Oftentimes a Rabbi is asked a question that the disputant knows is outside the Rabbi's expertise. I had a friend who liked testing my faith, so on occasions he would mail me anti-Torah articles ,especially from the Biblical Archeology Review.
In one particular issue the writer stated emphatically that the story of Rebbecca at the well had
been authored by someone recalling the story at a later time. this is called an anachronism.
The reason is that according to Biblical Archaeology there had been no records of transaction of camels at the time of Abraham. Hence the Biblical writer imputed the details based upon his imagination.
Of course , for a believing Jew this approach of an anonymous author is not acceptable. However, what could a Rabbi unversed in archaeology say? I don't know, perhaps later there will be other discoveries!
Amongst my favorite writers is Philip Biberfeld , author of the series, Universal Jewish History.
In his writings about the ancient world , almost as an aside he tells us that in the excavations of the ancient city called Ugarit, they discovered tablets recording sales of various items including camels!This city was contemporaneous with Abraham.
The fact that only one of the great cities of that period had camels to sell actually teach us a marvelous insight into the story.
Up until this question the whole issue of having to send 10 camels to bring back the bride seems unnecessary.After all Abraham himself used a donkey.
However, when the Torah tells us that Abraham sent Eliezer with all the good of his master with him,it means that Abraham had given a deed of all of his possessions to Yitzchak on the condition that he marry the girl that Abraham wanted. This was given in order to show the prospective parents that Yitzchak would be exceptionally wealthy and the girl well cared for.
Now,even if he sent such a deed how would the family truly believe that this was a glick match-made in heaven? After all Abraham lived many miles away and no one in Haran had seen him for years. How would they know that Abraham was telling the truth about his wealth?
Camels-they were exceedingly rare ,remember? Only the real wealthy could afford one camel.
In that case, appearing at the well with 10 camels would have made the same splash as appearing with 10 stretch limos!
No wonder Lavan,Rebbecca"s brother, came running to see the man!Understood now, is the agreement to immediately send Rebbecca to a strange land after a brief meeting with Abraham's chief of staff.
It was the camels who sealed the deal!The question opens up a new dimension of insight!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
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