This is taken from the Ben Olam Haba email from today.
When searching for a wife for his son Yitzchak, Avraham warns his servant Eliezer not to search among the daughters of the Canaanites who dwell amongst them. Logically, if the Canaanite woman under consideration was wicked, of course she would not be a fitting match for Yitzchak. So what was the reason for Avraham's warning?
Rav Shimon Schwab Zatzal answers that perhaps Eliezer would find a Canaanite woman who was especially righteous. Still Avraham says she will not be suitable. Why?
He specifies (Breishis 24:3) "do not take a wife for my son from among the Canaanite daughters amongst whom I dwell." The implication is that the woman might be righteous, but only because her family dwells in proximity to Avraham. Yitzchak needed a wife who would be righteous wherever she was, not just in a good spiritual environment. (Me'ein Beis HaSho'eivah)
We find that there is an important lesson here for anyone looking for a marriage partner. One should try to make sure to find someone whose values have been internalized and are not based on social pressure alone.
In the vicissitudes of life, no one knows in what environment or what circumstances they may find themselves. Yet they need to be able to maintain the value system that they have committed to in life.
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