Sidrah
Parashah of the week: Chayei Sarah
“And Eliezer said, ‘O Adonai, God of my master Abraham’s house, grant me good fortune this day, and deal graciously with my master Abraham’” Genesis 24:12
November 13, 2025 15:07
“And Eliezer said, ‘O Adonai, God of my master Abraham’s house, grant me good fortune this day, and deal graciously with my master Abraham’” Genesis 24:12
November 13, 2025 15:07When we read Parashat Chayei Sarah, mostly about life after Sarah, we recall the journey of Eliezer to Canaan to find a wife for Isaac. He seems like the most devout of servants, not only promising to his master to find a wife for his son, but also offering a praying to God on his master’s behalf.
One could not question Eliezer’s character and loyalty. That is until we look in more detail, not to the prayer itself but to the moment when he decides to pray. The text itself just uses the word vayomer, translated as “and he said”. It is unassuming, something we would think little of.
But the music of the verse tells us something different. Above the word vayomer we find a note called a shalshelet, a chain, only occurring three other times in Torah, all at notable moments of hesitation.
Every word in Torah has a musical notation that accompanies it. These were introduced by the Masoretes in the first century CE and the function of these notes go beyond music. They demarcate punctuation within a verse and offer interpretations of the words.
There are various beliefs about where these musical notes first came from. Some believe they were given to Moses at Sinai, although recorded later. The Talmud teaches us that Kohelet taught the community with notes of accentuation (Eruvin 21b). Others believe that King Solomon originally taught Torah with these notes.
Regardless of their origin, the music brings with it power and meaning. So, what could this note, the shalshelet, teach us?
Perhaps our model servant was not so perfect after all, and in this moment Eliezer and his loyalty, wavered. Rashi notes that Eliezer himself had a daughter who could be given in marriage to Isaac. If Eliezer’s prayer at the well remained unanswered, he could potentially secure his daughter’s fate, married into a good family.
This is a truly human moment in our text. We see ourselves in Eliezer’s actions. We too hesitate when we have to do something that goes against our personal gain. Yet Eliezer does go on to fulfil his master’s desire and the history of our people is secured as we know it.
It is a lesson to us. Second guessing is normal, it is in our human nature to hesitate, to sometimes consider taking the easier option, or the one that benefits us. But as we pause to contemplate our options we are given a gift, the chance to reflect and to choose to act for the greater good.
Photo: Eliezer and Rebecca at the Well, Carlo Maratta, 60s (Wikimedia Commons)
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