In this week's parsha, there are so many psukim describing the exact play-by-play of Rivka's bringing water to Eliezer and giving his donkeys to drink. Why all of the detail? We would understand that she possessed the middah of chesed that Eliezer was looking for even without all of the detail of the back-and-forth to the well drawing buckets and buckets of water, and the running around for what must have been a few hours! What is the Torah highlighting here?

If we read all of the psukim carefully (Chapter 24; psukim 16-20) we will actually see that something sounds familiar; running around  for a stranger, giving more than is called for and making sure every little detail is carried out...who does that sound like? Avraham - when he hosted the three angels in last week's parsha. And that's not the only comparison between Rivka and Avraham.

Later in the parsha, Rivka's family hesitates letting her go with Eliezer back to Avraham's family to marry Yitzchak and we are told that they wished to wait and that she could go later (24:55). But Eliezer insists that he needs to go immediately. They then call Rivka and ask her whether she wants to go, and she answers “I will go”. The root “to go” (hey, lamed, kaf) appears four times. Why the focus on that specific word? Rav Chanoch Waxman points out that both of these emphases that the Torah makes about Rivka's similarities to Avraham help us see that she is definitely the right one for Yitzchak! Here is a woman who embodies all of the most important traits Avraham possesses: the ability to give and connect to people and make them feel valuable and special and the willingness to go when called upon.  She will answer this mission the way Avraham did – with an enthusiastic and confident yes.

These are the traits that we need to constantly be developing within ourselves. In order to be worthy of the brachot that Avraham was promised we too need to be looking for ways and opportunities to give to others and be careful never to be too self-centered. And we must always be listening for the call to do the next great thing!

This year in seminary, girls are able to work on both of these ‘Avraham’ qualities. All the new friends and the time living in the dorm help one to develop her ability to focus on others and be selfless. The time spent learning Torah and living in Eretz Yisrael awaken in a student the desire to respond to a calling – to learn, to grow and to answer “hineni” to whatever missions lie ahead for her.

Shabbat Shalom.