“The Lord remembered Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken” (Genesis 21:1). “The Lord remembered Sarah as He had said.” That is what the verse said: “All the trees of the field will know that I, the Lord, have lowered a high tree, elevated a lowly tree” (Ezekiel 17:24) – Rabbi Yudan said: Not like those who speak but do not act, but rather, “I, the Lord, have spoken and acted” (Ezekiel 17:24). Where did He speak? “At the prescribed time, I will return to you… and Sarah will have a son” (Genesis 18:14); and He acted. “All the trees of the field will know” – this refers to people, as it says: “For man is the tree of the field” (Deuteronomy 20:19). “That I, the Lord, have lowered a high tree” – this refers to Avimelekh. “Elevated a lowly tree” – this refers to Abraham. “Dried a moist tree” (Ezekiel 17:24) – this refers to Avimelekh’s wives. “Caused a dry tree to blossom” (Ezekiel 17:24) – this refers to Sarah. “I, the Lord, have spoken” – where [in Scripture] did He speak? “At the time, I will return to you.” “And acted” – that is what is written: “And the Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken.”
“Will a person be more just than God? Will a man be purer than his Maker? (Job 4:17). Is it possible for a person to be more just than God? “Will a man be purer than his Maker” – is it possible for a person to be purer than his Creator? What did Elisha say to the Shunamite woman? “At this very time next year, at this very time, you will embrace a son” (II Kings 4:16). She said to him: ‘“No, my lord, man of God, do not deceive your maidservant” (II Kings 4:16). Those angels who brought the tidings to Sarah said to her: “At the prescribed time, I will return to you; at this very time next year, Sarah will have a son” (Genesis 18:14). [Why, then, do you [Elisha] not likewise promise that you will return?]’ He said to her: ‘Those angels knew that they live and endure forever, so they said: “At the time, I will return to you.” But, I, who am flesh and blood, alive today and dead tomorrow, [say to you:] whether I am alive or dead, “at this very time, you will embrace a son.”’ What is written there? “The woman conceived and bore a son at that time the next year, at that very time that Elisha had spoken to her” (II Kings 4:17). If the words of flesh and blood are fulfilled, will the words of the Holy One blessed be He not be fulfilled? “The Lord remembered Sarah as He had said…”
“For the fig tree will not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines; the produce of the olive tree will fail and the fields will yield [no food]…” (Habakkuk 3:17). “For the fig tree will not blossom” – this refers to Abraham, just as it says: “Like a first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers” (Hosea 9:10). “And there is no fruit on the vines” – this refers to Sarah, just as it says: “Your wife is like a fruitful vine…” (Psalms 128:3). “The produce of the olive tree will fail [kiḥesh]” – those angels who brought the tidings to Sarah illuminated her face like olive [oil]. Were they then lying [koḥashim]?1If "olive tree” is an allusion to the angels informing Sarah of her impending pregnancy, why does the verse refer to it as lying [kiḥesh]? However, [Sarah said:] “the fields [shedemot] will yield no food” – [Sarah said:] ‘These withered breasts [shedei mavet] have never produced food.’2That is what caused Sarah to doubt the veracity of their tidings (see Genesis 18:12). “The flock is severed from the fold” (Habakkuk 3:17) – [this refers to Israel,]3Sarah was afraid that Israel would not, in fact, descend from her, because she believed she was incurably barren. just as it says: “You, My flock, flock of My pasture, you are men” (Ezekiel 34:31). “There is no cattle in the barns” (Habakkuk 3:17) – [this refers to Israel,] just as it says: “Ephraim is a trained calf that loves to thresh” (Hosea 10:11). Sarah then relented and said: ‘Am I to lose faith in my Creator? Rather, “but I will rejoice in the Lord, I will exult in the God of my salvation”’ (Habakkuk 3:18). The Holy One blessed be He said to her: ‘You have not lost your hope, I, too, will not allow your hope to be lost.’ Rather, “the Lord remembered Sarah…” “The Lord remembered Sarah.” “The grass has withered, the flower has faded” (Isaiah 40:8) – the grass of Avimelekh has withered and his flower has faded. “But the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8) – “the Lord remembered Sarah as He had said.”
“Forever, Lord, Your word stands firm in the heavens” (Psalms 119:89) – is this to imply that it is not so on earth? It means, rather, that what You said to Abraham in the heavens [stands firm]: “At the prescribed time, I will return to you; at this very time next year, [Sarah will have a son]” (Genesis 18:14). Rabbi Naḥman of Yafo in the name of Rabbi Yaakov of Caesarea began: “God of hosts, please return. Look from heaven and see, and remember this vine” (Psalms 80:15) – return and perform what You said to Abraham: “Look now toward the heavens, and count the stars” (Genesis 15:5). “Remember this vine” – “the Lord remembered Sarah.”4The Psalmist was praying that God once again grant fertility and increase for Israel as He did for Abraham and Sarah. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman began: “God is not a man, that He would lie, or the son of man, that He would reconsider” (Numbers 23:19). Rabbi Shmuel said: This verse, its beginning does not correspond to its end, and its end does not correspond to its beginning. [The beginning states:] “God is not a man, that He would lie…[and the end states] He will say and not perform, speak and not fulfill” (Numbers 23:19). The explanation is that when the Holy One blessed be He decrees to bring something good upon the world, “God is not a man, that He would lie.” But when he decrees to bring something detrimental, [sometimes] “He will say and not perform, speak and not fulfill.” When He said to Abraham: “For it is through Isaac that descendants will be considered for you” (Genesis 21:12) – “God is not a man, that He would lie.” But when He said to him: “Take now your son, your only one […and offer him up]” (Genesis 22:2) – “He will say and not perform.” When the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “I have remembered you [and what has been done to you in Egypt, and I said: I shall bring you up from the affliction of Egypt] (Exodus 3:16–17) – “God is not a man, that He would lie.” When the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Let Me be, and I shall destroy them” (Deuteronomy 9:14) – “He will say and not perform.” When the Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: “And also that nation [whom they will serve, I shall judge]” (Genesis 15:14) – “God is not a man, that He would lie.” But when He said to him: “They will be enslaved to them and they will oppress them [four hundred years]” (Genesis 15:13) – “He will say and not perform.”5The period of subjugation in Egypt in fact lasted only two hundred and ten years. When the Holy One blessed be He said to him [Abraham]: “I will surely return to you […and, behold, a son for Sarah your wife]” (Genesis 18:10) – “God is not a man, that He would lie.” Rather, “the Lord remembered Sarah.”
