What are the implications of the word ?Va?avo ha?Yom El ha?Ayin??
Rashi: Because he had 'Kefitzas ha'Derech' - he arrived in Charan (a journey of a few weeks) on the same day that he left Chevron. 1
Gur Aryeh: Eliezer was saying, "I came today - Today I left, and today I arrived." Otherwise, the word "today" would be unnecessary.
Why did Eliezer need to tell the family all the details of the events leading up to his arrival, including Avraham's assurance that HaSh-m would send an angel, his prayer to HaSh-m, and HaSh-m's immediate response?
Rashbam: To put on a positive front ? to impress upon them that the entire episode was Min ha'Shamayim. 1
Why does the Torah find it necessary to present Eliezer's speech, even though it was essentially a repetition of all that had transpired?
Rashi: To teach us that the mundane speech of the slaves 1 of the Avos 2 is more Chashuv than the Torah of their children. The Parshah of Eliezer is repeated at length, 3 whereas basic Torah laws are known only from an extra Vav. 4
Moshav Zekenim (to 24:13): Also Paroh's dream is repeated! There, it is due to the aggrandizing of Yosef. (It also teaches us that Yosef answered Paroh via Ru'ach ha'Kodesh. Refer to 41:17:1:1*. - PF)
Malbim: This teaches the greatness of Avraham, that even his slave was so astute!
Refer to 24:37:151, 24:38:151:1, 24:38:152, 24:40:151:1, 24:41:153:1, 24:42:153:1, 24:43:151:1, 24:43:152, 24:44:151:1, 24:45:151:1, 24:46:151:1, 24:47:1, 24:48:151:1, 24:49:3:1. In all of these examples, Eliezer deceived Rivkah's family. But one may not deceive even Nochrim! (Magen Avraham 156:2 learns from Eruvin 51a that if one knows that the Halachah follows a teaching, he may falsely attribute it to a great Chacham, so that others will accept it. Perhaps Eliezer similarly saw a Heter to deceive them, to help them accept the Hashgachah that Rivkah is destined for Yitzchak! - PF)
Mishnas R. Aharon (Vol. 1, p. 138): This is because the Chachamim received how to expound Torah, there is no need to elaborate. Midos and proper conduct, on the other hand, are not so fixed. They depend on the situation. They need more guidance and service of Chachamim (to learn them).
How could Eliezer say [four times], "E-lokei Adoni Avraham"? HaSh-m does not attach his name to living people!
Refer to 31:42:1:1**.
Why did Eliezer relate now that he had said, "Im Yeshcha Na Matzli'ach..."? He did not say so in his Tefilah!
Malbim: Eliezer claimed that Avraham wanted a girl from his family; if so, Eliezer prayed for tremendous Hashgachah - the girl should be from his family, and also say like he stipulated!
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "This shows that the earth contracted for him [shortening the duration of the journey]." Indeed, the Gemara (Sanhedrin 95a) lists Eliezer among three people for whom such a miracle occurred. Why did Eliezer merit this?
Maharal #1 (Chidushei Agados Vol. 3, p. 196, to Sanhedrin 95a): Movement is a physical change [as spatial limitations apply only to physical matters]. But a journey for the sake of the Avos was a G-dly matter. On the way there, the road contacted for Eliezer for Avraham's benefit; and on his return, for Yitzchak's benefit.
Maharal #2 (ibid.): The forefathers comprise the totality of Bnei Yisrael. Therefore, as Eliezer travelled to bring Rivkah (and thus bring about the Jewish People), he did not cover the journey in segments one at a time, but rather all at once.
Rashi writes: "A conversation of the forefathers' slaves is more Chashuv before HaSh-m than the Torah of their descendants." Moshe taught us the Torah from the Word of HaSh-m; so why is it called "the Torah of the descendants"?
Gur Aryeh (to 32:4): The forefathers are very important to HaSh-m, [more so than the Torah He would teach to their children through Moshe,] for the forefathers were the root and foundation for their children, and their actions were a prototype symbolizing what would happen to them.
Maharal (Gevuros Hashem, Ch. 16, p. 76): The Torah is the world's plan; HaSh-m created the world according to the Torah. 1 The Torah therefore writes at length about matters that are at the world's root and foundation, such as the forefathers. (E.g. the Torah writes at length about miracles that HaSh-m did for the forefathers, yet glosses over miracles that were done for their descendants.)
The Torah is not merely HaSh-m's plan for man, detailing what is forbidden or permitted, but the plan for the world as a whole - for 'HaSh-m looked into the Torah and created the world.' See Maharal (Nesivos Olam, beg. Nesiv ha'Torah). (EK)
