Parshat Chayei Sarah 5784
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week’s parsha that Avraham Avinu sends Eliezer, his loyal servant, to find a wife for his son Yitzchak. Avraham sends him to his homeland, the place of his birth, to find a wife, and insists that she agree to come to Eretz Yisrael to live. And, he adds, by no means is he to find him a wife from among the local Canaanite women. According to the Medrash Rabbah (59,9) quoted by Rashi (Chapter 24, Pasuk 39), Eliezer advocated for Yitzchak to marry his own daughter, to which Avraham responded, בני ברוך ואתה ארור, ואין ארור מדבק בברוך; my son is blessed and you are cursed, and that which is cursed can’t be together with that which is blessed.
The Medrash Rabbah later (60,7) in our parsha teaches on the words (Chapter 24, Pasuk 31) בוא ברוך ד', that Eliezer eventually transitioned from being cursed to being blessed, יצא מכלל ארור לכלל ברוך. And how exactly did he accomplish this? The Medrash explains, על ידי ששרת אותו צדיק באמונה. As a result of serving the Tzadik Avraham Avinu in good faith and with loyalty, he was able to raise himself up and be included among those who are blessed.
The Sfas Emes teaches that this transformation process is meant to take place every week for each and every one of us. During the week when we are involved in the mundane, physical world, we are meant to serve Hashem and be עובדי ד'. And often times we are challenged by life and find ourselves questioning and wondering why certain things are the way they are. During these times we need to emulate Eliezer and be loyal servants. We need to serve Hashem with faith, with אמונה and בטחון. We need to keep moving forward and grow in our dedication to Hashem and His Torah.
Just as Eliezer, if we serve our Master with Emunah, we transform from the accursed slavery of the six days of the week and enter Shabbos and become blessed. As we say in מזמור שיר ליום השבת, the psalm for Shabbos (Tehillim, Chapter 92, Pasuk 3), להגיד בבוקר חסדך ואמונתך בלילות. During the night, during the dark periods of our life, we must respond with אמונה, with faith in Hashem. And then we will be able to experience and appreciate the great Chesed of Hashem in the morning. The morning referenced in the pasuk is Shabbos, when the light of Shabbos gives us clarity like the morning. The Torah mentions by each of the days of the week ויהי ערב ויהי בוקר. The days of the week include ערב; times of darkness and confusion. It’s only on Shabbos that the word ערב is not mentioned.
Instead, we read regarding Shabbos (Chapter 2, Pasuk 3), ויברך אלוקים את יום השביעי ויקדש אותו. Shabbos is a day of bracha. It’s the day we move from ארור to ברוך. But it’s not automatic; just as Eliezer had to work hard to achieve his upward transformation, we need to do the same. We need to put our faith in Hashem during the hardships of the week in order to merit the next stage of bracha. Otherwise, the rule is אין ארור מדבק בברוך. Only with the proper preparation are we able to greet Shabbos and merit in its tremendous blessing. Only then can we be יוצא מכלל ארור לכלל ברוך.
The Sfas Emes points out that this Avodah works in both directions as well. During the time of light, we need to store our up our understanding and clarity for when there are darker days. This is why the pasuk says first להגיד בבוקר חסדך and only then, ואמונתך בלילות. And this is the other aspect of Shabbos; not only must we work during the week to deserve the bracha of Shabbos, but we also need to take the bracha of Shabbos and use it during the following week as well. The Zohar Hakadosh refers to the meals of Shabbos as סעודתי דהמינותא; the meals of faith and belief. The Chidushei Harim adds that the meals of Shabbos are meant to be סועדים האמונה. They need to fill us up with Emunah. Our clarity and the spiritually of Shabbos are meant to remain with us and serve us during the darker periods of the week, as we anticipate the ability to greet the next Shabbos, the מקור הברכה.
Good Shabbos
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