“The Lord remembered Sarah.” “[Lord, God of Israel …] who upheld for Your servant David, my father, what You had spoken to him” (I Kings 8:23–24). “Who upheld for Your servant” – this refers to Abraham. “What You had spoken to him” – “at the prescribed time, I will return to you.” “You spoke with Your mouth, and You fulfilled it with Your hand, on this day” (I Kings 8:24) – “the Lord remembered Sarah […and Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the appointed time that God had spoken to him]” (Genesis 21:1–2). “He sets the barren woman at home, the mother of children is joyful” (Psalms 113:9). “He sets the barren woman at home” – this refers to Sarah, “Sarah was barren” (Genesis 11:30). “The mother of children is joyful” – “Sarah would nurse children” (Genesis 21:7). “The Lord remembered Sarah as He had said, [and the Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken]”6The verse seems to be referring to two different promises made to Sarah, one being “said” to her and the other “spoken.” – what He Himself had said to her7Genesis 18:14. was communicated with saying.8The midrash is addressing the different verbs employed in the verse, said [amar], and spoke [diber]. “The Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken” – what He had spoken to her by means of an angel.9Genesis 18:10. Rabbi Neḥemya said [the opposite]: “The Lord remembered Sarah as He had said” – what He had said to her by means of an angel was with saying. “The Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken” – what He Himself had spoken to her. Rabbi Yehuda said: “As He had said” – to grant her a son. “As He had spoken” – to bless her with milk. Rabbi Neḥemya said to him: Was she given the tidings about milk?10Earlier (Bereshit Rabba 47:2), Rabbi Neḥemya had asserted that Sarah had never received tidings regarding her producing milk. Our verse here cannot be referring to a statement that was never made. Rather, it teaches that the Holy One blessed be He restored her to the days of her youth. Rabbi Abahu said: I will impose fear of her upon all the nations of the world, so they will not torment her and call her the barren woman.11This sentence, too, relates to the earlier passage discussed in Bereshit Rabba 47:2. See there. Rabbi Yehuda in the name of Reish Lakish: She did not even have a womb, and the Holy One blessed be He now carved out a womb for her. Rabbi Ada said: [God said:] ‘I am a keeper of deposits [pikdonot].12The Midrash is expounding the phrase: “The Lord remembered [pakad] Sarah.” Amalek deposited with Me bundles of thorns.’13By being an annoyance to Israel as a thorn. This was Amalek’s “deposit” to God. So the Holy One blessed be He returned bundles of thorns to them,14By treating them as thorns to be disposed of. as it is stated: “I have remembered [pakadti] that which Amalek did to Israel” (I Samuel 15:2). ‘Sarah deposited with Me mitzvot and good deeds.’ The Holy One blessed be He returned to her mitzvot and good deeds – “the Lord remembered [pakad] Sarah.”15He granted her a son who would become a righteous person and perform mitzvot and good deeds.
“The Lord remembered Sarah” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is written [regarding an unfaithful wife]: “If the woman was not defiled, and is untainted, she will be absolved, and will conceive offspring” (Numbers 5:28). This one, who entered Pharaoh’s palace and Avimelekh’s palace and emerged untainted, is it not all the more logical that she should be remembered?16By being granted the ability to conceive. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Although Rabbi Huna said it is an angel that is in charge of desire [and procreation], Sarah did not require such things, but rather, it was He Himself in His glory – “the Lord remembered Sarah.” “Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the appointed time that God had spoken to him” (Genesis 21:2). “Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age” – it teaches that she did not steal semen from some other place [to impregnate herself]. “A son in his old age [zekunav]” – this teaches that his [Isaac’s] facial features [ziv ikonin] were similar to his. “At the appointed time [moed] that God had spoken to him” – Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Ḥama, Rabbi Yudan said: He was born at nine months [of pregnancy],17The pregnancy began a number of days after she had left Avimelekh. Nine months is “the appointed time that God had spoken” when setting up the laws of nature. so people should not say that he was scooped out of Avimelekh’s palace.18People would not say that Avimelekh had fathered Isaac during that night when Sarah was with him. Rabbi Ḥama said: At seven months [of pregnancy],19There was no need to negate Avimelekh’s paternity, because of Isaac’s strong resemblance to Abraham. which are nine incomplete ones.20One day at the end of one month, followed by seven full months, plus the first day of the next month adds up to seven months plus two partial months – nine months, counting partial months. A woman who gives birth after seven months of gestation is thus also, in a way, fulfilling God’s decree of nature that gestation should be nine months. Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Ḥizkiya: He was born at noon. Moed is stated here and it is stated elsewhere: “]You shall slaughter the Passover offering] as the sun begins to set,21The time of the slaughtering of the Passover offering is at noon., which is the time at which the sun begins its descent from its highest point in the sky. the appointed time [mo’ed] of your exodus from Egypt” (Deuteronomy 16:6).
“Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac” (Genesis 21:3). “Abraham called the name of his son…Isaac [Yitzḥak]” – a portion has emerged [yatza ḥok] to the world, [meaning that] a gift has been given to the world.22Ḥok here refers to a portion given as a gift (see Genesis 47:22). A righteous person is a gift to the world, as the merit of his good deeds provides all mankind with sustenance. Rabbi Yitzḥak Ḥipushit said: Yod is ten – corresponding to the Ten Commandments; tzadi is ninety – “shall a ninety-year-old woman give birth?” (Genesis 17:17); kof is a hundred – “to one who is one hundred years old” (Genesis 17:17); ḥet [is eight] – corresponding to circumcision, that was given to be performed on the eighth day.23The letters yod, tzadi, ḥet, and kof spell Yitzḥak – Isaac. “Abraham circumcised Isaac his son when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him” (Genesis 21:4). “Abraham circumcised Isaac…[when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him].” That is what is written: “One who is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations” (Genesis 17:12).
“Sarah said: God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh for me” (Genesis 21:6). “Sarah said: God has made laughter for me” – Rabbi Berekhya ben Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Shmuel ben Rabbi Yitzḥak: When Reuben is rejoicing, why should Simeon care? So, Sarah was remembered, why should others care? The explanation is that when Sarah was remembered [by conceiving], many [other] barren women were remembered [they conceived] with her, many deaf people gained their hearing, many blind people had their eyes opened, many imbeciles gained intelligence. ‘Making’ is written here24“God has made laughter for me.” and ‘making’ is written elsewhere: “He made abatement for the provinces” (Esther 2:18). Just as with the ‘making’ stated there, gifts were given to the world, so, too, the ‘making’ stated here was a gift to the world. Rabbi Levi said: An addition was made to the [heavenly] lights.25The sun shone especially brightly on that day, as a sign of the birth of the great saint. ‘Making’ is stated here: “Has made…for me,” and elsewhere it is stated: “The Lord made the two lights” (Genesis 1:16).
“She said: Who would have announced to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I bore a son for his old age” (Genesis 21:7). “She said: Who would have announced [milel] to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children” – Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Ḥilkiya: “Who would have said [amar]” or “who would have spoken [diber]” is not written here, but rather, “who would have announced [milel].” This is an allusion to the fact that he begot at the age of one hundred years, which is the numerical value of milel.26Milel is spelled mem – 40 + lamed – 30 + lamed – 30 = 100 Rabbi Pinḥas said: The wheat stalk of Abraham our patriarch had been all dried up, but [now] it became full of moist kernels [melilot].27A metaphor for the fact that Abraham had been incapable of fathering children, but now became productive. “Sarah would nurse children” – “nurse a child” is not written here. Our matriarch Sarah was extremely modest. Our patriarch Abraham said to her: ‘This is not the time for modesty. Instead, expose your breasts, so that everyone will know that the Holy One blessed be He has begun to perform miracles.’ She exposed her breasts and they were flowing with milk like two wellsprings. Noblewomen were coming and having their children nurse from her. They were saying: ‘We are not worthy of having our children nurse from this righteous woman.’ The Rabbis and Rabbi Aḥa, the Rabbis say: Anyone who came [to Sarah] for the sake of Heaven28With sincere motives. became God-fearing. Rabbi Aḥa said: Even one who did not come for the sake of Heaven, dominion in this world was granted to him. But once they [the nations of the world] distanced themselves [from God] at Sinai by not accepting the Torah, that dominion was taken from them.
