By Rachel Rubin-Green, November 15, 2025
Today I am discussing Bereshit Chapter 24.
Last August, Norm Saiger gave a drash in which he mentioned that one of the first times the phrase “Baruch Hashem,” or Blessed is God, is used in Torah, is when Abraham’s servant Eliezer uses that phrase in this Parsha. I became interested in learning more about this character, Eliezer, who plays a critical role in the lineage of what Norm and I fondly refer to as the ‘Avinu” family, finding Rivka as the perfect wife for Yitzhak and then completely disappearing from the narrative. Let’s look at this character and story more closely.
Eliezer is a name given to the steward of Abraham’s household in the previous parsha. In this Parsha, the text and the character are represented by calling him Abraham’s servant. His name is not used. The servant is tasked with the job of finding a wife for Yitzhak from among the family of Abraham in Haran. No Canaanite daughters in law wanted here. The servant promises he will find an appropriate wife for Yitzhak. The servant promises by putting his hand under Abraham’s thigh, or they both promise in this way, which may have been routine in the ancient world. This may have added meaning to us moderns because when finding a wife and a mother for future generations of Israelites, sexual connotations may be appropriate. Note that Yitzhak is never asked what kind of wife he wants, Abraham makes the all the arrangements.
Eliezer offers a bargain to God: if he, Eliezer, says one thing, and the woman responds in one particular way, then Eliezer will know that she – the woman responding as Eliezer imagines, is the right wife for Yitzhak. Eliezer has barely finished making this offer to God when Rivka appears at the well, and the exchange of phrases occurs exactly as Eliezer had wished. Most scholars note that the hospitality demonstrated by Rivka is the sign Eliezer asked for. It is only after this exchange that Rivka explains how she is related to Avraham, she being the granddaughter of Abraham’s brother (or half-brother) Nahor. Eliezer gives Rivka the gifts he had brought with him and off they go to meet her parents – with camels in tow.
There are a few challenging commentaries about this scene at the well. One is that an angel witnessed this exchange, and Eliezer saw the presence of an angel as proof that God was guiding him in his task. Another comment is that the appearance of the angel elevates the status of Eliezer. In verses 21, 22, 26, and 32 when the commentaries assume that the angel is present, Eliezer is referred to as a man rather than as a servant. The improved status does not last the entire chapter, but I think it is worth noting.
The honored scholar Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks suggests that the “the silent wondering” mentioned in verse 21, which Rashi’s comments associate to connotations of desolation and waste, shows Eliezer’s ambivalence about this assigned task. While it is probably clear that a daughter of Eliezer himself, a servant, would not have the status to marry Yitzhak. Back in Parshat Lech Lecha, Genesis 15:2-3, Avraham, then Avram, said that if he has no children, his steward Eliezer will be his heir. So if Yitzhak remains unmarried and childless, Eliezer and perhaps his daughter could inherit from Abraham. A married Yitzhak means that Eliezer will need to abandon this real or imagined hope.
At this point, the narrative shifts to Eliezer repeating the entire story of the encounter at the well to Rivka’s family. Rivka’s father Bethuel and her brother Lavan agree in verse 50 that this match was decreed by God and that Rivka should go with Eliezer to be a wife to his master’s son. On hearing this, Eliezer bows low to the ground in gratitude to Adonoi. While her parents ask for a few days or weeks delay, Rivka agrees to leave with Eliezer the next morning. Rivka leaves her home with her nurse and her maids on the camels that Eliezer had brought.
As they all approach Abraham’s camp, Rivka sees Yitzhak for the first time. She asks Eliezer, who is that man? And the servant, Eliezer, answers “That is my master.” Eliezer then tells Yitzhak the entire story and then leaves the narrative. Yitzhak takes Rivka as his wife, loves her, and is comforted after his mother’s death. This match is happily ever after until we read Parshat Toldot.
Eliezer is one of many tangential minor characters in the Torah narrative. In this Parsha, he guides us from the Abraham narrative into the Yitzhak stories. His personal transition is best summarized by noting that at this point, verse 65, he refers to Yitzhak as “my master,” and not as “my master’s son.” While this may clearly represent internal growth of his character or merely a major shift in household responsibilities, we can only surmise, since the Torah text does not speak about him again.
It is clear that Eliezer’s journey has deepened his relationship to God. He asks God for help and God helps. He gives deep and sincere gratitude. He praises the God of his master. We often study the relationships that the Avot and Imahot had with God. There is also much to be learned from exploring the relationships of God with lesser known characters in the Torah.