[Avodah] RSRH: A Time-Honored Jewish custom

[Ira Tick]

On Sun, Nov 30, 2008 at 1:06 PM, Yitzchok Levine
<Larry.Levine at stevens.edu>wrote:

>  In his essay on The Jewish Woman<http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/rsrh/jewish_woman.pdf>RSRH discusses how Rivka was chosen to be Yitzchok's wife.  On pages 107 -
> 108 he writes regarding how this Shidduch was decided upon and then comments
> on how other shidduchim should be decided upon. YL
>
> It is significant that the one person whose wishes should have been
> regarded as decisive in this arrangement has nothing to say in the matter.
> Isaac, whose wishes should have mattered the most, remains silent
> throughout. While Rebecca is asked for her approval before any arrangements
> are made in her behalf, Isaac permits his father and his father's faithful
> servant complete freedom to act for him in a matter which, more than
> anything else, will be decisive for his personal happiness.
>

I actually wondered recently how Eliezer did not violate the rule that a man
must see his intended before kiddushin can be made.  I am of course
assuming, and could be very wrong, that when Eliezer gave her the rings, he
was acting as a shliach for Yitzchak to affect kiddushin on his behalf.
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