After the passing of Sara, Avraham sends Eliezer to find a bride for Yitzchak.
The Torah repeats the story of Eliezer
and Rivka two times, once when the story itself takes place, and once when Eliezer
tells Betuel and family about his meeting with Rivka.
Rashi brings (24:42) the following words of the midrash “R’ Acha said: the conversation
of the Avots’ servants is held in higher esteem before Hashem than the Torah discourses
of their children, since the story of Eliezer is repeated in the Torah, yet many
principles of the Torah were given only through a hint.”
There is a comparison done here between conversation and Torah and between Avots’
servants and their children. Even though the child is more important than the servant
and the Torah is more important than a conversation, nonetheless the midrash wants
to teach us something.
Studying Torah is more than just a conversation or a talk, there is thought and
a purpose involved. When we have a chance to study Torah and are instead having
a conversation, it is Bitul Torah to a certain degree.
In Torah studying itself there are two types of studying.
There is the regular studying using one’s intellect, and a person leaves their
home and goes to the bet Midrash to study. There is the person, his life, and then
there is the time that he dedicates to Limud Torah. When a person studies they use
their intellect in order to understand what they are learning but there is not necessarily
complete unity between the learner and the Torah.
There is another type of learning called: שימוש תלמידי חכמים aiding/serving Torah scholars.
The Talmid Chacham IS all
Torah, he clings to Hashem and all of his actions are Torah, and so too his conversations
must be Torah. The very fact that we are close to such a person, and aid them or
assist them enables us to learn from their actions also without words and we soak
up their holy essence.
Both types of torah study
are important and both build a person.
The purpose of Limud Torah
has to be not only knowledge of the intellect but also a will to cling to the creator,
we study Torah in order to come closer to the creator, to learn and imitate his
ways and not only to asses and gain knowledge.
Therefore the conversation
of the Avots’ servants is held in higher esteem before Hashem, because the Avots’
actions were all for the sake of heaven, they did not study Torah (in the normal
way ), yet their actions were all Torah. This is the majority of the book of Berieshit,
stories of our Avot. Thus even stories of their servants who were totally nullified
towards them are more important than the Torah of the children who were not at the
level of the Avot.
Yehi Ratzon that we merit to reach the level of our Avot and may all our actions
be for the sake of heaven.
|