“The child grew and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned” (Genesis 21:8). “The child grew and was weaned” – Rabbi Hoshaya the Great said: He was weaned from the evil inclination. The Rabbis say: He was weaned from his milk. “Abraham made a great feast” – Rabbi Yuda ben Rabbi Simon said: [This means that] the Great One of all worlds was present there. Rabbi Yudan bar Masparta said: “The king made a great feast” (Esther 2:18) – the great leaders of the world were there. That is what is written: “As the Lord will return to rejoice over you for good” (Deuteronomy 30:9) – in the days of Mordekhai and Esther, “as He rejoiced over your fathers” (Deuteronomy 30:9) – in the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: “A great feast” – a feast of all the great people; Og and all the great men were there. They said to Og: ‘Did you not used to say: Abraham is a like barren mule and cannot beget a child?’ He said to them: ‘Now, what is his gift [Isaac], is it not puny? If I place my finger on him I could crush him.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Why are you disparaging his gift? By your life, you will [live to] see thousands upon thousands and myriads upon myriads emerging from his grandchildren, but that man [you, Og] will meet his end only by his hand,’ as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses: Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand…” (Numbers 21:34). It is as Rabbi Levi said: A cradle was rocked first only in the house of Abraham our patriarch.29Babies used to be born strong enough not to require a cradle. Isaac was the first child who required a cradle. That is why Og mocked his puniness. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Menaḥama said: Those sixty-two kings that Joshua killed, all of them were at the feast of Abraham our patriarch. But were they not thirty-one?30See Joshua 12:24. It is, rather, like what Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Ḥelbo, and Rabbi Parnakh said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: “The king of Jericho, one, [the king of Ai one, etc.]” (Joshua 12:9) — Why does the verse state: “One” [after each of the kings]? The explanation is that it refers to him and his viceroy.
“Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she bore to Abraham, playing” (Genesis 21:9). “She said to Abraham: Banish this maidservant and her son, for the son of this maidservant will not inherit with my son, with Isaac” (Genesis 21:10). “Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: Rabbi Akiva used to say something derogatory regarding this, but I say something complimentary regarding it. Rabbi Akiva expounded: “Sarah saw [the son of Hagar…playing [metzaḥek]]” – metzaḥek is nothing other than sexual immorality, just as it says: “The Hebrew slave whom you brought to us came to me to play with [letzaḥek] me” (Genesis 39:17). It teaches that our matriarch Sarah would see Ishmael force himself on women, trap married women, and violate them. It is taught: Rabbi Yishmael says: This expression of tzeḥok is nothing other than idol worship, as it is stated: “The people sat to eat and drink and they rose to revel [letzaḥek]” (Exodus 32:6). It teaches that our matriarch Sarah would see Ishmael building altars, trapping grasshoppers, and sacrificing [them] upon them. Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: This expression of tzeḥok is nothing other than an expression of bloodshed, as it says: “Let the lads rise now and play [visaḥaku] before us” (II Samuel 2:14). Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Ishmael said to Isaac: ‘Let us go and see our portion in the field.’ Ishmael would then take a bow and arrows and shoot toward Isaac, conducting himself as though he was [just] playing. That is what is written: “Like the prankster who shoots firebrands, [arrows, and death], so is a man who deceives his friend, and says: Am I not joking?” (Proverbs 26:18–19). But I [Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai] say something complimentary regarding it. This expression of tzeḥok is nothing other than an expression of inheritance. When our patriarch Isaac was born, everyone was rejoicing. Ishmael said to them: ‘You are fools. I am the firstborn and I will inherit twice as much.’ From Sarah’s response to Abraham: “For the son of this maidservant will not inherit with my son, with Isaac,” you may learn this.31Sarah said that the reason she wanted Yishmael banished was connected to the issue of inheritance. “For…will not inherit with my son” – even if he were not Isaac, and “he will not inherit…with Isaac” – even if he were not my son; all the more so “with my son, with Isaac.”
“The matter was greatly distressing in Abraham’s eyes, regarding his son” (Genesis 21:11). “The matter was greatly distressing in Abraham’s eyes” – that is what is written: “And shuts his eyes from seeing evil” (Isaiah 33:15). “God said to Abraham: Do not be distressed about the lad and about your maidservant; everything that Sarah says to you, heed her voice; for through Isaac will be called your descendants” (Genesis 21:12). “God said to Abraham: Do not be distressed…[for through Isaac will be called your descendants]” – Rabbi Yudan said: “Isaac” is not written here, but rather, “through Isaac [beYitzḥak].”32Part, but not all, of Isaac, as Esau is not included. Rabbi Azarya in the name of bar Ḥatya: Beit is two – through the one who acknowledges the existence of two worlds. Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Shalom said: It is written: “Remember the wonders He has performed, His signs, and the judgments of His mouth” (Psalms 105:5). You [God] have provided a sign by what You have expressed with Your mouth:33Translation follows version of the text of Etz Yosef. Anyone who acknowledges two worlds “will be called your descendants,” and anyone who does not acknowledge two worlds will not be called your descendants.
“Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave them to Hagar, he placed them her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away. She went and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba” (Genesis 21:14). “Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave them to Hagar” – the people of the household of our patriarch Abraham were generous, as it is stated: “Abraham rose early […he placed them on her shoulder].”34The Midrash interprets “he placed on her shoulder” to mean that besides the bread and water, Abraham gave her other gifts as well. “And gave it to Hagar, [he placed them on her shoulder]” – as slaves typically would fill jugs of water on their shoulders.35Abraham wanted to demonstrate to people that Hagar was only a maidservant, not his full wife, and that Yishmael was not his heir. That is why he placed the water on her shoulder, in the manner of servants. “On her shoulder and the child” – he was twenty-seven years old36The Midrash understands that the feast made in honor of Isaac was for his Bar Mitzva, and Yishmael was fourteen years older than Isaac. and yet you say: “On her shoulder”? It teaches that Sarah introduced an evil eye into him and he was afflicted with fever and pain [and could not walk on his own]. Know that it is so, as it is written: “The water in the skin was finished” (Genesis 21:15), as a sick person typically drinks a lot and frequently. “The water in the bottle was finished, and she cast the child beneath one of the bushes” (Genesis 21:15). “She cast the child beneath one of the bushes” – Rabbi Meir said: [The bush was a broom tree,] as it is the nature of broom trees to grow in the wilderness. Rabbi Ami said: “Beneath one of the bushes [hasiḥim]” – [this word is used] because there the ministering angels conversed [hesiḥu] with her. “She went and sat herself opposite him, at a distance of about a bowshot, for she said: I will not see the death of the child. She sat opposite him, raised her voice, and wept” (Genesis 21:16). “She went and sat herself opposite him” – here it is stated: “She…sat herself opposite [mineged] him,” and elsewhere it says: “Opposite it [mineged], around the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 2:2). “At a distance” – here it says: “At a distance of about a bowshot,” and elsewhere it says: “However, there shall be a distance of a measure of two thousand cubits between you” (Joshua 3:4). We derive neged from neged and raḥok from raḥok.37And we thus derive that the distance in all these instances is two thousand cubits. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “About a bowshot [kintaḥavei keshet]” – two bowshots,38Kimtaḥavei is plural. which is one mil. Rabbi Berekhya said: [She protested her fate] like one who speaks impertinently [kemataḥat] toward the One on High. She said to Him: ‘Yesterday you said to me: “I will multiply your descendants…” (Genesis 16:10); now he is dying of thirst.’
