KOL ELIYOHU
Lech Lecha
Kol Eliyohu - Parshas Lech Lecha
   

Why is there a change in the wording of the posuk?

(12,3) “And I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse.”

Notice that with regard to the blessing it says “I will bless” at the beginning of the clause, but with the curse it says “I will curse” at the end of the clause. But we can explain that this difference is due to the fact that the blessing of a rich person is greater than that of a poor person, and the curse of a poor person is greater than that of a rich person.

Therefore, with the blessing it says “I will (first) bless those who bless you”, in order that the person who is blessing you will be rich when he blesses you, and thus his blessing will be greater. But with the curse it says “him who curses you I will (afterwards) curse” in order that he will still be rich when he curses you and thus his curse will be smaller.

Which job titles did Eliezer have?

(15,2) “…and the steward (בן משק) of my household is Eliezer of Damascus.”

To explain the posuk on the level of רמז (allusion), behold, it says in parshas Chayei Sarah 24:2 “And Avrohom said to his servant, the elder of his house, the administrator (המושל) of all that was his…”. The description “his servant” means that he was a שוטר (an enforcer), “the elder of his house” means that he was a קצין (a chief), and מושל means administrator. Like the posuk in Mishlei 6:7 says about the ant - “אין לה קצין שטר ומשל - she has no chief, enforcer or administrator”.

This is the allusion of the phrase “the steward (בן משק) of my household” - the word משק stands for מושל שוטר קצין, the three descriptions of Eliezer.

When you print this page. Printer Friendly Layout