The Prayer of Eliezer (The Servant of Avraham)

Hey sorry to bother you I was learning Chumash for the first time and I was wondering how elizezer was allowed to test God when looking for a wife for yitzchack

Shalom!

Thank you for your question!

Yes, when Avraham dispatched Eliezer to find a wife for Yitzchak, Eliezer put God to a test, asking Him for a sign so that he would know that he had found the right girl for Yitzchak. He says, “Let it be that the woman to who I will ask, ‘May I have a drink from your pitcher,’ and will respond, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels to drink, as well,’ be the woman for Yitzchak to marry.” The moment he finished his request Rivka appeared on the scene and the rest is history, as they say.

There is much discussion whether or not Eliezer’s “test” was legitimate. Besides the ban on divination and sorcery, it seems to be a bit audacious to make a demand from God! How was this allowed?

A number of answers are given.

1. According to some, the prohibition against divination, and the like, applies only to Jews. Eliezer wasn’t Jewish. This answer is not a perfect one because some authorities do indeed rule that the prohibition of source and divination applies to Gentiles, as well.

2. Another answer is that Eliezer’s “test” was more of a figure of speech rather than demanding God for something specific. Indeed, it is noted that Eliezer only presented Rivka with gifts after asking about her family and her lineage proving that he did not rely on the fulfillment of the signs exclusively.

3. Finally, some rule that the prohibition against “seeking signs” only applies to things that are unnatural or unlikely. In that place and time, however, it was common for women to offer drinks to passersby, rendering his request permissible.

Although we can possibly rationalize Eliezer’s conduct, most authorities ultimately rule that what he did was wrong. As the Rambam says, “It is forbidden to practice divination…as it says: “Do not act as a diviner” (Vayikra 19:26). What is a “diviner”? For example, those who say: Since a piece of bread fell out of my mouth, or my staff fell from my hand, I will not travel to a certain place today, because I won’t be successful if I were to go.… Similarly, a person who sets up omens for himself…as Eliezer, the servant of Abraham did. All this is forbidden. Anyone who does these things is deserving of lashes.

Bereishit 24:14;  Chullin 95b (Tosfos, Ran, Ritva);  Sanhedrin 56b; Rambam, Hilchot Avoda Zara 11:4;  Rema, YD 179:4.