Friday, November 18, 2011

Parsha Thought - Chayai Sara - פרשת חיי שרה

I wanted to write a thought about the Parsha and I welcome comments and questions.
This week's story is about Eliezer going to find a wife for his master's son Yitzchok.
BUT, I believe, there is so much misinformation and misuse of this story.
Yitzchok doesn't choose his own wife and doesn't even have a chance to get to known her well before they are wed. The Possuk (verse) tells us that after he married her he loved her.
So many use this as proof that "there is no such thing as love before marriage" and that it is the best when the Parents choose the spouse for their child (arranged marriage)...
HOWEVER, they conveniently forget that in just a couple more Parshiot is the VERY romantic story of Yaakov falling in LOVE with Rochel, Yaakov is told by his parents to find himself a wife and he falls in love with Rochel. Also Moshe chooses his own wife, Tziporah. And many other in Tanaach choose their own.
So at best both ways are valid. BUT there is NO proof from Yitzchok at all because there was no choice for him to choose his own wife since he couldn't leave Canaan and he was forbidden to marry a Canaanite woman.
Unfortunately, many of our Jewish youth are told, "there is no love before marriage".
How sad. That's like saying, "there is no taste and smell to food".

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