EXTRA · classical (not a TT unit)

Chayei Sarah 24:13 · EXTRA

Parashas Chayei Sarah · Passuk 24:13

The Complete Passuk

הִנֵּ֛ה אָנֹכִ֥י נִצָּ֖ב עַל־עֵ֣ין הַמָּ֑יִם וּבְנוֹת֙ אַנְשֵׁ֣י הָעִ֔יר יֹצְאֹ֖ת לִשְׁאֹ֥ב מָֽיִם׃

Here I stand by the spring as the daughters of the townspeople come out to draw water;

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Bereshit Rabbah 60:3 (classical source on this passuk; not listed as a numbered Torah Temimah unit here).

Lemma / focus: הנה אנכי נצב.

Sefaria

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נִצָּב עַל עֵין הַמָּיִם וּבְנוֹת אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר, וְהָיָה הַנַּעֲרָ אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיהָ הַטִּי וגו' (בראשית כד, יג יד), אַרְבָּעָה הֵן שֶׁתָּבְעוּ שֶׁלֹא כְהֹגֶן, לִשְׁלשָׁה נִתַּן כְּהֹגֶן, לְאֶחָד נִתַּן שֶׁלֹא כְהֹגֶן. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: אֱלִיעֶזֶר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם, כָּלֵב, שָׁאוּל, יִפְתָּח. אֱלִיעֶזֶר אָמַר: וְהָיָה הַנַּעֲרָ אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיהָ וגו', הָא אִלּוּ יָצְאָה אָמָה אַחַת וְהִשְׁקַתּוּ הָיָה מַשִּׂיאָהּ לְבֶן אֲדוֹנוֹ, אֶתְמְהָא, וְזִמֵּן לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּהֹגֶן, (בראשית כד, טו): וַיְהִי הוּא טֶרֶם כִּלָּה לְדַבֵּר וְהִנֵּה רִבְקָה יֹצֵאת וגו'. וְכָלֵב …

English: Four made a request that was not in proper form; three were answered in proper form, and one was answered not in proper form.

On the daf / in context: Eliezer’s test at the well is listed among requests that were formally irregular yet granted; the midrash groups him with others who set conditions before Heaven.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13: the standing at the well and the proposed test are classed among the four who “demanded not according to form.”

What Is Learned

Eliezer is one of four who set a test before Heaven in a form that was not strictly proper; three of them, including him, were nonetheless answered fittingly.