In this week’s parsha we meet Rivka who becomes Yitzchak wife and Avraham Avinu’s daughter in law. I want to focus on a reason Rivka was chosen to be the wife of one of the forefathers of our Jewish nation.

When Eliezer was sent to find a wife for Yitzchak he was looking for good character traits. He did not care how wealthy her family was or how beautiful she looked. He did not care if she was the daughter of a king or the leader of the community. He wanted someone who showed good middot, and wanted to observe how she acted in public. The Chizkuni (Sages) explains that Eliezer chose to go to the well, since the girls who went there would be at their most relaxed state and therefore, being more relaxed would showcase their true character. At home they might hold themselves together due to family obligations and expectations. Eliezer wanted to see the true nature of the wife he would choose for Yitzchak.

When Rivka arrived at the well, a midrash explains that the water jumped up into her bucket. For most of us this miracle would have been enough to say “she must be the one,” but not for Eliezer. He was looking for a specific quality that is important for our Immahot (foremothers) to have; chessed. Only when Rivka offered to give him water and also gave all his camels water, did he make the decision that she was the one for Yitzchak. Rivka did not even think twice about performing this hard job of getting all the animals water. She did not complain about doing it. The pasuk says she “kept running to the well,” showing she performed chessed with zrizut, running to do the mitzvah, just like Avraham Avinu ran to welcome the guests into his home. The conviction and determination in her to do chessed was so strong. When Eliezer saw this quickness to do chessed he knew she was the one. 

Immediately, when Rivka married Yitzchak the three miracles that had departed the tent with the loss of Sarah returned. Rivka returned what was missing. This quality of “kindness” was so important that the miracles could not remain without it. 

I want to encourage others to try to show chessed in any way we can. We might not run to water camels, but we can hurry to help a sick or poor person. We can invite people for a Shabbat meal, or visit someone who is lonely. By showing kindness to our parents, kindness to our kids and kindness to our neighbors, Hashem will show kindness to us. Like our Avot and Immahot, who always did mitzvot with zrizut (cheerful willingness), Hashem will hopefully bring mashiach quickly, with zrizut, as well.  

Shabbat Shalom