Why did Avraham prefer the daughters of Aner, Eshkol and Mamre over Eliezer's daughter?

Question

Rashi on Bereishis 24:39 says that

Abraham said to [Eliezer] “My son is blessed, and you are cursed [Eliezer was a descendant of Canaan who had been cursed by Noah], and an accursed one cannot unite with a blessed one.”

And Rashi on Bereishis 24:8 says that if Eliezer does not find a suitable match from Avraham's father's house then

take him a wife from the daughters of Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre

We know Aner, Eshkol and Mamre are canaanites from Bereishis 14:13 where it writes "Mamre the Amorite", and the Amorites come from Canaan as written in Bereishis 10:16

So since Aner, Eshkol and Mamre are also descendents from Canaan who was cursed, why did Avraham prefer their daughter's over Eliezer's?

What about Siftei Chakhamim's answer( Ot Tav at Bereshit 24:39)? — Tamir Evan, Jan 07 '13 at 07:40
@TamirEvan, I haven't checked, but if it answers the question then by all means post it as an answer. — msh210, Jan 07 '13 at 14:48

score 8 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 07 '13 at 16:24

8

Daas Zekeinim Baalei Tosfiyos says that you have to say that Anair Eshkol and Mamrei were not from Canaan. However over here Daas Zekeinim Baalei Tosfiyos says they were from Cannan, however they were still better than Eliezer as they were not Avadim like him.

answered Jan 07 '13 at 16:24

Gershon Gold

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So is their a contradiction between the two comments? And I don't understand how they couldn't be from Canaan when Mamre was an Amorite. – Binyomin Trager Jan 08 '13 at 01:41
The second Da'at Zeqenim Ba'alei ha-Tosafot gives the same answer as the Siftei Chakhamim( a couple of pages later) I mentioned in comment to the original question. – Tamir Evan Jan 24 '13 at 21:27

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 13 '13 at 00:57

Perhaps because G-d had already told Avraham that Eliezer would not inherit from him in Bereishit 15:4. Even though this was Eliezer's daughter and not Eliezer, perhaps Avraham felt that G-d's exclusion of Eliezer extended to his entire family as well.

Why did Avraham prefer the daughters of Aner, Eshkol and Mamre over Eliezer's daughter?

2 Answers2