"Rebuilding the Store of Kindness within the Self
The camel symbolizes traveling through the
journey of life on earth, which is often a spiritual
desert. Carrying the burdens of life as well as its
rewards, the camel stores within itself the waters of
kindness necessary to exist in the dry desert, thus
Gimmel is related to Gemilut Hassadim, acts of lovingkindness.
Watering the camel is an act of refueling the
tanks of kindness that are continually drawn on and
only rarely renewed, at special oases on the journey
Rivkah (Rebecca) watered the camels: Rivkah was able
refresh the living spirit of generosity in people
through her unique ability to give them love and to
refresh them, strengthening their vehicles of body, heart and mind"~
The Alef Beit by Rabbi Yitzhak Ginzburg, as quoted by David Wolfe-Blank
would remain deeply hidden in the well. Rivkah is the
potentiating force that brings what is present but
hidden, to emergent life. Rivkah supports your
"camels", juicing the vehicles which bring you to your
next station in life, helping you across the desert -
the times of emptiness~ Rabbi David Wolfe-Blank (of blessed memory)
Camels...
“They are the most intelligent creatures I know except dogs and I would give them an IQ rating roughly equivalent to eight-year-old children. They are affectionate, cheeky, playful, witty, yes witty, well-possessed, patient, hard-working, and endlessly interesting and charming. They are also very difficult to train, being of an essentially undomestic turn of mind as well as extremely bright and perceptive. This is why they have such a bad reputation. If handled badly, they can be quite dangerous and recalcitrant.” ~Robyn Davidson, Tracks.
Wild camels are critically endangered, there are few left in the wild. There once were millions. They are perfectly adapted to desert conditions, and "can drink 27 gallons of water in ten minutes" EACH. ~Ryan Murdock, 2013, "Amazing Camel facts"
(י) וַיִּקַּ֣ח הָ֠עֶ֠בֶד עֲשָׂרָ֨ה גְמַלִּ֜ים מִגְּמַלֵּ֤י אֲדֹנָיו֙ וַיֵּ֔לֶךְ וְכׇל־ט֥וּב אֲדֹנָ֖יו בְּיָד֑וֹ וַיָּ֗קׇם וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־אֲרַ֥ם נַֽהֲרַ֖יִם אֶל־עִ֥יר נָחֽוֹר׃ (יא) וַיַּבְרֵ֧ךְ הַגְּמַלִּ֛ים מִח֥וּץ לָעִ֖יר אֶל־בְּאֵ֣ר הַמָּ֑יִם לְעֵ֣ת עֶ֔רֶב לְעֵ֖ת צֵ֥את הַשֹּׁאֲבֹֽת׃ (יב) וַיֹּאמַ֓ר ׀ יְהֹוָ֗ה אֱלֹהֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם הַקְרֵה־נָ֥א לְפָנַ֖י הַיּ֑וֹם וַעֲשֵׂה־חֶ֕סֶד עִ֖ם אֲדֹנִ֥י אַבְרָהָֽם׃ (יג) הִנֵּ֛ה אָנֹכִ֥י נִצָּ֖ב עַל־עֵ֣ין הַמָּ֑יִם וּבְנוֹת֙ אַנְשֵׁ֣י הָעִ֔יר יֹצְאֹ֖ת לִשְׁאֹ֥ב מָֽיִם׃ (יד) וְהָיָ֣ה הַֽנַּעֲרָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֹמַ֤ר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ הַטִּי־נָ֤א כַדֵּךְ֙ וְאֶשְׁתֶּ֔ה וְאָמְרָ֣ה שְׁתֵ֔ה וְגַם־גְּמַלֶּ֖יךָ אַשְׁקֶ֑ה אֹתָ֤הּ הֹכַ֙חְתָּ֙ לְעַבְדְּךָ֣ לְיִצְחָ֔ק וּבָ֣הּ אֵדַ֔ע כִּי־עָשִׂ֥יתָ חֶ֖סֶד עִם־אֲדֹנִֽי׃ (טו) וַֽיְהִי־ה֗וּא טֶ֘רֶם֮ כִּלָּ֣ה לְדַבֵּר֒ וְהִנֵּ֧ה רִבְקָ֣ה יֹצֵ֗את אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֻלְּדָה֙ לִבְתוּאֵ֣ל בֶּן־מִלְכָּ֔ה אֵ֥שֶׁת נָח֖וֹר אֲחִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְכַדָּ֖הּ עַל־שִׁכְמָֽהּ׃ (טז) וְהַֽנַּעֲרָ֗ טֹבַ֤ת מַרְאֶה֙ מְאֹ֔ד בְּתוּלָ֕ה וְאִ֖ישׁ לֹ֣א יְדָעָ֑הּ וַתֵּ֣רֶד הָעַ֔יְנָה וַתְּמַלֵּ֥א כַדָּ֖הּ וַתָּֽעַל׃ (יז) וַיָּ֥רׇץ הָעֶ֖בֶד לִקְרָאתָ֑הּ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הַגְמִיאִ֥ינִי נָ֛א מְעַט־מַ֖יִם מִכַּדֵּֽךְ׃ (יח) וַתֹּ֖אמֶר שְׁתֵ֣ה אֲדֹנִ֑י וַתְּמַהֵ֗ר וַתֹּ֧רֶד כַּדָּ֛הּ עַל־יָדָ֖הּ וַתַּשְׁקֵֽהוּ׃ (יט) וַתְּכַ֖ל לְהַשְׁקֹת֑וֹ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר גַּ֤ם לִגְמַלֶּ֙יךָ֙ אֶשְׁאָ֔ב עַ֥ד אִם־כִּלּ֖וּ לִשְׁתֹּֽת׃ (כ) וַתְּמַהֵ֗ר וַתְּעַ֤ר כַּדָּהּ֙ אֶל־הַשֹּׁ֔קֶת וַתָּ֥רׇץ ע֛וֹד אֶֽל־הַבְּאֵ֖ר לִשְׁאֹ֑ב וַתִּשְׁאַ֖ב לְכׇל־גְּמַלָּֽיו׃ (כא) וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מִשְׁתָּאֵ֖ה לָ֑הּ מַחֲרִ֕ישׁ לָדַ֗עַת הַֽהִצְלִ֧יחַ יְהֹוָ֛ה דַּרְכּ֖וֹ אִם־לֹֽא׃ (כב) וַיְהִ֗י כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר כִּלּ֤וּ הַגְּמַלִּים֙ לִשְׁתּ֔וֹת וַיִּקַּ֤ח הָאִישׁ֙ נֶ֣זֶם זָהָ֔ב בֶּ֖קַע מִשְׁקָל֑וֹ וּשְׁנֵ֤י צְמִידִים֙ עַל־יָדֶ֔יהָ עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מִשְׁקָלָֽם׃ (כג) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ בַּת־מִ֣י אַ֔תְּ הַגִּ֥ידִי נָ֖א לִ֑י הֲיֵ֧שׁ בֵּית־אָבִ֛יךְ מָק֥וֹם לָ֖נוּ לָלִֽין׃ (כד) וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו בַּת־בְּתוּאֵ֖ל אָנֹ֑כִי בֶּן־מִלְכָּ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָלְדָ֖ה לְנָחֽוֹר׃ (כה) וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו גַּם־תֶּ֥בֶן גַּם־מִסְפּ֖וֹא רַ֣ב עִמָּ֑נוּ גַּם־מָק֖וֹם לָלֽוּן׃ (כו) וַיִּקֹּ֣ד הָאִ֔ישׁ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ לַֽיהֹוָֽה׃ (כז) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בָּר֤וּךְ יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹֽא־עָזַ֥ב חַסְדּ֛וֹ וַאֲמִתּ֖וֹ מֵעִ֣ם אֲדֹנִ֑י אָנֹכִ֗י בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ נָחַ֣נִי יְהֹוָ֔ה בֵּ֖ית אֲחֵ֥י אֲדֹנִֽי׃
(10) Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and set out, taking with him all the bounty of his master; and he made his way to Aram-naharaim, to the city of Nahor. (11) He made the camels kneel down by the well outside the city, at evening time, the time when women come out to draw water. (12) And he said, “O ETERNAL One, God of my master Abraham, grant me good fortune this day, and deal graciously with my master Abraham: (13) Here I stand by the spring as the daughters of the townspeople come out to draw water; (14) let the maiden to whom I say, ‘Please, lower your jar that I may drink,’ and who replies, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels’—let her be the one whom You have decreed for Your servant Isaac. Thereby shall I know that You have dealt graciously with my master.” (15) He had scarcely finished speaking, when Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder. (16) The maiden was very beautiful, a virgin whom no man had known. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up. (17) The servant ran toward her and said, “Please, let me sip a little water from your jar.” (18) “Drink, my lord,” she said, and she quickly lowered her jar upon her hand and let him drink. (19) When she had let him drink his fill, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they finish drinking.” (20) Quickly emptying her jar into the trough, she ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. (21) The man, meanwhile, stood gazing at her, silently wondering whether GOD had made his errand successful or not. (22) When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold nose-ring weighing a half-shekel, and two gold bands for her arms, ten shekels in weight. (23) “Pray tell me,” he said, “whose daughter are you? Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” (24) She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” (25) And she went on, “There is plenty of straw and feed at home, and also room to spend the night.” (26) The man bowed low in homage to GOD(27) and said, “Blessed be the ETERNAL, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld steadfast faithfulness from my master. For I have been guided on my errand by GOD, to the house of my master’s kin.”
