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Why did Avrohom send for a wife from Lavan's corrupt family rather than marry Yitzchok to Eliezer's daughter, when Eliezer was a great tzaddik? The shiur examines the Ran's famous question on "ain ohr mistabeik b'baruch" and challenges the superficial yeshiva-world understanding that it refers to genetics while ignoring Lavan's terrible character. A deeper analysis of what spiritual compatibility really means is developed.
The shiur opens with a compelling question from the Ran, seven to eight hundred years old, which Rabbi Zweig argues has been consistently misunderstood in the yeshiva world. The question revolves around why Avrohom sent to find a wife for Yitzchok from Lavan's family rather than marrying him to Eliezer's daughter. The case for Eliezer is overwhelming. The Torah (תורה) describes him as "dayei le'omashka me'toraso sheravu lacheim"—he had complete mastery of Avrohom's Torah and the ability to transmit it to others. He was a tremendous tzaddik who had been loyal to Avrohom for many years, accompanying him to war and proving himself trustworthy in every way. The Torah itself testifies to his greatness through the principle "yofeh yichasan shel avdei avos yoser mi'torasan shel banim"—the beautiful speech of the servants of our forefathers is recorded in greater detail than some of the most important mitzvos in the Torah. Eliezer's entire conversation is recorded with repetition spanning sixty to seventy pesukim, thirty to forty of which are pure repetition, demonstrating the beauty and importance of every word he spoke. Moreover, Eliezer had a daughter and was heirless, making him a perfect candidate for a shidduch with Yitzchok's family.
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Parshas Chayei Sarah
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