Even the Sages were puzzled why the Torah describes with such detail the story of how Abraham's servant searches for a wife for Isaac. Why are so many verses devoted to meeting Rebecca at the well, as well as his subsequent report of this encounter to Rebecca's family? The Torah is so parsimonious in its words — important laws are often derived from a single letter — why such verbosity here?

Due to this textual anomaly, the Sages made a bold claim: "The conversation of the patriarch's servants is superior to the Torah of the descendants" (Breishit Rabbah 60). What does this mean? Was their everyday discourse really more important than the Torah and its laws?

The Lofty Torah of the Patriarchs

In fact, these 'conversations' of the Avot (patriarchs) were also a form of Torah. This Torah was more elevated than the later Torah of their descendants, as it reflected the extraordinary holiness and nobility of these spiritual giants. If so, why did the Sages refer to it as mere 'conversations'?

A conversation is natural, unaffected speech. The Torah of the Avot was like a conversation, flowing naturally from the inner sanctity of their lives and aspirations. Holy ideals permeated the day-to-day world of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to such a degree that these ideals were manifest even in the everyday discourse of their servants.

The Torah of their descendants, on the other hand, lacks this natural spontaneity. It is a thought-out religion based on willed-holiness, a compendium of detailed rules and regulations calculated to govern all aspects of life. This is especially true for the development of Torah law during the long years of exile, when Torah was limited to governing the religious life of the individual.

Torah of Redemption

With our national return to the land, to Eretz Yisrael, we also return to the Torah of Eretz Yisrael. The generation of national rebirth has no patience for the feeble lights of Judaism as it exists in the exile. The people seek lofty ideals and great deeds. They aspire to build a model society, to correct injustice, and restore the Jewish people to its state of autonomy and independence. There is an inner Divine spirit driving their brazenness, as they reject the paltry lights of exilic Judaism, lights that glow like weak candles in the brilliant midday sun.

What will satisfy the spiritual needs of the generation of rebirth? They will gain new life from the comprehensive Torah of the patriarchs. The daily prayer makes this connection between the Avot and the time of redemption: "God remembers the kindnesses of the patriarchs, and lovingly brings the redeemer to their descendants" (from the Amidah prayer). It is the "kindnesses of the patriarchs" and their vibrant, natural Torah that will redeem their descendants in the final generation. The messianic light will shine forth, and out of the darkness of heresy and denial will emanate a supernal light from the lofty Torah of the Avot, a Torah of authenticity and greatness that will redeem the generation.

The great tzadikim must recognize this secret. Their task is to combine together these two Torahs, that of the children with that of the fathers. Then they will form a Torah crowned with honor and strength, beauty and splendor.

(adapted from Orot pp. 66-67)

Copyright © 2006 by Chanan Morrison