Chasidut על פסחים 228:6
Kedushat Levi
Genesis 24,17. “the servant ran towards her, etc;” answering the unspoken question of what prompted Eliezer to run toward a girl he had not even met, Rashi says that he had observed that the water at the bottom of the well from which she drew water, appeared to rise toward her.
Nachmanides adds that Rashi deduced this fact from verse 13 in which the women drawing water are described as לשאוב מים, “to draw water.” When it was Rivkah’s turn, the Torah merely describes her as “descending and filling her jug,” the word “to draw,” is not used in connection with her until she proceeds to draw water for the camels in verse 20.
Why did the waters not rise toward her when she drew water for Eliezer’s camels, a tedious labour? The sages in Pessachim 114 [discussing the need to dip both matzah and maror in charosset. Ed] claim that in order to secure this kind of assistance from heavenly sources, the act of חסד, loving kindness, must be performed intentionally as a good deed, i.e. the intent of the good deed must be to thereby carry out the wishes of the Creator. The first time when Rivkah filled the jug to satisfy her own needs, i.e. this was not an act intended to please the Lord, specifically. The water rose to assist her as she was a righteous person. The second time, when what she did was an act of kindness to others, an act that demonstrated that she wished not only to please the camels but also her Creator, G’d withheld His assistance in order for her to receive the whole reward for the effort expended in doing this kind deed.
Nachmanides adds that Rashi deduced this fact from verse 13 in which the women drawing water are described as לשאוב מים, “to draw water.” When it was Rivkah’s turn, the Torah merely describes her as “descending and filling her jug,” the word “to draw,” is not used in connection with her until she proceeds to draw water for the camels in verse 20.
Why did the waters not rise toward her when she drew water for Eliezer’s camels, a tedious labour? The sages in Pessachim 114 [discussing the need to dip both matzah and maror in charosset. Ed] claim that in order to secure this kind of assistance from heavenly sources, the act of חסד, loving kindness, must be performed intentionally as a good deed, i.e. the intent of the good deed must be to thereby carry out the wishes of the Creator. The first time when Rivkah filled the jug to satisfy her own needs, i.e. this was not an act intended to please the Lord, specifically. The water rose to assist her as she was a righteous person. The second time, when what she did was an act of kindness to others, an act that demonstrated that she wished not only to please the camels but also her Creator, G’d withheld His assistance in order for her to receive the whole reward for the effort expended in doing this kind deed.
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