אֹתָהּ הֹכַחְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לְיִצְחָק לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית כ"ד:י"ד) רְאוּיָה הִיא לוֹ, שֶׁהִיא גּוֹמֶלֶת חֲסָדִים וּרְאוּיָה לִכָּנֵס בְּבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם, "וּבָהּ אֵדַע", לְשׁוֹן תְּחִנָּה, הוֹדִיעֵנִי בָּהּ שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ חֶסֶד עִם אֲדֹנִי. וְאִם כֵּן יֹאמַר יָדַעְתִּי כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת אֹתָהּ הֹכַחְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לְיִצְחָק, וְאֵינוֹ נִקְשָׁר יָפֶה. אֲבָל פֵּרוּשׁוֹ הַקְרֵה נָא לְפָנַי הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה הַמִּקְרֶה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הַנַּעֲרָה אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיהָ אוֹתָהּ שֶׁהֹכַחְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לְיִצְחָק, וַעֲשֵׂה בָּזֶה חֶסֶד עִם אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם כִּי בָהּ אֵדַע כִּי עָשִׂיתָ חֶסֶד עִמּוֹ, אִם תִּהְיֶה מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ וְטוֹבַת שֵׂכֶל וִיפַת מַרְאֶה. וְכֵן אָמַר (בראשית כ"ד:מ"ג) "וְהָיָה הָעַלְמָה הִיא הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר הֹכִיחַ ה'":
HER THOU HAST APPOINTED FOR THY SERVANT, EVEN FOR ISAAC. Rashi comments: “She is fit for him since she is charitable and worthy of admission into the house of Abraham. And thereby shall I know — this is a petition: ‘Let me know through her that Thou hast shown kindness unto my master.’” If so, Eliezer is saying, “I know for certain that You have appointed her for Your servant Isaac.” But in that case [his petition, which still indicates a doubt as to whether she was the appointed one,] does not connect well.
Its interpretation however is as follows: “Make it happen to me this day that the girl to whom I will speak be the one that You have appointed for Your servant Isaac, and with this, show kindness to my master Abraham for with this I will know that You have shown kindness to him if she be of his family and of good mind and of beautiful appearance.” And so he said [when recounting the events of the day]: And let it come to pass, that the maiden, etc., let the same be the woman whom the Eternal hath appointed.
וְהָיָה הַנַּעֲרָה אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיהָ. הִתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּךְ, לֹא שֶׁסָּמַךְ עַל נַחַשׁ, וְכֵן הָיָה בִּיהוֹנָתָן בֶּן שָׁאוּל (שמואל א יד:י), וּמַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה ״כָּל נַחַשׁ שֶׁאֵינוֹ כְּאֱלִיעֶזֶר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם וִיהוֹנָתָן בֶּן שָׁאוּל אֵינוֹ נַחַשׁ״ (חולין צה.), הַכַּוָּנָה הִיא שֶׁיֹּאמַר הַמְנַחֵשׁ כְּדִבְרֵיהֶם, אֲבָל יֹאמַר זֶה שֶׁלֹּא בְּדֶרֶךְ תְּפִלָּה אֶלָּא דֶּרֶךְ נַחַשׁ, שֶׁאִם יִקְרֶה כֵּן יַעֲשֶׂה כָּךְ וְכָךְ:
והיה הנערה אשר אמר אליה, this was not a statement but a prayer that things should develop in this fashion. He did not rely on any magic, i.e. that the signs he stipulated would determine his actions. We find a similar occurrence with Yonathan son of King Sha-ul in Samuel I 14,10, where he does not rely on the אות which he had stipulated, but where he asked G’d in prayer for help, saying that if certain things were to happen he would regard this as a sign that his prayer had been answered favourably (compare Ibn Ezra there) When the Talmud Chulin 95 כל נחש שאינו כאליעזר עבד אברהם ויהונתן בן שאול אינו נחש, the meaning is that “any divination which is not like that of Eliezer or that of Yonatan ben Sha-ul is not a divination,” i.e. is not permissible, but is akin to relying on witchcraft [Unless the person requesting a sign does so as a prayer directed to G’d it is forbidden. Ed.].
