Banishment of Hagar and Yishmael/2

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Banishment of Hagar and Yishmael

Exegetical Approaches

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Yishmael's Negative Behavior

Sarah's actions were motivated by the problematic behavior of Yishmael and the desire to protect Yitzchak from his repugnant deeds and influence.

"מְצַחֵק" – Though all these sources assume that Yishmael's behavior was reprehensible, they disagree regarding what action is referred to by the term "מְצַחֵק":
  • Cardinal sins – According to most of these commentators, the word refers either to idolatry,1 murder,2 or illicit relations,3 the three cardinal sins in Judaism.
  • Sin of speech – Ramban asserts that Yishmael was mocking Yitzchak and the party, while Ibn Kaspi posits that he was poking fun at Sarah.  In contrast, R. Avraham b. HaRambam maintains that Yishmael was more generally fooling around and speaking with a foul mouth.
  • Gambling – Ibn Kaspi also raises the possibility that Yishmael was gambling (משחק בקוביא)‎.
Banishment – According to this approach, the decision to banish Yishmael stemmed from his behavior and "‎צחוק":‎4 
  • Spiritual protection – According to many of these sources,5 Sarah believed that Yishmael needed to be expelled to ensure that Yitzchak did not learn from his negative ways.  R. Avraham b. HaRambam adds that Sarah feared that she and Avraham might die while Yitzchak was still young, leaving him to grow up under the sole influence of Yishmael, with no counter role models.
  • Physical protection – R. Levi, Rashi, and Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer all maintain that Yishmael had attempted to kill Yitzchak.  As such, Yishmael's banishment was also necessary to physically protect Yitzchak.
  • Punishment – In contrast to the above, Ramban views the banishment as a punishment to Yishmael.  He maintains that Sarah viewed Yishmael's actions as a forgetting of his rightful place as servant. Though this normally would deserve death or corporal punishment, Sarah decided instead to expel him.
Disinheritance
  • Most of these commentators would likely suggest that the disinheritance was simply a by-product of Yishmael's expulsion.
  • R. Avraham b. HaRambam, in contrast, equates the banishment and disinheritance.  He maintains that Sarah was not referring to a monetary inheritance but to a spiritual one.  While Yitzchak was to be educated to religious perfection, Yishmael was not to join in such an upbringing.  Thus, Sarah's words "לֹא יִירַשׁ" are another way of saying that Yishmael should not to live with and be raised by the family, and is equivalent to the term "גָּרֵשׁ".
Why is Avraham "upset about his son"?
  • Yishmael's behavior – Shemot Rabbah and Targum Pseudo-Jonathan6 suggest that Avraham was upset that Yishmael had veered from the right path. 
  • Yishmael's banishment – Rashi, R. Avraham b. HaRambam, and Ramban, in contrast, maintain that Avraham was upset about the expulsion. Ramban suggests that Avraham's natural love for his son made it painful for him to banish him. Although Yishmael's actions were wrong, and Avraham might have even understood Sarah's desire for the expulsion, they were not so terrible to prevent his anguish.7 R. Avraham b. HaRambam instead claims that Avraham was unaware of Yishmael's true nature.8
Why is Hagar also expelled? Ramban asserts that Hagar was sent away due to no fault of her own but out of mercy to Yishmael who would not survive without his mother.
"לֶחֶם וְחֵמַת מַיִם" – were there sufficient provisions?
  • Meager Provisions – Many of these commentators assume that Avraham only scantily provided for Yishmael, but still maintain that the lack of water was not his fault:
    • According to Shemot Rababah and Rashi, Avraham intentionally sent Yishmael away without any gold or silver since he was upset at his sinful ways.  Rashi claims that, nonetheless, he had provided Hagar with ample food and drink.  The water ran out only because Yishmael got sick and drank more than expected.
    • According to Targum Pseudo-Jonathan and Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, too, the water supply should have been sufficient9 but as soon as Hagar entered the wilderness, she strayed after idolatry10 and was punished.11
    • Obedience to and trust in God – R. Avraham b. HaRambam asserts that Avraham's apparent stinginess should not be viewed as such but rather as obedience to the Divine command to listen to his wife.  Moreover, Avraham trusted in Hashem's promise that he would not forsake Yishmael.
  • Properly provided for –
Why does Hashem save Yishmael?
Hagar's status
When does the story take place?
Gifts to sons of concubines

Ensuring Yitzchak's Inheritance

Jealousy