyone to see and remember? I believe that is ex- actly the point of the biblical record. Eliezer the individual has been com- pletely subsumed by the immensi- ty of this task: He is the servant of Eliezer the individual has been completely subsumed by the immensity of his task: determining the continuity of the Abrahamic vision. DVAR TORAH