From the Chassidic Masters

Humans love to talk. To this end, we have invented hundreds of languages and dozens of media. What lies behind the human being's verbosity?

What a seemingly negligible detail of the marriage of Isaac and Rebecca tells us about the nature of marriage between man and woman, and the nature of the marriage between man and G‑d we call “life.”

Eliezer gave Rebecca a ring, betrothing her to Isaac; ever since, rings, circles and enveloping structures have facilitated the union of man and woman. The Kabbalistic masters delve into the mystery of the circle to understand the unifying force that violates all the laws of ego and identity.

A most curious aspect of the Isaac-Rebecca relationship is that for a lengthy period immediately prior to the marriage, Isaac literally disappears: a summation of Isaac’s life leaves us with an unaccountable gap of almost three years.

Ishmael was a wild man; banished from Abraham's home together with his mother Hagar. Years later, we find Ishmael accompanying Abraham to the Akeidah. After Sarah’s death, Abraham remarries Hagar. What's going on?

The marriage of Isaac and Rebecca symbolizes the marriage between G‑d and the Jewish people, a marriage which is renewed every year during the High Holidays.