In this week's parsha, Avraham Avinu instructs Eliezer to go search for a wife for Yitzchak. Avraham makes Eliezer take an oath that he will not choose a girl from Cana'an; rather, Avraham insists that Eliezer travel "el artzi v'el moladiti" - "to my land, my birthplace" to find a suitable match for Yitzchak. The question that arises is: why did Avraham insist on Eliezer finding a girl from his birthplace? It's not as if his hometown was a city of tzaddikim; quite the contrary, they were resha'im who attempted to burn him alive for believing in Hashem!
The Lev Avraham answers that Avraham Avinu was looking for a specific middah in his future daughter-in-law that would help ensure the survival of the Jewish people: that of being steadfast in one's beliefs. If a person is stubborn, it can indeed be detrimental; but if it is channeled properly, then nothing can get in the way of the person's dedication to avodas Hashem. Avraham Avinu saw in the people of his birthplace a tremendous stubbornness: not only did they attempt to burn him for not holding of their beliefs, but even when he emerged unscathed, they STILL did not give up their nonsensical ideals in favor of what was clearly the truth! And that was the kind of dedication to one's beliefs that Avraham Avinu wanted to harness for the future generations of Klal Yisroel.
As children of the Avos, we all have a certain innate stubborn streak within us. Being headstrong may at first glance appear to be a character flaw; but it is actually Hashem's gift to us, inherited from Rivka Imeinu. By harnessing the power of that stubborn streak, we are able to shield ourselves from the moral depravity that surrounds us, and remain firm in our commitment to Avodas Hashem.
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