The test that Eliezer used for choosing a wife for Yitschak, as well as the successful conclusion have brought in their wake two important religious questions to the commentators of all the generations, questions that challenge basic tenets of Judaism.
Was Eliezer's test an example of divination, the discovering of omens from certain events, nichush, such as is forbidden by the Torah; "You shall not indulge in divination and you shall not believe in lucky times" (Vayikra 19:26)?
Read full article: http://www.ou.org/torah/tt/5766/terumah66/navi.htm
This week's parsha discusses Eliezer's search for a suitable wife for Isaac and the signs he sought to identify the right match. A NYdailynews article describes a new book by former President George W. Bush, "a man who relied heavily on his faith as commander in chief."
One anecdote in the new book is as follows:
The president details how he bonded with Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia -- and a magical bird!
Arriving angry at Bush's Texas ranch over the president's position on Israel and Ramallah, Abdullah quickly decided he wanted to leave.
But the prince spots a turkey on the road -- and takes it as a good omen, a sign from Allah!
http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/280472-wow-what-a-turkey/
It's a good thing the crown prince wasn't around at Thanksgiving. It's a bit early for the following video, but I couldn't resist the catchy tune.
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