בס”ד
Once upon a time, there was a man named Abraham.
Abraham loved Hashem very much. He always tried to do what Hashem wanted.
Abraham had a son named Isaac.
Isaac was a kind and good young man. Abraham wanted Isaac to find a wonderful wife one day. Someone with whom he could build a happy family.
But Abraham wanted to make sure that Isaac would marry someone special.
He wanted Isaac to find a woman who loved Hashem, was kind to others, told the truth, and liked doing good things.
So Abraham called his trusted helper, Eliezer.
“Eliezer,” Abraham said, “I want you to find a good wife for my son Isaac. Find someone who believes in Hashem and has a kind heart.”
Eliezer listened carefully.
He began his journey. Along the way, he asked Hashem to help him find the right woman.
When Eliezer arrived at a well, something special happened.
He met a young woman named Rebecca.
Rebecca was very kind.
Eliezer asked her for some water. She quickly gave him a drink.
But Rebecca did something even more wonderful!
She saw that his camels were thirsty too. So she brought water for all of them!
That was a lot of work!
Eliezer saw how kind and helpful Rebecca was. He understood that she had a very special heart.
Rebecca did not think only about herself. She cared about other people and wanted to help.
And so Rebecca became Isaac’s wife.
Together, they could build a home filled with love, kindness, faith in Hashem, and good deeds.
And do you know what? We can learn something from this story too!
Imagine you are at school and you see a child sitting alone.
You could just walk away.
But you could also ask:
“Would you like to play with me?”
Or imagine that Mommy helps you put on your coat.
You can say:
“Thank you, Mommy!”
These may seem like little things, but Hashem is very happy when we are kind to one another.
Just like Rebecca, we can choose every day to be kind, honest, and helpful.
A Lesson
A beautiful home is not made beautiful by expensive furniture or lots of toys.
A beautiful home is built with people who love each other, help each other, and follow Hashem’s commandments.
Three things we can do this week:
- Help someone without being asked.
- Say kind words to our family and friends.
- Always try to be honest and kind.
When we do good things together, we bring more light, love, and blessings into the world!
A home full of love begins with a heart full of kindness.
By Rabbi Moshe Bernstein and Angelique Sijbolts
Sources and References
Creation of Male and Female and the Marriage Covenant: Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:24 (“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife, and they shall become one flesh”).
The decree of Shem’s court that one should not marry an idolater still stands:The Divine code, English version pages 396-398.
Prohibition of Forbidden Relationships and Altering the Family Unit for Noahides: Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin 58a; Maimonides (Rambam), Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings and Wars (Hilchot Melachim u’Milchamot), Ch. 9, Laws 5–8ץ
Moral Corruption of the Canaanites and Forbidden Relationships: Leviticus 18:3, 18:24–25 (“Like the practice of the land of Canaan… you shall not do”); Vayikra Rabbah 23:7.
The Imperative Not to Compromise Spiritual Standards when Building a Home: Likutei Sichot, Vol. 5, Discourse for Parshat Chayei Sarah, pp. 105–110. The Divine code English version page 397.
The Canaanites were steeped in sexual immorality and idolatry to an extreme degree, and Abraham did not wish to intermingle with such a family: Ramban 24:3
If you want more questions for contemplation, SEE THE OTHER BLOGS FROM RABBI MOSHE BERNSTEIN
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