Ok, so in פרשה class on Friday, Rabbi Maimon spoke to us about the difference between being a צדיק and a חסיד. Not a חסיד in the מאה שארים sense, but as in a person who does a lot of חסד. What is the difference?
We said that a צדיק does what he is asked to do, while a חסיד does what is wanted of him without being asked. נח was an איש צדיק and did what he was asked, but אברהם was an איש חסיד and took the initiative. That's why רבקה had to be tested before she could become יצחק's wife. If she was going to be a part of אברהם's family, she had to have the same trait of חסידות. When אליעזר asked רבקה if she would get him water and she gave water to his camels also, she demonstrated that trait. This proved her worthy of being a part of the family of אברהם אבינו, who was the epitome of חסד.
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