That is what is written: “You have taken account of my wandering. Put my tears in Your flask [nodekha]” (Psalms 56:9) – [accept my tears] like that woman with the flask [Hagar]. Just as it is written in the book of Psalms: “Hear my prayer, Lord, and heed my cry; [do not be silent at my tears]” (Psalms 39:13) – [David said:] ‘To the tears of Hagar You were not silent, but to my tears You are silent? And if You will say: Because she was a stranger she was beloved, I, too, “for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, like all my fathers”’ (Psalms 39:13). “God heard the voice of the lad; the angel of God called to Hagar from the heavens, and said to her: What is it with you, Hagar? Fear not, as God has heard the voice of the lad, as he is there” (Genesis 21:17). “The angel of God called to Hagar from the heavens” – due to the merit of Abraham. “As he is there” – due to his own merit; the prayer of an ill person himself is superior to all others. “As he is there” – Rabbi Simon said: The ministering angels leapt to condemn him before God]. They said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, a person who is destined to kill your children by thirst,39When being exiled by the Babylonians (see Eikha Rabba 2:4). will You produce a spring for him?’ He said to them: ‘What is he right now, righteous or wicked?’ They said to him: ‘He is righteous.’ He said to them: ‘I judge a person only at his present time. “Rise, lift the boy”’ (Genesis 21:18). “God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad to drink” (Genesis 21:19). “God opened her eyes” – Rabbi Binyamin said: Everyone has the presumptive status of being blind until the Holy One blessed be He opens their eyes.40A person does not see anything unless God wants them to see it. [This is derived] from here: “God opened her eyes.” “She went and filled the skin with water” – this teaches that she was lacking in faith.41She did not believe that God would continue to provide them with water.
“God was with [et] the lad, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness and became an archer” (Genesis 21:20). “God was with the lad [et hanaar], and he grew” – Rabbi Yishmael asked Rabbi Akiva, saying to him: ‘Because you studied under Naḥum of Gam Zo for twenty years, [who taught:] The words akh and rak are restrictive expressions, et and gam are inclusive expressions, [I ask you] what is the meaning of the et that is written here?’ He said to him: ‘Had it said: “God was the lad” that would have been difficult; instead, [the Torah writes] “with the lad.” He said to him: “For it is not an empty thing for you [mikem]” (Deuteronomy 32:47); if it appears empty, it is from you [mikem],42If you find something in the Torah that appears devoid of significance, it is because of your own ignorance. because you do not know how to expound. The correct explanation is, rather, “et hanaar” refers to him, his donkey drivers, his camel drivers, and the members of his household.’ “Became an archer [roveh kashat]” – he grew [rava] and his obstinacy [vekashyuto] remained with him. 43The difference between the two versions is whether the word imo is spelled with an ayin or with an alef. He grew [rava] and trained as an archer; he became greater [rava] than all the archers. “He lived in the wilderness of Paran and his mother took him a wife from the land of Egypt” (Genesis 21:21). “He lived in the wilderness of Paran” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Toss a stick into the air, and it will fall on its base.44This saying means that a person has a tendency to go back to his roots eventually. So, too, because it is written: “She had an Egyptian maidservant and her name was Hagar” (Genesis 16:1); “his mother took him a wife from the land of Egypt.”
וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר (בראשית כא, א), זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (יחזקאל יז, כד): וְיָדְעוּ כָּל עֲצֵי הַשָּׂדֶה כִּי אֲנִי ה' הִשְׁפַּלְתִּי עֵץ גָּבֹהַּ הִגְבַּהְתִּי עֵץ שָׁפָל, אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן לָא כְדֵין דְּאָמְרִין וְלָא עָבְדִין, אֶלָּא (יחזקאל יז, כד): אֲנִי ה' דִּבַּרְתִּי וְעָשִׂיתִי. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה אֲנִי ה' דִּבַּרְתִּי וְעָשִׂיתִי, וְהֵיכָן דִּבֵּר (בראשית יח, יד): לַמּוֹעֵד אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ וּלְשָׂרָה בֵן, וְעָשָׂה וְיָדְעוּ כָּל עֲצֵי הַשָּׂדֶה, אֵלּוּ הַבְּרִיּוֹת, הֵיךְ מָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (דברים כ, יט): כִּי הָאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה. כִּי אֲנִי ה' הִשְׁפַּלְתִּי עֵץ גָּבֹהַּ, זֶה אֲבִימֶלֶךְ. הִגְבַּהְתִּי עֵץ שָׁפָל, זֶה אַבְרָהָם. הוֹבַשְׁתִּי עֵץ לָח, אֵלּוּ נְשֵׁי אֲבִימֶלֶךְ, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית כ, יח): כִּי עָצֹר עָצַר ה'. הִפְרַחְתִּי עֵץ יָבֵשׁ, זוֹ שָׂרָה. אֲנִי ה' דִּבַּרְתִּי, הֵיכָן דִּבֵּר, לַמּוֹעֵד אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ. וְעָשִׂיתִי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיַּעַשׂ ה' לְשָׂרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִבֵּר.
“The Lord remembered Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken” (Genesis 21:1).
“The Lord remembered Sarah as He had said.” That is what the verse said: “All the trees of the field will know that I, the Lord, have lowered a high tree, elevated a lowly tree” (Ezekiel 17:24) – Rabbi Yudan said: Not like those who speak but do not act, but rather, “I, the Lord, have spoken and acted” (Ezekiel 17:24). Where did He speak? “At the prescribed time, I will return to you… and Sarah will have a son” (Genesis 18:14); and He acted.
“All the trees of the field will know” – this refers to people, as it says: “For man is the tree of the field” (Deuteronomy 20:19). “That I, the Lord, have lowered a high tree” – this refers to Avimelekh. “Elevated a lowly tree” – this refers to Abraham. “Dried a moist tree” (Ezekiel 17:24) – this refers to Avimelekh’s wives. “Caused a dry tree to blossom” (Ezekiel 17:24) – this refers to Sarah. “I, the Lord, have spoken” – where [in Scripture] did He speak? “At the time, I will return to you.” “And acted” – that is what is written: “And the Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken.”
