“The servant ran toward her, and he said: Please allow me to sip a little water from your jug” (Genesis 24:17). “The servant ran toward her” – toward her good deeds.22Since he saw the water rise for her, he realized she must be exceptionally righteous. “Please allow me to sip a little water from your jug” – [just] one sip. “She said: Drink, my lord, and she hastened to lower her pitcher into her hand, and she gave him to drink” (Genesis 24:18).
“When she had finished giving him to drink, she said: I will draw for your camels also, until they have finished drinking” (Genesis 24:19). “She hastened and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw, and drew for all his camels” (Genesis 24:20). “The man was astonished at her; he was silent, to know whether the Lord had made his journey successful or not” (Genesis 24:21).
“The man was astonished at her…” – Rabbi Yoḥanan of Tzippori said: He was squinting23To see her more clearly. and looking at her [to see] if “the Lord had made [his journey] successful.” “When the camels concluded drinking, the man took a gold nose ring whose weight was one half shekel, and two bracelets to put on her hands, whose weight was ten gold shekels” (Genesis 24:22). “When the camels concluded drinking, [the man] took…” – Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Yosef: There was a precious stone in it that weighed half a shekel.
“And two bracelets to put on her hands” – corresponding to the two tablets [of the Ten Commandments]. “Whose weight was ten gold shekels” – corresponding to the Ten Commandments. “He said: Whose daughter are you; please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay the night?” (Genesis 24:23).
“He said: Whose daughter are you; please tell me. [Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay the night [lalin]?]” – a stay for one night. “She said to him: I am the daughter of Betuel, son of Milka, whom she bore to Naḥor” (Genesis 24:24). “She said to him: Both straw and feed is plentiful with us, as well as room for lodging” (Genesis 24:25). “She said to him: I am the daughter of Betuel, son of Milka…as well as room for lodging [lalun]” – to lodge for several nights.24Although he asked her about staying over for one night, she replied that he could stay for many nights.
“The man bowed and prostrated himself to the Lord” (Genesis 24:26). “The man bowed and prostrated himself to the Lord” – from here we learn that one should express thanks [to God] for good tidings. “He said: Blessed is the Lord, God of my master Abraham, who did not withhold His kindness and His truth from my master; I, the Lord guided me on the way to the house of my master’s brethren” (Genesis 24:27).
“He said: Blessed is the Lord, God of my master Abraham, who did not withhold His kindness…” – from the fact that the path was miraculously shortened, I knew that “the Lord guided me on the way to the house of my master's brethren.”