Thought of the Week: Chayei Sarah - 5782

GAMAL CHESED

This week's paresha belongs to the camel.  Not Joe Camel - the advertising mascot for Camel cigarettes - but rather those that Eliezer the servant of Avraham took with him on his journey to find a wife for Yitzchak.  These humped creatures played a significant role in testing Rivka’s character and commitment to Chesed.  When returning from the trip with the young future wife of our second patriarch, it was the camels that Yitzchak noticed first.  One might wonder why they are mentioned so many times in our Paresha.

Camels were the perfect creatures for long treks in the desert.  Not just because of their bushy eyebrows and long, heavy eyelashes, which protected their eyes from dust and sand, but rather, because of their ability to go for long periods of time without water.  This trait made the camel man's best friend in the wilderness. Thus, throughout the long excursion, the camel was putting aside its own needs and taking care of the needs of others.  Accordingly, the camel or GAMAL is a true symbol of kindness: "Gemilut Chasadim."

Therefore, when the search was on for a wife that was committed to Chesed, the camel was chosen for the mission.

Shabbat Shalom