הַאֱנוֹשׁ מֵאֱלוֹהַּ יִצְדָק אִם מֵעֹשֵׂהוּ יִטְהַר גָּבֶר (איוב ד, יז), וְכִי אֶפְשָׁר לָאָדָם לִהְיוֹת צַדִּיק יוֹתֵר מִבּוֹרְאוֹ, אִם מֵעֹשֵׂהוּ יִטְהַר גָּבֶר, וְכִי אֶפְשָׁר לְאָדָם לִהְיוֹת טָהוֹר יוֹתֵר מִבּוֹרְאוֹ. מָה אֱלִישָׁע אוֹמֵר לַשּׁוּנַמִּית (מלכים ב ד, טז): לַמּוֹעֵד הַזֶּה כָּעֵת חַיָּה אַתְּ חוֹבֶקֶת בֵּן, אָמְרָה לוֹ (מלכים ב ד, טז): אַל אֲדוֹנִי אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים אַל תְּכַזֵּב בְּשִׁפְחָתֶךָ, אוֹתָן הַמַּלְאָכִים שֶׁבִּשְּׂרוּ אֶת שָׂרָה, כָּךְ אָמְרוּ לָהּ (בראשית יח, יד): לַמּוֹעֵד אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ כָּעֵת חַיָּה וּלְשָׂרָה בֵן, אָמַר לָהּ אוֹתָן הַמַּלְאָכִים הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁהֵם חַיִּים וְקַיָּמִין לְעוֹלָם, אָמְרוּ לַמּוֹעֵד אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ, אֲבָל אֲנִי שֶׁאֲנִי בָּשָׂר וָדָם, קַיָּם הַיּוֹם מֵת לְמָחָר, בֵּין חַי בֵּין מֵת לַמּוֹעֵד הַזֶּה אַתְּ חֹבֶקֶת בֵּן. מַה כָּתוּב שָׁם (מלכים ב ד, יז): וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן לַמּוֹעֵד הַזֶּה כָּעֵת חַיָּה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלֶיהָ אֱלִישָׁע, דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וָדָם מִתְקַיֵּם וּדְבָרָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵין מִתְקַיְּמִין, וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר וגו'.
“Will a person be more just than God? Will a man be purer than his Maker? (Job 4:17). Is it possible for a person to be more just than God? “Will a man be purer than his Maker” – is it possible for a person to be purer than his Creator? What did Elisha say to the Shunamite woman? “At this very time next year, at this very time, you will embrace a son” (II Kings 4:16). She said to him: ‘“No, my lord, man of God, do not deceive your maidservant” (II Kings 4:16). Those angels who brought the tidings to Sarah said to her: “At the prescribed time, I will return to you; at this very time next year, Sarah will have a son” (Genesis 18:14). [Why, then, do you [Elisha] not likewise promise that you will return?]’ He said to her: ‘Those angels knew that they live and endure forever, so they said: “At the time, I will return to you.” But, I, who am flesh and blood, alive today and dead tomorrow, [say to you:] whether I am alive or dead, “at this very time, you will embrace a son.”’ What is written there? “The woman conceived and bore a son at that time the next year, at that very time that Elisha had spoken to her” (II Kings 4:17). If the words of flesh and blood are fulfilled, will the words of the Holy One blessed be He not be fulfilled? “The Lord remembered Sarah as He had said…”
כִּי תְאֵנָה לֹא תִפְרָח וְאֵין יְבוּל בַּגְּפָנִים כִּחֵשׁ מַעֲשֵׂה זַיִת וּשְׁדֵמוֹת לֹא עָשָׂה וגו' (חבקוק ג, יז), כִּי תְאֵנָה לֹא תִפְרָח, זֶה אַבְרָהָם, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (הושע ט, י): כְּבִכּוּרָה בִתְאֵנָה בְּרֵאשִׁיתָהּ רָאִיתִי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם. וְאֵין יְבוּל בַּגְּפָנִים, זוֹ שָׂרָה, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (תהלים קכח, ג): אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה וגו'. כִּחֵשׁ מַעֲשֵׂה זַיִת, אוֹתָן הַמַּלְאָכִים שֶׁבִּשְּׂרוּ אֶת שָׂרָה הֵאִירוּ פָנֶיהָ כַּזַּיִת. כּוֹחֲשִׁים הָיוּ, אֶלָּא שְׁדֵמוֹת לֹא עָשׂוּ אֹכֶל, אוֹתָן הַשָּׁדַיִם הַמֵּתִים לֹא עָשׂוּ אֹכֶל. גָּזַר מִמִּכְלָה צֹאן, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (יחזקאל לד, לא): וְאַתֵּן צֹאנִי צֹאן מַרְעִיתִי אָדָם אַתֶּם, אֶלָּא וְאֵין בָּקָר בָּרְפָתִים, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (הושע י, יא): אֶפְרַיִם עֶגְלָה מְלֻמָּדָה אֹהַבְתִּי לָדוּשׁ. חָזְרָה שָׂרָה וְאָמְרָה, מָה אֲנִי מוֹבְדָה סִבְרִי מִן בָּרְיִי, אֶלָּא (חבקוק ג, יח): וַאֲנִי בַּה' אֶעֱלוֹזָה אָגִילָה בֵּאלֹהֵי יִשְׁעִי, אָמַר לָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתְּ לָא אוֹבְדִית סִבְרָךְ, אַף אֲנָא אֵינִי מוֹבְדִית סִבְרָךְ, אֶלָּא וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה וגו'. וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה, (ישעיה מ, ח): יָבֵשׁ חָצִיר נָבֵל צִיץ, יָבֵשׁ חֲצִירוֹ שֶׁל אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וְנָבֵל צִיצוֹ, (ישעיה מ, ח): וּדְבַר אֱלֹהֵינוּ יָקוּם לְעוֹלָם, וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר.
“For the fig tree will not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines; the produce of the olive tree will fail and the fields will yield [no food]…” (Habakkuk 3:17). “For the fig tree will not blossom” – this refers to Abraham, just as it says: “Like a first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers” (Hosea 9:10). “And there is no fruit on the vines” – this refers to Sarah, just as it says: “Your wife is like a fruitful vine…” (Psalms 128:3). “The produce of the olive tree will fail [kiḥesh]” – those angels who brought the tidings to Sarah illuminated her face like olive [oil]. Were they then lying [koḥashim]?1If "olive tree” is an allusion to the angels informing Sarah of her impending pregnancy, why does the verse refer to it as lying [kiḥesh]? However, [Sarah said:] “the fields [shedemot] will yield no food” – [Sarah said:] ‘These withered breasts [shedei mavet] have never produced food.’2That is what caused Sarah to doubt the veracity of their tidings (see Genesis 18:12). “The flock is severed from the fold” (Habakkuk 3:17) – [this refers to Israel,]3Sarah was afraid that Israel would not, in fact, descend from her, because she believed she was incurably barren. just as it says: “You, My flock, flock of My pasture, you are men” (Ezekiel 34:31). “There is no cattle in the barns” (Habakkuk 3:17) – [this refers to Israel,] just as it says: “Ephraim is a trained calf that loves to thresh” (Hosea 10:11). Sarah then relented and said: ‘Am I to lose faith in my Creator? Rather, “but I will rejoice in the Lord, I will exult in the God of my salvation”’ (Habakkuk 3:18). The Holy One blessed be He said to her: ‘You have not lost your hope, I, too, will not allow your hope to be lost.’ Rather, “the Lord remembered Sarah…”
“The Lord remembered Sarah.” “The grass has withered, the flower has faded” (Isaiah 40:8) – the grass of Avimelekh has withered and his flower has faded. “But the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8) – “the Lord remembered Sarah as He had said.”
