It happens to the best of us, and as we’ll see, it certainly happened to Laban in the story of Rebekah and Eliezer.
Let's set the stage. Rebekah, you'll recall, had just met Eliezer, Abraham's trusted servant, and had shown incredible kindness and hospitality by drawing water for him and his camels. Impressed, Eliezer presented her with valuable jewels. Now, picture Rebekah returning home, laden with these gifts, and showing them to her mother and brother, Laban.
And that's where things take a turn.
Laban, seeing the jewels, is immediately consumed by avarice. According to Legends of the Jews, Ginzberg's masterful retelling of Jewish lore, Laban’s first thought wasn’t of his sister’s good fortune, but of how he could get his hands on Eliezer's wealth! His initial plan? To kill Eliezer. Can you imagine?
But Laban quickly realizes he's in over his head. He soon understands that Eliezer is no ordinary traveler. The text tells us Laban realized he "would not be able to do much harm to a giant like Eliezer." That's quite an assessment!
And there's more to it than just physical strength.
As Laban approaches Eliezer, something extraordinary happens. Because of Eliezer's striking resemblance to Abraham, Laban thinks he sees Abraham himself! It's a moment of mistaken identity, fueled by Laban's own guilt and perhaps a touch of the divine. Think about that for a second. Laban, intending violence and theft, is suddenly confronted with the image of Abraham, a symbol of righteousness and faith. The effect is immediate.
Laban’s greed melts away, replaced by a veneer of hospitality. He greets Eliezer with false warmth: "Come in, thou blessed of the Lord! It is not becoming that thou shouldst stand without, I have cleansed my house of idols." It's a complete reversal! He invites Eliezer in, claiming to have rid his house of idols – a pretty bold-faced lie, most likely!
What does this little snippet of the story tell us? Perhaps it's a reminder that appearances can be deceiving, and that greed can blind us to reality. Or maybe it’s a testament to the powerful legacy of Abraham, whose very image could inspire (or perhaps, terrify) even the most avaricious of hearts. Whatever the interpretation, it's a fascinating glimpse into the complex characters and moral lessons woven throughout Jewish tradition. We see how quickly appearances can shift and how human beings are so easily swayed by both greed and fear.