Parshat Chayei Sarah
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week's parsha of Eliezer's mission in finding a wife for Yitzchak. The Torah describes his journey to Aram Naharayim and his meeting Rivka, and then repeats the whole story as he describes it to her family. Rashi comments on this (Chapter 24, Pasuk 43), Yafeh Sichasan shel Avdei Avos M'Torasan shel Banim, Sheharei Parsha shel Eliezer Kefulah B'Torah V'Harbeh Gufei Torah Lo Nitnu elah B'Remizah. The conversations of the slaves of the forefathers are greater than the Torah of their children, for the story of Eliezer is repeated twice in the Torah while certain halachic principles are only hinted at.
The Ohr Gedalyahu explains these famous words of Rashi in the following manner. Before Matan Torah, the Avodah of the Avos and their slaves was to bring the entire world closer to Hashem. And this was accomplished through their encounters and interaction with the world around them. After Matan Torah, the way to get closer to Gd is through Torah, but not through our physical interaction with the world.
The Zohar Hakadosh expresses this idea from the slavery in Egypt. The pasuk in sefer Shmos says (Chapter 1, Pasuk 14), Vayemararu es Chayeihem B'Avodah Kashah B'Chomer U'Vilveinim. The Egyptians embittered their lives with hard work, with mortar and bricks. The Zohar says on the words Avodah Kashah, this is a references to "Kashas" in the Gemara, B'Chomer, is a reference to a Kal V'Chomer. The point is that in Mitzrayim before Matan Torah Am Yisrael needed to go through a purification process which involved difficult physical labor. But afterwards when Bnei Yisrael received the Torah, the Avodah and process of purification was accomplished through learning Torah. The slavery in Egypt was mirrored later by the Avodah of learning Torah.
This is why Rashi explains that the activities and encounters of the Avos and their slaves are brought in great detail; including in all of their seemingly causal encounters are great depths of service and Avodah to Hashem. Chazal teach on the words in this week's parsha (Chapter 24, Pasuk 63), Vayeitzei Yitzchak Lasu'ach Ba'Sadeh, Yitzchak Tikein Tefillas Minchah, Yitzchak established the afternoon prayer. Chazal derive this from the word Sichah which is a reference to Tefillah, but the simple meaning is that the mundane act of Yitzchak walking in the field was an act of prayer. Every movement was connecting to Hashem and therefore was brought in great detail.
This is all in contradistinction to the period after Matan Torah when our service is through Torah. And in learning Torah we need to find the depths of meaning contained within the letters and words of the Torah. This is why the events of the forefathers are brought in great detail, while essential Torah concepts are only alluded to and derived through the application of a Kal V'Chomer and other principles of darshening.
There is one aspect of the Avodah of the Avos which is still applicable to us today even after Matan Torah; serving Hashem through Tefillah. The Gemara in Brachos 26B teaches, Tefillos Avos Tiknum, the Tefillos were established by our forefathers. The Sfas Emes teaches that this means the Avos taught us how to daven; they taught us the power of prayer. The pasuk in Tehillim says (Chapter 69, Pasuk 14), V'Ani Sefilasi Lecha Hashem Eis Ratzon. The ability of the Avos was in making the time of their Tefillah an Eis Ratzon, a time of willingness on the part of Hashem to accept our prayers. And each one of the Avos established Tefillah during a different time of the day based on their particular nature and trait. Serving Hashem through requesting and beseeching Him is an ability we inherited from them and continue to this day. Though our mundane encounters in the world has been replaced by Talmud Torah as a means of serving Hashem, the one aspect of Avodas HaAvos that we still maintain after Matan Torah is that of Sichasan shel Avdei Avos.
Good Shabbos
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