אברהם sent his servant אליעזר to find a wife for יצחק, confident that he would succeed in his mission.
Question
When אליעזר expressed concern, אברהם told him, “Hashem will send his מלאך before you (_____),
and you will bring back a wife for יצחק”.
But when אליעזר repeated the story to בתואל, he said that אברהם had told him, “Hashem will send his
מלאך with you” (_____).
Why did אליעזר say it differently than אברהם had said it?
Answer
A מלאך going along ______ אליעזר means that אליעזר is the one who is doing the main work, and
the מלאך is only going along with him to help him do it.
A מלאך going _________ אליעזר means that the מלאך is the one doing the work ahead of him,
absolutely ensuring his success.
So אברהם said הוּא יִשְׁלַח מַלְׁאָכוֹ לְפָּנֶיךָ, indicating that the מלאך would be the one ensuring that
everything would work out well. And, indeed, that is what happened.
אליעזר miraculously arrived in חרן on the same day he left from חברון; when אליעזר began to Daven,
רבקה was already on her way to the well; when בתואל wanted to interfere with the שידוך, a מלאך came
and killed him; and as soon as רבקה was told about the שידוך, she agreed to travel with אליעזר
immediately, even if her family didn’t want her to.
However, in order for _______ to be receptive to the idea – or even engage in conversation about
it – אליעזר couldn’t tell him that the מלאך already took care of everything. (בתואל would respond that
if that were the case there’s no point in having a conversation with him). So אליעזר said to בתואל that
אברהם had said יִשְׁלַח מַלְׁאָכוֹ אִתָּךְ. And after hearing all that happened, even בתואל himself had to
acknowledge that Hashem had orchestrated all of the events.
Further Discussion
אליעזר didn’t quote exactly what אברהם said, but he did hint to it. How? (See אות ה in the שיחה)
