I had always been fascinated by the story of how Rebecca reacted the first time she saw Isaac. Some English translations translate "va'tipol" as alighting from the camel, I translate this word as she fell off the camel. The visual of Rebecca actually falling off the camel always appealed to me as a young girl when I first engaged with this text. Additionally, my hebrew name is Rivka/Rebecca so I have been called to write about Rebecca and her story. This is the first midrash I ever wrote. Enjoy!
The Original Order of the Verses in Bereshit/Genesis 24: 64-65
(סד) וַתִּשָּׂא רִבְקָה אֶת־עֵינֶיהָ וַתֵּרֶא אֶת־יִצְחָק וַתִּפֹּל מֵעַל הַגָּמָל: (סה) וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל־הָעֶבֶד מִי־הָאִישׁ הַלָּזֶה הַהֹלֵךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִקְרָאתֵנוּ וַיֹּאמֶר הָעֶבֶד הוּא אֲדֹנִי וַתִּקַּח הַצָּעִיף וַתִּתְכָּס:
(64) Raising her eyes, Rebekah saw Isaac. She fell from the camel (65) and said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” And the servant said, “That is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself.
The Reordering of the Verses for the Purposes of this Midrash
וַתִּשָּׂא רִבְקָה אֶת־עֵינֶיהָ וַתֵּרֶא אֶת־יִצְחָק... וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל־הָעֶבֶד מִי־הָאִישׁ הַלָּזֶה הַהֹלֵךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִקְרָאתֵנוּ וַיֹּאמֶר הָעֶבֶד הוּא אֲדֹנִי ...וַתִּפֹּל מֵעַל הַגָּמָל...וַתִּקַּח הַצָּעִיף וַתִּתְכָּס:
Raising her eyes, Rebekah saw Isaac… and said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” And the servant said, “That is my master.”… She fell from the camel… and she took her veil and covered herself.
I fell in love… and fell off a camel!
My family gave me a powerful blessing – the promise of Avraham – of continuity – of peoplehood – that was to flow through me and only me. As much as I love my immediate family, even I recognize that it is filled with those who practice deceit as easily as most draw breath. These are the ones who blessed me to create a people – can the source of a blessing turn it into a curse? Am I even worthy to be the wife of a tzaddik like Yitzchak? Or am I inherently evil as well? These are the thoughts that occupied my mind as I journeyed to meet my intended.
After a long while I lifted my eyes and saw a man walking across a field toward me. Even from where I sat on my camel I could see that he was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. He was glowing and there was an angel walking beside him. I asked the servant who is that man (ha-lazeh) and he informed me that it was my husband-to-be, Yitzchak.
Is it possible for one’s life to change forever in the space of just a few moments? At the very moment I fell in love I received a terrible vision from Gd. From this union, from my joining with my beloved, from me, a child would be born who would cause misery and injury to his brethren for thousands of generations!
Suddenly I could not breathe. The world began to spin around me. The next thing I knew I was falling from my camel. I quickly covered my face with my scarf so the servant would not notice my pale face, my distress… my panic. I took a breath and rose to meet my future.
Let me know if you are interested in the sources for this midrash and I will post them.
Shabbat Shalom.
Pray for Peace
No comments:
Post a Comment