NOTES for Gen 24:32-67
Abraham’s servant does not draw out the matter; on the contrary, he seeks to dot every i as quickly as possible. In the East, this approach is more the exception: every transaction and agreement is reached and concluded unhurriedly, and it certainly has to be, as people say in Russia, “washed.” In Russia, a transaction is usually celebrated with drinks for a day or two; in the East, it sometimes takes no less than a week. Indeed, a person has come from far away and will depart again on a long journey, so one must give him the opportunity both to rest and to spend time with people. What social life is there on the steppe or in the desert?
In short, a guest was not usually allowed to leave before a week had passed, whatever the reason for his visit. All the more so when the reason was exceptional and involved a wedding. Not yet the wedding itself, of course, but the betrothal agreement; even so, this was not an occasion that should simply be allowed to pass. Yet Abraham’s servant sets out on the very next day. And Rebekah is ready to go with him.
Why is that? Was life difficult in her parents’ home? It is hard to say. There is another reason, a purely spiritual one. It can be summed up in a simple rule: when leaving, leave. Long farewells bring needless tears. This is not a question of sentimentality or harshness, but of resolve. A person often consciously or unconsciously very much wants to linger, slow down, and postpone a decision that has apparently already been made.
In reality, however, this means that the person is wavering: the decision seems to have been made, but somehow not completely. If, for example, something were now to prevent it from being carried out, deep down the person would even be glad, although he would most likely never say so aloud or even admit this gladness to himself. Readiness to act as soon as a decision has been made is precisely resolve, one of the most valuable and indispensable qualities of spiritual life. By leaving on the morning after the betrothal agreement, Abraham’s servant tests Rebekah’s resolve—and she passes the test.