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Daily manna from the Torah by Dr Ketriel Blad

Chayei Sarah 5-3

The lives of Sarah

Genesis 24:10-26

And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.

Gen. 24:26 KJV

How are Avraham’s followers?

Avraham’s most trusted servant went to Mesopotamia to look for a wife for Yitzchak. He carried with him ten camels loaded with all kinds of goods. With Yitzchak’s birth, Eliezer had been displaced from Avraham’s plans. Before Yitzchak, Avraham was planning on leaving him all his possessions (15:2) but the Eternal changed Avraham’s plans and said that Yitzchak would be the heir (15:4; 21:10,12). The inheritance included not only material goods but also something much more important, an immovable faith and eternal promises and blessings.

Eliezer had grown up with the faith and within the spiritual atmosphere of his master. Avraham trusted him completely because he knew that he was absolutely loyal. This servant wasn’t after his own interests while serving in his mission as a shaliach – emissary. The only thing he cared for was to fulfill the will of the one who had sent him, and in this particular case, he knew that it was not just a regular mission but an important part of the divine plan for the world’s future redemption. It was very important that Yitzchak had a heavenly-sent wife. That’s why the servant didn’t trust his own discerning abilities but he trusted the Eternal and acted by faith, as he had learned from his master.

When he arrived in his destination, he made the camels kneel by a well (24:11). Camels need to kneel in order to rest. The fact that the Torah mentions this can teach us something in an allegoric manner. The Hebrew word for kneeling is barach, ברך - which is related to berech ברך  – knee. The word barach also means “to bless” (24:1). It is the word we use when we bless the Eternal: “Baruch HaShem”. Baruch means blessed. The interesting part is that blessing is closely related to knee. Avraham had learned this truth and had also taught it to those who lived in his household. He who knows to bend his knee is able to receive blessings; the one who humbles himself will be lifted up

The fact that Eliezer made the ten camels kneel teaches us, in allegoric form, about what Avraham had been teaching his followers. The same way Eliezer had his servants, the camels, kneel, so Avraham had been teaching his followers to humble themselves and to kneel before the Eternal. Avraham was the friend of the Eternal and he knew what the Eternal liked and what He wanted most from men. He knew that The Eternal is seeking for worshipers as is it written in John 4:23: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him.” (MKJV)

Avraham had won many souls (12:5) and he taught all of them to be worshipers. The only desire in his soul was to satisfy the desires of his Lord and that’s why he took time to teach his people to become worshipers who knew how to incline their hearts and bend their knees before the Eternal.

When Avraham’s servant had received a clear answer to his mission of taking a wife for Yitzchak from among his master’s relatives, he bowed down to earth and worshipped the Eternal.

Be a worshipper of the Eternal. Get used to bend not only your knees but also to incline your heart before Him. In that way, you’ll be a son, follower of Avraham who follows his faith because it is those of faith who are sons of Avraham. (Rom 4:12; Gal 3:7).

 May you be blessed together with Avraham your father,

Ketriel

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