The Scholar and the Storyteller

I came today to the well… (25:22)

Said Rabbi Acha: The conversations of the household servants of the fathers (i.e. the Patriarches) are more desirable than the Torah study of the children. For Eliezer's story is recounted at length twice in the Torah, while many bodies of law are conveyed with a mere allusion.

Rashi's commentary

Two authors came to Rabbi Israel of Ruzhin to request letters of approbation for their respective works. One had compiled a brilliant talmudic thesis, full of many original and insightful ideas; the other brought a book of stories from the lives of the righteous. Rabbi Israel gave precedence to the author of the book of stories and only later dealt with the talmudic work.

Explained the Ruzhiner: "The Torah also begins with tales of the righteous - the book of Genesis - and only then proceeds to recount its laws and precepts. In fact, the very first mitzvahdoes not appear until well into the book of Exodus!1

"Both these authors are men of great distinction and each has presented me with a most valuable work. But one consists of the author's accomplishments in Torah, while the second is a record of G-d's accomplishments in His world…"