לְעוֹלָם ה' דְּבָרְךְ נִצָּב בַּשָּׁמָיִם (תהלים קיט, פט), הָא בָּאָרֶץ לֹא, אֶלָּא מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְתָּ לְאַבְרָהָם בַּשָּׁמָיִם (בראשית יח, יד): לַמּוֹעֵד אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ כָּעֵת חַיָּה. רַבִּי נַחְמָן דְּיָפוֹ מִשֵּׁם רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב דְּקֵיסָרִין פָּתַח (תהלים פ, טו): אֱלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת שׁוּב נָא הַבֵּט מִשָּׁמַיִם וּרְאֵה וּפְקֹד גֶּפֶן זֹאת, שׁוּב וַעֲשֵׂה מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְתָּ לְאַבְרָהָם (בראשית טו, ה): הַבֶּט נָא הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וּסְפֹר הַכּוֹכָבִים. וּפְקֹד גֶּפֶן זֹאת, וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן פָּתַח (במדבר כג, יט): לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב וּבֶן אָדָם וְיִתְנֶחָם, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה לֹא רֹאשׁוֹ סוֹפוֹ וְלֹא סוֹפוֹ רֹאשׁוֹ, לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב וגו' הַהוּא אָמַר וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה וְדִבֶּר וְלֹא יְקִימֶנָּה, אֶלָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גּוֹזֵר לְהָבִיא טוֹבָה לָעוֹלָם, לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב, וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא גּוֹזֵר לְהָבִיא רָעָה, הַהוּא אָמַר וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם (בראשית כא, יב): כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע, לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב. וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ (בראשית כב, ב): קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידְךָ, הַהוּא אָמַר וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה (שמות ג, טז): פָּקֹד פָּקַדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם, לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (דברים ט, יד): הֶרֶף מִמֶּנִּי וְאַשְׁמִידֵם, הַהוּא אָמַר וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאַבְרָהָם (בראשית טו, יד): וְגַם אֶת הַגּוֹי, לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב, וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ (בראשית טו, יג): וַעֲבָדוּם וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם, הַהוּא אָמַר וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (בראשית יח, י): שׁוֹב אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ, לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב, אֶלָּא וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה.
“Forever, Lord, Your word stands firm in the heavens” (Psalms 119:89) – is this to imply that it is not so on earth? It means, rather, that what You said to Abraham in the heavens [stands firm]: “At the prescribed time, I will return to you; at this very time next year, [Sarah will have a son]” (Genesis 18:14).
Rabbi Naḥman of Yafo in the name of Rabbi Yaakov of Caesarea began: “God of hosts, please return. Look from heaven and see, and remember this vine” (Psalms 80:15) – return and perform what You said to Abraham: “Look now toward the heavens, and count the stars” (Genesis 15:5). “Remember this vine” – “the Lord remembered Sarah.”4The Psalmist was praying that God once again grant fertility and increase for Israel as He did for Abraham and Sarah.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman began: “God is not a man, that He would lie, or the son of man, that He would reconsider” (Numbers 23:19). Rabbi Shmuel said: This verse, its beginning does not correspond to its end, and its end does not correspond to its beginning. [The beginning states:] “God is not a man, that He would lie…[and the end states] He will say and not perform, speak and not fulfill” (Numbers 23:19). The explanation is that when the Holy One blessed be He decrees to bring something good upon the world, “God is not a man, that He would lie.” But when he decrees to bring something detrimental, [sometimes] “He will say and not perform, speak and not fulfill.” When He said to Abraham: “For it is through Isaac that descendants will be considered for you” (Genesis 21:12) – “God is not a man, that He would lie.” But when He said to him: “Take now your son, your only one […and offer him up]” (Genesis 22:2) – “He will say and not perform.” When the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “I have remembered you [and what has been done to you in Egypt, and I said: I shall bring you up from the affliction of Egypt] (Exodus 3:16–17) – “God is not a man, that He would lie.” When the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Let Me be, and I shall destroy them” (Deuteronomy 9:14) – “He will say and not perform.” When the Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: “And also that nation [whom they will serve, I shall judge]” (Genesis 15:14) – “God is not a man, that He would lie.” But when He said to him: “They will be enslaved to them and they will oppress them [four hundred years]” (Genesis 15:13) – “He will say and not perform.”5The period of subjugation in Egypt in fact lasted only two hundred and ten years. When the Holy One blessed be He said to him [Abraham]: “I will surely return to you […and, behold, a son for Sarah your wife]” (Genesis 18:10) – “God is not a man, that He would lie.” Rather, “the Lord remembered Sarah.”
וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה, (מלכים א ח, כד): אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַרְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ דָּוִד אָבִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ לוֹ. אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַרְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ, זֶה אַבְרָהָם. אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ לוֹ (בראשית יח, יד): לַמּוֹעֵד אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ. (מלכים א ח, כד): וַתְּדַבֵּר בְּפִיךָ וּבְיָדְךָ מִלֵּאתָ כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה, וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה. (תהלים קיג, ט): מוֹשִׁיבִי עֲקֶרֶת הַבַּיִת אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה. מוֹשִׁיבִי עֲקֶרֶת הַבַּיִת, זוֹ שָׂרָה, (בראשית יא, ל): וַתְּהִי שָׂרַי עֲקָרָה. אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כא, ז): הֵינִיקָה בָנִים שָׂרָה. וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר, מַה שֶּׁאָמַר לָהּ הוּא בַּאֲמִירָה. וַיַּעַשׂ ה' כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר, מַה שֶּׁדִּבֵּר לָהּ עַל יְדֵי מַלְאָךְ. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר, מַה שֶּׁאָמַר לָהּ עַל יְדֵי מַלְאָךְ. וַיַּעַשׂ ה' לְשָׂרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר, מַה שֶּׁאָמַר לָהּ הוּא. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר, לִתֵּן לָהּ בֵּן. כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר, לְבָרְכָהּ בְּחָלָב. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נִתְבַּשְּׂרָה בְּחָלָב, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהֶחֱזִירָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִימֵי נַעֲרוּתֶיהָ. רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ אָמַר נוֹתֵן אֲנִי יִרְאָתָהּ עַל כָּל אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, דְּלָא יְהוֹן מוֹנִין לָהּ וְצָוְחִין לָהּ עֲקַרְתָּא. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּשֵׁם רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ עִקַּר מִיטְרִין לֹא הָיָה לָהּ וּגְלַף לָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִקַּר מִיטְרִין. אָמַר רַבִּי אַדָּא בַּעַל פִּקְדוֹנוֹת אָנִי, עֲמָלֵק הִפְקִיד אֶצְלִי חֲבִילוֹת שֶׁל קוֹצִים, וְהֶחֱזִיר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חֲבִילוֹת שֶׁל קוֹצִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א טו, ב): פָּקַדְתִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה עֲמָלֵק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. שָׂרָה הִפְקִידָה אֶצְלִי מִצְווֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, הֶחֱזִיר לָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִצְווֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה.