וְגַם גְּמַלֶּיךָ אַשְׁקֶה. כִּי רָאוּי לַשּׁוֹאֵל שֶׁיִּשְׁאַל פָּחוֹת מִצָּרְכּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא לְהַטְרִיחַ, וְרָאוּי לַנָּדִיב שֶׁיּוֹסִיף וְיַעֲשֶׂה לַשּׁוֹאֵל דֵּי מַחְסוֹרוֹ אוֹ יוֹתֵר.
I will also water your camels. A supplicant should ask for less than his needs and the giver should provide him with all his needs or more.
ובה אדע כי עשית חסד עם אדוני (בראשית כד, יד). יבואר על פי דמבואר בזוהר הקדוש, כי בימי רבי שמעון בר יוחאי אפילו תינוקות ידעו בחכמה עליונה, כי רבי שמעון בר יוחאי עליו השלום היה עובד ה' בחכמה ובהשכל עד שהשפיע מדתו בכל העולם שאפילו תינוקות יודעים בחכמה עליונה. וכמו כן כל צדיק וצדיק במדתו שעובד משפיע בכל העולם המדה שעובד בה והשם יתברך משפיע המדה שלו בכל העולם. והנה באמת אברהם אבינו עליו השלום מדתו היה מדת החסד והשפיע מדתו בכל העולם שכל העולם כולו יעשה חסד. וזהו הרמז ובה אדע כי עשית חסד עם אדוני, כלומר שאדוני הוא הגורם החסד אשר בעולם מחמת שאדוני עובד במדת החסד ומשפיע ממך חסד. וזהו כי עשית חסד, מה שאתה עושה חסד בעולם הוא מה שבעולם התחתון אחד עושה עם חבירו הוא אדוני, אדוני הוא הגורם לזה החסד. ובזה יובן הפסוק אשר ילדה לבתואל כו' אחי אברהם, כי מה לשון ילדה לבתואל, כי לשון ילדה משמע שנולדה מעצמה. אך באמת לפי מה שמבואר לעיל שהצדיק במדתו משפיע לכל העולם זה באמת רק למי שיש לו נשמה גדולה או איזה ניצוץ קדוש לזה נאחזת מדת הצדיק שעובד בה להשם יתברך וכו'. ובאמת רבקה הצדיקת היתה גדולה וקדושה ואחזה במדת הצדיק אברהם אבינו לעשות חסד. ובאמת זה הנשמה לא היה לה רק מאברהם היה לה זה הנשמה וזה המדה. וזה שאמר אשר ילדה, כלומר כאלו נולדה מעצמה וזהו לשון ילדה. וזה שאמר ממי בא לה זה הנשמה וזה המדה לעשות חסד מחמת אחי אברהם שמאברהם בא לה זה הנשמה. ובזה יבואר הדקדוק מה שרש"י ז''ל מדקדק בשעה שסיפר המעשה ואשאל אותה כו' ואתן כו', ובאמת בשעת מעשה היה להיפך, כי בשעת מעשה שראה ממנה מדת החסד אז ידע בודאי שנשמתה מאברהם ולא מבתואל ולכך נתן לה בתחילה, כי בודאי ידע שנשמתה ממדת אברהם אבינו ולא מנשמת אביה לכך בשעה שסיפר המעשה לפני בתואל סיפר להיפך כי לפני בתואל לא שייך לומר שנשמתה אינה ממנו ודו"ק:
Genesis 24,14. “and through her I shall know that You have done a kindness with my master.” These words of Eliezer have been explained in the Zohar where the author states that in the time of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai even small children possessed some special wisdom that enabled them to know what other adults do not know. They were endowed with this superior wisdom as part of the spiritual rays radiating from the saintly personality of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is quoted as an example of the influence exerted on his environment by every righteous person, each one in varying degrees according to his spiritual stature. They are to be perceived as a microcosm of Hashem, Who as the macrocosm, disseminates spiritual influence throughout His universe through His very existence.
