Faithful service as privilege

בזוה"ק משבח ראש דברי אליעזר עבד אברהם אנכי שהי' זכי' אצלו מה שזכה לשמשו ואמרז"ל מתוך ששרת א"צ באמונה יצא מכלל ארור לברוך.

In the Zohar HaKadosh, the opening words of Eliezer — "I am the servant of Avraham" — are praised, for it was a privilege in his eyes that he merited to serve him; and Chazal said that because he served Avraham faithfully, he passed out of the category of "cursed" into "blessed."

Eliezer, a descendant of the cursed Canaan, considered serving Avraham his greatest honor. Through that faithful service he transformed his very status, moving from "cursed" to "blessed." The key was that he valued the avodah itself as the privilege.

כן גם מי שחפץ ומשתוקק לעשות רצון הקב"ה ומשבח אותו תמיד על שזכה לעשות מצותיו.

So too anyone who desires and yearns to do the will of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and continually praises Him for having merited to perform His mitzvos.

The same path is open to every person: to long to fulfill Hashem's ratzon and to be grateful for the very opportunity to keep His mitzvos.

יוכל ג"כ על ידי אמונה זו שמאמין שאין למעלה מלעשות רצונו ית'.

He too can, through this emunah — believing that there is nothing higher than doing His will.

The transformation hinges on emunah: the firm conviction that nothing in existence is greater or more precious than carrying out Hashem's will.

עי"ז יוכל לצאת מכלל ארור ולהתדבק בהשי"ת.

Through this he can pass out of the category of "cursed" and cling to Hashem.

By treasuring the chance to serve, a person rises out of any lowly state and attains deveikus — a clinging bond with Hashem.

ובמדרש בן יכבד אב ועבד אדוניו דורש עליו.

And in the Midrash, "A son honors his father, and a servant his master" is expounded as referring to him (Eliezer).

The Midrash applies the verse from Malachi to Eliezer, holding him up as the model servant who honors his master.

שיש ללמוד משליחותו דרך אמיתי:

For one can learn from his shlichus (mission) a true path.

Eliezer's faithful carrying-out of his mission teaches us the authentic way to serve Hashem — treating the role of shaliach (messenger) as itself the highest privilege.

Summary: Eliezer rose from "cursed" to "blessed" because he cherished the privilege of serving Avraham faithfully. The same path is open to every person: by yearning to do Hashem's will, praising Him for the chance to keep His mitzvos, and believing through emunah that nothing is higher than fulfilling His ratzon, one rises out of any lowly state and clings to Hashem.