“The Lord remembered Sarah.” “[Lord, God of Israel …] who upheld for Your servant David, my father, what You had spoken to him” (I Kings 8:23–24). “Who upheld for Your servant” – this refers to Abraham. “What You had spoken to him” – “at the prescribed time, I will return to you.” “You spoke with Your mouth, and You fulfilled it with Your hand, on this day” (I Kings 8:24) – “the Lord remembered Sarah […and Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the appointed time that God had spoken to him]” (Genesis 21:1–2).
“He sets the barren woman at home, the mother of children is joyful” (Psalms 113:9). “He sets the barren woman at home” – this refers to Sarah, “Sarah was barren” (Genesis 11:30). “The mother of children is joyful” – “Sarah would nurse children” (Genesis 21:7).
“The Lord remembered Sarah as He had said, [and the Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken]”6The verse seems to be referring to two different promises made to Sarah, one being “said” to her and the other “spoken.” – what He Himself had said to her7Genesis 18:14. was communicated with saying.8The midrash is addressing the different verbs employed in the verse, said [amar], and spoke [diber]. “The Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken” – what He had spoken to her by means of an angel.9Genesis 18:10. Rabbi Neḥemya said [the opposite]: “The Lord remembered Sarah as He had said” – what He had said to her by means of an angel was with saying. “The Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken” – what He Himself had spoken to her.
Rabbi Yehuda said: “As He had said” – to grant her a son. “As He had spoken” – to bless her with milk. Rabbi Neḥemya said to him: Was she given the tidings about milk?10Earlier (Bereshit Rabba 47:2), Rabbi Neḥemya had asserted that Sarah had never received tidings regarding her producing milk. Our verse here cannot be referring to a statement that was never made. Rather, it teaches that the Holy One blessed be He restored her to the days of her youth.
Rabbi Abahu said: I will impose fear of her upon all the nations of the world, so they will not torment her and call her the barren woman.11This sentence, too, relates to the earlier passage discussed in Bereshit Rabba 47:2. See there.
Rabbi Yehuda in the name of Reish Lakish: She did not even have a womb, and the Holy One blessed be He now carved out a womb for her.
Rabbi Ada said: [God said:] ‘I am a keeper of deposits [pikdonot].12The Midrash is expounding the phrase: “The Lord remembered [pakad] Sarah.” Amalek deposited with Me bundles of thorns.’13By being an annoyance to Israel as a thorn. This was Amalek’s “deposit” to God. So the Holy One blessed be He returned bundles of thorns to them,14By treating them as thorns to be disposed of. as it is stated: “I have remembered [pakadti] that which Amalek did to Israel” (I Samuel 15:2). ‘Sarah deposited with Me mitzvot and good deeds.’ The Holy One blessed be He returned to her mitzvot and good deeds – “the Lord remembered [pakad] Sarah.”15He granted her a son who would become a righteous person and perform mitzvot and good deeds.
וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, כְּתִיב (במדבר ה, כח): וְאִם לֹא נִטְמְאָה הָאִשָּׁה וּטְהֹרָה הִוא וְנִקְתָה וְנִזְרְעָה זָרַע, זוֹ שֶׁנִּכְנְסָה לְבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה וּלְבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וְיָצָאת טְהוֹרָה אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁתִּפָּקֵד. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן אַף עַל גַּב דְּאָמַר רַבִּי הוּנָא מַלְאָךְ הוּא שֶׁהוּא מְמֻנֶּה עַל הַתַּאֲוָה, אֲבָל שָׂרָה לֹא נִצְרְכָה לַדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ אֶלָּא הוּא בִּכְבוֹדוֹ, וַה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה. (בראשית כא, ב): וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד שָׂרָה לְאַבְרָהָם בֵּן לִזְקֻנָיו, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹא גָּנְבָה זֶרַע מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר. בֵּן לִזְקֻנָיו, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה זִיו אִיקוֹנִין שֶׁלּוֹ דּוֹמֶה לוֹ. (בראשית כא, ב): לַמּוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים, רַבִּי יוּדָן וְרַבִּי חָמָא, רַבִּי יוּדָן אָמַר לְתִשְׁעָה חֳדָשִׁים נוֹלַד שֶׁלֹא יִהְיוּ אוֹמְרִין גָּרוּף מִבֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל אֲבִימֶלֶךְ. רַבִּי חָמָא אָמַר לְשִׁבְעָה שֶׁהֵם תִּשְׁעָה מְקֻטָּעִים. רַבִּי הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה בַּחֲצוֹת הַיּוֹם נוֹלַד, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן מוֹעֵד, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (דברים טז, ו): כְּבוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מוֹעֵד צֵאתְךָ מִמִּצְרַיִם.
“The Lord remembered Sarah” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is written [regarding an unfaithful wife]: “If the woman was not defiled, and is untainted, she will be absolved, and will conceive offspring” (Numbers 5:28). This one, who entered Pharaoh’s palace and Avimelekh’s palace and emerged untainted, is it not all the more logical that she should be remembered?16By being granted the ability to conceive.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Although Rabbi Huna said it is an angel that is in charge of desire [and procreation], Sarah did not require such things, but rather, it was He Himself in His glory – “the Lord remembered Sarah.”
“Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the appointed time that God had spoken to him” (Genesis 21:2).
“Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age” – it teaches that she did not steal semen from some other place [to impregnate herself].
“A son in his old age [zekunav]” – this teaches that his [Isaac’s] facial features [ziv ikonin] were similar to his.
“At the appointed time [moed] that God had spoken to him” – Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Ḥama, Rabbi Yudan said: He was born at nine months [of pregnancy],17The pregnancy began a number of days after she had left Avimelekh. Nine months is “the appointed time that God had spoken” when setting up the laws of nature. so people should not say that he was scooped out of Avimelekh’s palace.18People would not say that Avimelekh had fathered Isaac during that night when Sarah was with him. Rabbi Ḥama said: At seven months [of pregnancy],19There was no need to negate Avimelekh’s paternity, because of Isaac’s strong resemblance to Abraham. which are nine incomplete ones.20One day at the end of one month, followed by seven full months, plus the first day of the next month adds up to seven months plus two partial months – nine months, counting partial months. A woman who gives birth after seven months of gestation is thus also, in a way, fulfilling God’s decree of nature that gestation should be nine months.
Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Ḥizkiya: He was born at noon. Moed is stated here and it is stated elsewhere: “]You shall slaughter the Passover offering] as the sun begins to set,21The time of the slaughtering of the Passover offering is at noon., which is the time at which the sun begins its descent from its highest point in the sky. the appointed time [mo’ed] of your exodus from Egypt” (Deuteronomy 16:6).
