בראשית, פרק כ״ד, פסוק ס״א

The departure from her childhood home marks a profound turning point for Rebecca, signifying the final separation from her family and the beginning of her journey toward a new life. Coming from a wealthy and noble background, she did not travel alone. She was accompanied by her wet nurse and several maids [ביאור שטיינזלץ], who assisted her onto the tall camels. Because of the animals' height, the riders had to hold on tightly to avoid falling [תורה תמימה]. Rebecca and her maids mounted the special camels brought by Eliezer on their own [אבן עזרא, ביאור יש״ר, אלשיך]. Interestingly, Rebecca waited until the exact moment of departure to mount her camel. As long as her family members and local escorts were walking beside her, she felt it would be disrespectful to ride while they remained on foot [רד״ק]. It is also possible that her maids did not make the entire journey to the Land of Israel, but merely escorted her out of the city limits before turning back [העמק דבר].

As the caravan set out, Rebecca and her maids followed behind Eliezer, relying on him as the experienced guide who knew the route [רמב״ן, רד״ק]. This specific travel formation also upheld strict standards of modesty, ensuring that a man would not walk behind a woman [העמק דבר, תורה תמימה]. Eliezer himself chose not to ride. Instead, he walked on foot and led the camels, maintaining a respectful and modest distance [רש״ר הירש, תורה תמימה].

A subtle shift occurred in the relationship between Rebecca and Eliezer as the journey began, reflecting a change in her legal and personal status. Initially, Eliezer was viewed simply as a distinguished guest. As long as Rebecca was accompanied by the maids provided by her father, she remained legally under her family's authority [צאינה וראינה, קונטרס חיבה יתירה]. However, once the local escorts returned to the city and Eliezer assumed full responsibility for her care, she was officially transferred to the protection of her future husband's messenger, effectively entering Isaac's household. From that moment forward, Rebecca became the mistress of the household, and Eliezer assumed his role as her dedicated servant [ספורנו, מלבי״ם, פרדס יוסף].

Eliezer's actions during the departure highlight his deep dedication and urgency. It is possible that Rebecca's family struggled to let her go out of compassion, prompting Eliezer to firmly take her from their hands and instruct them to return home [הטור הארוך]. As they traveled further from the city, he kept Rebecca close to protect her from any dangers on the road, acting out of profound respect and care [רמב״ן, רד״ק, הטור הארוך, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Throughout the trip, Eliezer was entirely consumed with serving and guarding his new mistress. He walked alongside her without ever feeling the physical toll of the journey, entirely focused on his mission until they suddenly encountered Isaac [אבן עזרא, הטור הארוך, מחוקקי יהודה]. Some even suggest that the journey was miraculously shortened to prevent any prolonged and inappropriate seclusion between a man and a woman on the open road [אלשיך].