SAN DIEGO — This week’s Parshah, Chayei Sara, tells about how Rebecca came to be Isaac’s wife. In the beginning of this section, Abraham’s wife, Sarah, dies. He mourns for her and buries her in a nearby cave he has purchased.
Abraham turns his attention to his son, Isaac. He sends a servant to find the perfect wife for Isaac. But how will the servant know who to choose? The servant stops at a well and asks for God’s help. “Let the first girl who comes to the well and offers to get water for both me and my camels be the perfect choice for Isaac’s wife.”
Almost immediately, a young woman comes to the well and draws water out for the servant. She then asks if she can draw water for his camels, too. The servant asks if there is room at her father’s house for him and the animals to spend the night. She takes him home to meet her father and her brother.
The servant then repeats the entire story of how Abraham told him to find a wife for Isaac. He retells how he’d know who the perfect girl was and then how Rebecca came up and followed exactly the things the servant had mentioned to God. Then he asks Rebecca’s family if he can take her home to meet Isaac.
The family agrees, but at first says she needs to stay home for ten extra days. The servant doesn’t want to wait. What happens next is a surprise. Rebecca’s family asks her if she wants to go with the servant. Rebecca says yes, and off they go. She meets Isaac and he takes her as his wife.
What does this mean: The story about Isaac is said to have taken place about 4000 years ago. In those times, women didn’t have an important role in what happened, especially to them. Husbands were chosen for them and their main job was to care for their children.
The story about Rebecca is special because not only does her family ask her if she wants to go with the servant (a total stranger taking her to some unknown man in a far-away city)), but she then goes against what they wanted to do. Instead of staying with her family for ten more days, she agrees to step into the unknown future and go with the servant.
What can you do: Rebecca was very brave. She was willing to go after what she felt was the best path to follow. We have many great female role models in all areas in the world today. Leaders like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Kamala Harris show girls it’s okay to set goals and work until you reach them. This is true for boys as well as girls. Maybe you want to study to be a doctor to help people, or a great soccer player, or a ballet dancer, or an artist. These are excellent goals for both boys and girls. Follow your heart and don’t give up!
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Marcia Berneger is a retired elementary school teacher. She loves writing stories for children. She is the author of such children’s books as Buster the Little Garbage Truck, and A Dreidel in Time.