There is no question but that Avraham’s major attribute was חסד and that he had a profound influence on his immediate environment, not only recognized but paid tribute to, by the people of Kiryat Arba, when they described him as a “prince of G’d” in their midst. (Genesis 23,6) Avraham personified on earth, what the Creator personifies in the entire universe, i.e. the dispensing of largesse.
The expression ילדה is not appropriate for males, as they only הוליד, beget, plant seed, but do not bring it to gestation. The proper meaning of the word “yuldah” as it appears here suggests an immaculate birth, a birth that had not been preceded by insemination. Seeing that this is a difficult process for us to grasp, the idea that Avraham’s good deeds “spilled over” even to people such as Betuel, is meant to set our mind at rest over the fact that Rivkah, with a father such as Betuel, and a brother such as Lavan, could have been such a righteous matriarch as she clearly was.
During the meal, Eliezer recounts what had occurred at the well, and anyone who has read the Torah’s report of what transpired is aware that Eliezer rewrote some of this “history,” i.e. the sequence of events. Rashi points this out (in his commentary on Genesis 24,47) implying that during the meal, in the presence of Betuel, Eliezer could not bring himself to imply that this man had been endowed with part of Avraham’s soul. [Perhaps the fact that if even a Betuel could exclaim that this match had been made in heaven (Genesis 24,50) is the best support for our author’s theory that some of Avraham’s spirit had spilled over even into the soul of a Betuel. Ed.]
ותער. לְשׁוֹן נְפִיצָה, וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה הַמְעָרֶה מִכְּלִי אֶל כֶּלִי, וּבַמִּקְרָא יֵשׁ לוֹ דּוֹמֶה אַל תְּעַר נַפְשִׁי (תהילים קמא), אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱרָה לַמָּוֶת נַפְשׁוֹ (ישעיהו נ"ג):
ותער AND SHE EMPTIED — It means “pouring out”. It occurs in this sense many times in the Mishna; e. g., (Avodah Zarah 72a), “He who pours (הטערה) from one vessel into another”, and we find it again in a similar sense in Biblical Hebrew: (Psalms 141:8) “O pour not out (תער) my soul”, and (Isaiah 53:12) “Because he poured forth (הערה) his soul unto death”
וַיָּרָץ הָעֶבֶד לִקְרָאתָהּ לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית כ"ד:י"ז) לְפִי שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁעָלוּ הַמַּיִם לִקְרָאתָהּ. וּבִבְרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה (בראשית רבה ס':ה') "וַתְּמַלֵּא כַדָּהּ וַתָּעַל", כָּל הַנָּשִׁים יוֹרְדוֹת וּמְמַלְּאוֹת מִן הָעַיִן, וְזוֹ כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ אוֹתָהּ הַמַּיִם מִיָּד עָלוּ, אָמַר לָהּ הקב"ה, אַתְּ סִימַן בְּרָכָה לְבָנַיִךְ. נִרְאֶה שֶׁדִּקְדְּקוּ כֵן מִלְּשׁוֹן "וַתְּמַלֵּא כַדָּהּ וַתָּעַל", שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר "וַתִּשְׁאַב וַתְּמַלֵּא" וְנַעֲשָׂה לָהּ הַנֵּס בַּפַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, כִּי אַחֲרֵי כֵן כָּתוּב "וַתִּשְׁאַב", וְהָעֶבֶד כְּשֶׁסִּפֵּר לָהֶם אָמַר (בראשית כ"ד:מ"ה) "וַתֵּרֶד הָעַיְנָה וַתִּשְׁאָב", אוּלַי לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ:
AND THE SERVANT RAN TO MEET HER. Rashi comments: “Because he saw that the waters rose in the well when she approached it.” In Bereshith Rabbah the Rabbis said, “And she filled her pitcher, and came up. All the women went down and filled their pitchers from the well. But this one, as the waters saw her they immediately rose. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her, ‘You are a sign of blessing to your children.’”
It would appear that the Rabbis derived this interpretation upon observing the language, And she filled her pitcher, and came up, for it does not say, “and she drew water and filled [the pitcher].” Now this miracle happened to her only the first time for afterwards it is written, and she drew. The servant, when recounting the day’s events to them, said: And she went down unto the well, and drew water. That was because he thought that perhaps they would not believe in the miracle.


