There were three stages in the success of Eliezer. First, when he found out that this young girl was from Avraham Avinu’s family. To this, he did: הידְָּׂק ְּ (bowing down) and האְָּׂוְָּׂחְֲּתְַּש ְּהְִּּ (complete prostration) and he made a beautiful Bracha of thankfulness: בָׂ רוּךְְְְּּּוגו'ְְּּ אֲ ש רְּנָׂחַ נִּ יְְּּב יתְּאֲ ח יְּאֲ דֹּנִּ יְְּּכדְּכז “Baruch Hashem for leading me to Avraham’s relatives!” Later, when Lavan agrees to allow Rivka to go with Eliezer, it only says: וַיִּ ש תַ חוְּּ אַ ר צָׂ הְְּּ'הלְְְַּּּכדְּ נב he prostrated himself to Hashem. And when Rivka herself agrees, which is the final and real Yeshua, there is no האְָּׂוְָּׂחְֲּתְַּש ְּהְִּּ prostration or Bracha at all!
The Sefer Ha’Ikarim says that the biggest praise you can give Hashem is by having Bitachon in Him. At stage one, Eliezer was just shown that “there is a big Hashgacha” that’s heading in the desired direction. Yet, he needs plenty of Bitachon; that both the family, and the girl, agree to the Shidduch. When you thank even before your complete Yeshua, it is a “Bitachon” thank you, which is the most Chashuva Hoda'ah. Eliezer is thanking for the “sign”, that so far, his Bitachon is working.
It is interesting that Eliezer mentions to Lavan as “part of his story” that he did: ידְָּׂק ְּהְּ הְִּּאְָּׂוְָּׂחְֲּתְַּש ְּהְּ וּהכְָּׂרְָּׂב ְּ “bowing, prostrating, and Bracha” to the Borei Olam (Creator of the world). We see how important are the Thank-You’s of your life; i.e., not only you had a Yeshua, but you said “thank you”, which makes everything stronger and more successful. If you finish Shas without a Siyum or a thank you, then there is something wrong with this Shas. And the same with thanking for parts of your body, and all the kinds of goodness in your life.
Your Thankfulness to Hashem Is the Main Part of Your Life
If you didn’t say “thank you” for your life, health, friends, family, your Torah and Mitzvos, etc. then your life, health, friends, family, and Torah and Mitzvos are all lacking; they aren’t complete. In fact: יקְָּׂעְִּּרְּחְָּׂס ְּרְּמְִּּןְּהְַּפ ְּס ְּרְּ you are missing the main thing! They are totally lacking and won’t last, Chas V’shalom, since they aren’t appreciated.
Your thankfulness in the story of your life is an integral “part of your story”, and in fact, the main part! When you say thank you about something, you are bringing a Bracha into it, and the Shechina is: ש הרֶּ וֹ (rests) on it (as we see from the “thank you” Mitzva of Bikkurim, in which we end off saying: הַ ש קִּ יפָׂ הְּמִּ מּ עוֹןְְּּ קָׂ ד ש ךְְָּּוּבָׂ ר ךְְּא תְּעַ מּ ךְָּא תְּיִּש רָׂ א לְְּּתבאְּכוְְּּ טו Hashem, now that we have thanked You, give a blessing from Shamayim to Your nation). All: רְ בִׂ כוֹת הַ נִׂ הֱ נֶּ ין Brachos said before eating surely bring a Bracha to the food you eat!
When Lavan agrees to the Shidduch, Eliezer thanks less, since less Bitachon is needed (because now all we need is the Haskama (agreement) of Rivka herself). He is just: חְַּתְַּש ְּמְִּּו ה prostrates without הידְָּׂק ְּ (bowing) and without a Bracha. And when Rivka agrees, then no-more Thank-You’s or: האְָּׂוְָּׂחְֲּתְַּש ְּהְִּּ (prostrating)! Why not?
