Sarah's Treatment of Hagar/2
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Sarah's Treatment of Hagar
Exegetical Approaches
Sarah Sinned
"וַתְּעַנֶּהָ שָׂרַי וַתִּבְרַח מִפָּנֶיהָ" – These commentators read "וַתְּעַנֶּהָ" as torture. Radak says that Sarah went overboard laboring Hagar, hitting and cursing her, until she ran away because she couldn't bare the suffering any more. Ramban and R. Avraham Saba add that they were punished for these actions, that Yishmael will torture Sarah's descendants.
Avraham's role – Radak asserts that Avraham didn't interfere even though he was bothered, not to anger Sarah. Ramban says Avraham was equally at fault, and he should have stopped Sarah. R. Avraham Saba goes a step further to say that Avraham already sinned when he agreed to marry Hagar and questioned Hashem's promise of children.
"וַתֵּקַל גְּבִרְתָּהּ בְּעֵינֶיהָ"
Was Hagar freed?
Angel's command to return
"כִּי שָׁמַע י"י אֶל עׇנְיֵךְ"
Relationship to the banishment
Purpose of the story:
- Radak says the story is coming to teach us good virtues.
- R. Avraham Saba asserts that the story informs why the Children of Israel were exiled, as a punishment for taking Hagar to be a wife for Avraham.
"וַתִּתֵּן אֹתָהּ לְאַבְרָם"
Sarah was Justified
"וַתְּעַנֶּהָ שָׂרַי וַתִּבְרַח מִפָּנֶיהָ"
- Oppression
- Rebuke
- Took her back as a servant maid
Angel's command to return – R. Saadia proves from the command that Sarah did not torture Hagar, for otherwise the angel would not have told Hagar to return.
