Dear Friends,
In this week’s portion, Abraham sends Eliezar, his trusted servant, to find a wife for Isaac. However, before he engages in the onerous task of finding Isaac’s bride, Eliezar turns to God for help and guidance. With this simple act of faith, Eliezar (whose name means God is my help) opens our eyes to the idea that there is more to creating a good match between partners than mutual attraction and good chemistry.
Some refer to this heavenly connection by the Yiddish word, besherit, something that is destiny. Others call may call it a “match made in heaven.” Whatever the concept may be, through this story the Torah helps us see that a successful union is nothing short of divine in its unfolding.
Marriage is, in and of itself, an act of faith. We have faith that our partners will remain with us despite our shortcomings. We trust that we can share openly and honestly without being rejected or dismissed. Marriage demands work and understanding, patience and cooperation, but most of all it demands maintaining a sense of trust. Marriage is a sacred partnership, and through the devotion of one to the other, an element of God’s presence is realized.
On this Sabbath during which our Torah retells one of the world’s oldest love stories, let us spend some time considering all the things we admire and respect in our spouses and partners and reconnect to the sacred nature love.
L’Shalom,
Steve