Clifford S. Fishman
This week’s Torah portion is Lech Lecha: Genesis 12:1 – 17:27
Genesis Chapter 14 relates that wars broke out between various “kings” in Canaan, and one faction invaded Sodom and kidnapped Avram’s nephew Lot. When Avram learned what had happened, he assembled his men, attacked and defeated the kidnappers and rescued Lot. Chapter 15 begins: “Some time later, the word of the Lord came to Avram in a vision: ‘Fear not, Avram, I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great.’”
Our sages offered several possible explanations of what Avram feared, each of them plausible, but the Torah provides a straightforward answer. Abram replied:
“O Lord, what can You give me, seeing that I shall die childless, and the one in charge of my household is Dammesek Eliezer!” Avram said further, “Since You have granted me no offspring, my steward [Eliezer] will be my heir.” (Genesis 15:2-3.)
Apparently, this was a common practice: A trusted servant of a childless couple, who performs the duties you’d expect a child to do — running their household, showing them respect, taking care of their material needs and comforting them as they grow older — would be adopted and named as their heir. Eliezer presumably had done all these things for Sarai and Avram: Later, in Genesis 24:2, the Torah refers to Abraham’s servant as “the elder of his household, who ruled over all he had … .” (By Chapter 24, God had changed Avram’s name to Avraham, and Sarai’s name to Sarah.)
Had Avram ever told Eliezer that he might become his heir? And even if not, had the possibility occurred to him? And if so, how did Eliezer react when, later on, his master had two sons?
Eliezer may have played a vital role in the recitation of our history. Our sages assume that he’s the unnamed servant who later persuaded our matriarch Rebecca to leave her land, to leave her father’s house and go with Eliezer to marry a man that he would show her — Isaac — thus enabling her to play her own essential role in keeping Abraham’s legacy alive.
I wish the Torah had told us more about Eliezer. Did he have a wife? A family? If so, did his children “marry in” and become part of our ancestry? Did Ishmael or Isaac see to it that they were cared for when Eliezer grew old?
But more than just questions, there are lessons from these mentions of Eliezer the steward.
Have you ever been an “Eliezer,” the one in the background who does all the scutwork, so the person “out front” can do all the “big things” and acquire the credit, glory and fame? Did the “front man” ever acknowledge you, and if so, in private, or in front of the curtain, so others might learn of your work and your name? How did you feel if he did the right thing by you? How did you feel if, instead, he did not?
And on the other hand, have you ever had an “Eliezer”? Perhaps at work or within a family, a club or a synagogue — whatever the story, when people praised, thanked and honored you, did you give your “Eliezer” a fair share of the glory?
Our Torah is a vast and sweeping saga of God, of kings, of mountains and of men, of commandments and of miracles, of cosmic questions to ponder again and again. But what may seem like trivial details, if we think about them for a while, can also raise interesting questions — questions that teach valuable lessons.
Clifford S. Fishman is an emeritus professor of law at The Catholic University of America. He is a longtime member and past president of Tikvat Israel Congregation in Rockville, Maryland.
