Table Talk

In this parsha we learn that Sarah dies at the age of 127 near Chevron. Avraham then goes and buys a burial site for Sarah known as “Maarat Hamachpela,” or the Cave of Machpelah, and he buries Sarah there. This will be the family burial place where Avraham and Sarah, Yitzchak and Rifka, and Yaakov and Leah will be buried too.

Next, Avraham sends his servant Eliezer to Charan to find the perfect wife for Yitzchak. Eliezer asks Hashem for a sign that he has met the right girl. When he arrives in the city he will ask a girl at the well for some water - if she answers “Drink, and I will even fetch water for your camels,” then he will know that this is the girl for Yitzchak. Sure enough, when he arrives he sees a girl at the well and this is exactly what happens. Eliezer finds out that her name is Rivka, and that she is a relative of Avraham’s. Eliezer gives her family many gifts, and she agrees to become Yitzchak’s wife and the next mother of the Jewish people. We wondered why Eliezer picked this sign, and in studying for this parsha, we learned that the answer is that Eliezer wanted to find a girl that was similar to Avraham and Sarah, who led a life full of kindness and hospitality. Avraham and Sarah loved to invite others into their home and to do good deeds for others who might need their help. An example of this is when they invited the angels into their tent and Sarah cooked them a meal. 

The wife of  Yitzhak had to be like Avraham and Sarah because she would become one of the “Imahot,” or Mothers of the Jewish People.

The Torah is teaching us that the most important character trait we can have is to always be kind to others and to never put them down. We can relate to this in our own lives. One time I was at the park playing basketball with all of my friends and one of their younger brothers wanted to play too. He wasn't the best at basketball so the group didn't want to let him play. I stepped in and told them that we should let him play but they all disagreed. However, I insisted and so with a lot of convincing they finally let him play. When it was a tight score he had the ball and I let him shoot but he ended up not making the shot so we lost. He felt really bad but I told him it was okay! Still, they all made fun of him and I felt really bad, so I decided to invite him and his brother to my house to make him feel better. When they came over, we were having so much fun that he forgot all about the game. I felt really proud of myself because of the way I cheered him up. He needed help and so I stepped up and helped him. From that day on I learned that it is very important to be nice to other people.

I can also relate to the idea that we should always be kind to others because one time I was at sleep-away camp and there was a kid in my bunk that was getting bullied and I felt very bad for him. He got made fun of because he was small and shy, so I decided to go up to him and told him that he should just ignore them and have fun! I decided that I was going to make a special effort to hang out with him everyday until he felt better. I even told those bullies to stop being mean and I think it worked. I think Hashem rewarded me for my actions because one night I was crying because I missed my family very much and then this same kid went out of his way to come support me through the night and then I felt better. 
      
Like Rivkah who went out of her way to be kind and helpful to Eliezer and his camels without being asked, we should always go out of our way to treat each other with respect and kindness. This will make the world a better place to live in.

Thank you and Shabbat Shalom!