The death of Sarah dealt Abraham a blow from which he did not recover.
So long as she was alive, he felt himself young and vigorous, but after
she had passed away, old age suddenly overtook him.[271] It was he
himself who made the plea that age be betrayed by suitable signs and
tokens. Before the time of Abraham an old man was not distinguishable
externally from a young man, and as Isaac was the image of his father,
it happened frequently that father and son were mistaken for each
other, and a request meant for the one was preferred to the other.
Abraham prayed therefore that old age might have marks to distinguish
it from youth, and God granted his petition, and since the time of
Abraham the appearance of men changes in old age. This is one of the
seven great wonders that have occurred in the course of history.[272]
The blessing of God did not forsake Abraham in old age, either. That it
might not be said it had been granted to him only for the sake of
Sarah, God prospered him after her death, too. Hagar bore him a
daughter, and Ishmael repented of his evil ways and subordinated
himself to Isaac. And as Abraham enjoyed undisturbed happiness in his
family, so also outside, in the world. The kings of the east and the
west eagerly besieged the door of his house in order to derive benefit
from his wisdom. From his neck a precious stone was suspended, which
possessed the power of healing the sick who looked upon it. On the
death of Abraham, God attached it to the wheel of the sun. The greatest
blessing enjoyed by him, and by none beside except his son Isaac and
Jacob the son of Isaac, was that the evil inclination had no power over
him, so that in this life he had a foretaste of the future world.[273]
But all these Divine blessings showered upon Abraham were not
undeserved. He was clean of hand, and pure of heart, one that did not
lift up his soul unto vanity.[274]
He fulfilled all the commands that were revealed later, even the
Rabbinical injunctions, as, for instance, the one relating to the
limits of a Sabbath day's journey, wherefor his reward was that God
disclosed to him the new teachings which He expounded daily in the
heavenly academy.[275]
But one thing lacked to complete the happiness of Abraham, the marriage
of Isaac. He therefore called his old servant Eliezer unto himself.
Eliezer resembled his master not only externally, in his appearance,
but also spiritually. Like Abraham he possessed full power over the
evil inclination,[276] and like the master, the servant was an adept in
the law.[277] Abraham spake the following words to Eliezer: "I am
stricken in age, and I know not the day of my death. Therefore prepare
thyself, and go unto my country, and to my kindred, and fetch hither a
wife for my son."[278] Thus he spake by reason of the resolution he had
taken immediately after the sacrifice of Isaac on Moriah, for he had
there said within himself, that if the sacrifice had been executed,
Isaac would have gone hence childless. He was even ready to choose a
wife for his son from among the daughters of his three friends, Aner,
Eshcol, and Mamre, because he knew them to be pious, and he did not
attach much importance to aristocratic stock. Then spake God to him,
and said: "Concern thyself not about a wife for Isaac.[279] One has
already been provided for him," and it was made known to Abraham that
Milcah, the wife of his brother Nahor, childless until the birth of
Isaac, had then been remembered by God and made fruitful. She bore
Bethuel, and he in turn, at the time of Isaac's sacrifice, begot the
daughter destined to be the wife of Isaac.[280]
Mindful of the proverb, "Even if the wheat of thine own place be
darnel, use it for seed," Abraham determined to take a wife for Isaac
from his own family. He argued that as any wife he chose would have to
become a proselyte, it would be best to use his own stock, which had
the first claim upon him.[281]
Eliezer now said to his master: "Peradventure no woman will be willing
to follow me unto this land. May I then marry my own daughter to
Isaac?" "No," replied Abraham, "thou art of the accursed race, and my
son is of the blessed race, and curse and blessing cannot be
united.[282] But beware thou that thou bring not my son again unto the
land from whence I came, for if thou broughtest him thither again, it
were as though thou tookest him to hell. God who sets the heavens in
motion, He will set this matter right, too,[283] and He that took me
from my father's house, and that spake unto me, and that swore unto me
in Haran, and at the covenant of the pieces, that He would give this
land unto my seed, He shall send His excellent angel before thee, and
thou shalt take a wife for my son from thence." Eliezer then swore to
his master concerning the matter, and Abraham made him take the oath by
the sign of the covenant.[284]