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 worked Hagar extremely hard, and possibly hit and cursed her until she ran away because she couldn't bare the suffering any more.
Avraham's role – Radak and R. Avraham Saba assume that Avraham gave Sarah permission to do whatever she wanted to Hagar, and made clear that he still considered Hagar to be Sarah's maid even though he had relations with her. Radak asserts that Avraham had not intended that Sarah torture Hagar, but he didn't interfere so as not to anger Sarah. Ramban says explicitly that this was sinful, while the Tzeror HaMor maintains that he shouldn't have even given Hagar back to Sarah.1
Were they punished? Ramban and the Tzeror HaMor add that they were punished for these actions, that Yishmael will torture Sarah's descendants.
"וַתֵּקַל גְּבִרְתָּהּ בְּעֵינֶיהָ" – This approach says that Hagar didn't listen to what Sarah commanded her to do because she thought she will be the mistress if Avraham has children from her.
Was Hagar freed? R. Avraham Saba2 says Sarah freed Hagar when she gave her to Avraham. He views this as the beginning of Avraham's sin. Avraham should have refused to marry an Egyptian concubine after Hashem promised him children.
"וְהִתְעַנִּי תַּחַת יָדֶיהָ" – This verse is troublesome as it seems to justify the oppression. The commentators try to explain that she needed to return in order to fulfill the future oppression.3
Angel's promise – Radak views this verse as a blessing; in compensation for the oppression, Hagar will have many descendants from Avraham, R. Avraham Saba, in contrast, views this as the beginning of Avraham and Sarah's punishment. Hagar was to bear descendants who will later torture the Children of Israel, measure for measure.
Relationship to the banishment – Radak and Ramban justify the banishment of Hagar and Yishmael in Bereshit 21 because of Yishmael's evil conduct4 or to ensure Yitzchak's inheritance5. The Tzeror HaMor portrays Sarah in that story the same way as here, that she sinned by expelling them. See Banishment of Hagar and Yishmael for further analysis of that story.
Purpose of the story:
- Radak says the story is coming to teach us good virtues, not to learn from Sarah's actions of oppression.
- 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.
Sarah was Justified
"וַתְּעַנֶּהָ שָׂרַי וַתִּבְרַח מִפָּנֶיהָ"
- Oppression – Abarbanel maintains the simple meaning of the word, and tries to justify Hagar's oppression. He says that in order to diminish Hagar's pride, Sarah needed to humble her more than she was in the beginning, by oppressing her more.
- Rebuke – Philo explains that "וַתְּעַנֶּהָ" means rebuke rather than oppress. Sarah rebuked Hagar about her actions, but Hagar couldn't handle the reproof and ran away. A weakness of this explanation is that Hagar ran away alone to the desert while she was pregnant after just being told to be more humble.
- Took her back as a servant maid – R. D"Z Hoffmann says Sarah freed Hagar when she handed her over to Avraham, but once she disrespected her, Sarah took her back as a maid. He seems to say that Sarah didn't torture Hagar, rather told her to do her tasks like she used to, but she after being free could no longer endure her slave status.
Avraham's role – R. D"Z Hoffmann notes that Avraham didn't want to punish Hagar rather he just returned her to Sarah, her original mistress.
"וַתֵּקַל גְּבִרְתָּהּ בְּעֵינֶיהָ"
Was Hagar freed?
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.
"כִּי שָׁמַע י"י אֶל עׇנְיֵךְ"
Relationship to the banishment
Purpose of the story:
"וַתִּתֵּן אֹתָהּ לְאַבְרָם"