וַיִּקְרָא אַבְרָהָם אֶת שֶׁם בְּנוֹ יִצְחָק (בראשית כא, ג), יָצָא חֹק לָעוֹלָם, נִתַּן דּוֹרָיָה לָעוֹלָם. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק חִפּוּשִׁית. יו"ד עֲשָׂרָה, כְּנֶגֶד עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת. צד"י תִּשְׁעִים, (בראשית יז, יז): וְאִם שָׂרָה הַבַּת תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה תֵּלֵד, קו"ף מֵאָה, (בראשית יז, יז): הַלְּבֶן מֵאָה שָׁנָה. חי"ת כְּנֶגֶד הַמִּילָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לִשְׁמוֹנָה (בראשית כא, ד): וַיָּמָל אַבְרָהָם אֶת יִצְחָק וגו', הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית יז, יב): וּבֶן שְׁמֹנַת יָמִים יִמּוֹל לָכֶם כָּל זָכָר לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם.
“Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac” (Genesis 21:3).
“Abraham called the name of his son…Isaac [Yitzḥak]” – a portion has emerged [yatza ḥok] to the world, [meaning that] a gift has been given to the world.22Ḥok here refers to a portion given as a gift (see Genesis 47:22). A righteous person is a gift to the world, as the merit of his good deeds provides all mankind with sustenance.
Rabbi Yitzḥak Ḥipushit said: Yod is ten – corresponding to the Ten Commandments; tzadi is ninety – “shall a ninety-year-old woman give birth?” (Genesis 17:17); kof is a hundred – “to one who is one hundred years old” (Genesis 17:17); ḥet [is eight] – corresponding to circumcision, that was given to be performed on the eighth day.23The letters yod, tzadi, ḥet, and kof spell Yitzḥak – Isaac.
“Abraham circumcised Isaac his son when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him” (Genesis 21:4).
“Abraham circumcised Isaac…[when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him].” That is what is written: “One who is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations” (Genesis 17:12).
וַתֹּאמֶר שָׂרָה צְחֹק עָשָׂה לִי אֱלֹהִים (בראשית כא, ו), רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בְּרַבִּי יִצְחָק רְאוּבֵן בְּשִׂמְחָה שִׁמְעוֹן מָה אִכְפַּת לֵיהּ, כָּךְ שָׂרָה נִפְקְדָה אֲחֵרִים מָה אִכְפַּת לָהֶם, אֶלָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּפְקְדָה אִמֵּנוּ שָׂרָה הַרְבֵּה עֲקָרוֹת נִפְקְדוּ עִמָּהּ, הַרְבֵּה חֵרְשִׁים נִתְפַּקְחוּ, הַרְבֵּה סוּמִים נִפְתְּחוּ, הַרְבֵּה שׁוֹטִים נִשְׁתַּפּוּ. נֶאֱמַר כָּאן עֲשִׂיָּה, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (אסתר ב, יח): וַהֲנָחָה לַמְדִינוֹת עָשָׂה, מָה עֲשִׂיָּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְהַלָּן נִתַּן דּוֹרָיָה לָעוֹלָם, אַף עֲשִׂיָּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כָּאן דּוֹרָיָה לָעוֹלָם. וְרַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר הוֹסִיפוּ עַל הַמְּאוֹרוֹת, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן עֲשִׂיָּה עָשָׂה לִי, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (בראשית א, טז): וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת שְׁנֵי הַמְּאֹרֹת.
“Sarah said: God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh for me” (Genesis 21:6).
“Sarah said: God has made laughter for me” – Rabbi Berekhya ben Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Shmuel ben Rabbi Yitzḥak: When Reuben is rejoicing, why should Simeon care? So, Sarah was remembered, why should others care? The explanation is that when Sarah was remembered [by conceiving], many [other] barren women were remembered [they conceived] with her, many deaf people gained their hearing, many blind people had their eyes opened, many imbeciles gained intelligence. ‘Making’ is written here24“God has made laughter for me.” and ‘making’ is written elsewhere: “He made abatement for the provinces” (Esther 2:18). Just as with the ‘making’ stated there, gifts were given to the world, so, too, the ‘making’ stated here was a gift to the world. Rabbi Levi said: An addition was made to the [heavenly] lights.25The sun shone especially brightly on that day, as a sign of the birth of the great saint. ‘Making’ is stated here: “Has made…for me,” and elsewhere it is stated: “The Lord made the two lights” (Genesis 1:16).
וַתֹּאמֶר מִי מִלֵּל לְאַבְרָהָם הֵינִיקָה בָנִים שָׂרָה (בראשית כא, ז), רַבִּי פִּינְחָס מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי חִלְקִיָה מִי אָמַר מִי דִּבֵּר אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא מִי מִלֵּל, רְמָזוֹ שֶׁהוּא מוֹלִיד לְמֵאָה שָׁנָה מִנְיַן מִלֵּ"ל. רַבִּי פִּנְחָס אָמַר קוֹמָתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ הָיְתָה יְבֵשָׁה וְנַעֲשָׂה מְלִילוֹת. הֵינִיקָה בָנִים שָׂרָה, הֵינִיקָה בֵן אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אִמֵּנוּ שָׂרָה הָיְתָה צְנוּעָה יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי, אָמַר לָהּ אָבִינוּ אַבְרָהָם אֵין זוֹ שְׁעַת הַצְּנִיעוּת אֶלָּא גַּלִּי אֶת דַּדַּיִךְ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ הַכֹּל שֶׁהִתְחִיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת נִסִּים, גִּלְּתָה אֶת דַּדֶּיהָ וְהָיוּ נוֹבְעוֹת חָלָב כִּשְׁנֵי מַעְיָנוֹת, וְהָיוּ מַטְרוֹנִיּוֹת בָּאוֹת וּמֵינִיקוֹת אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם מִמֶּנָּה, וְהָיוּ אוֹמְרוֹת אֵין אָנוּ כְּדַי לְהָנִיק אֶת בָּנֵינוּ מֵחֲלָבָהּ שֶׁל צַדֶּקֶת. רַבָּנָן וְרַבִּי אֲחָא, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי כָּל מִי שֶׁבָּא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, נַעֲשָׂה יְרֵא שָׁמַיִם. רַבִּי אֲחָא אָמַר אַף מִי שֶׁלֹא בָּא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם נִתַּן לוֹ מֶמְשָׁלָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִפְלִיגוּ עַצְמָן בְּסִינַי וְלֹא קִבְּלוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה נִטְּלָה מֵהֶם אוֹתָהּ הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה.
“She said: Who would have announced to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I bore a son for his old age” (Genesis 21:7).
“She said: Who would have announced [milel] to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children” – Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Ḥilkiya: “Who would have said [amar]” or “who would have spoken [diber]” is not written here, but rather, “who would have announced [milel].” This is an allusion to the fact that he begot at the age of one hundred years, which is the numerical value of milel.26Milel is spelled mem – 40 + lamed – 30 + lamed – 30 = 100 Rabbi Pinḥas said: The wheat stalk of Abraham our patriarch had been all dried up, but [now] it became full of moist kernels [melilot].27A metaphor for the fact that Abraham had been incapable of fathering children, but now became productive.
“Sarah would nurse children” – “nurse a child” is not written here. Our matriarch Sarah was extremely modest. Our patriarch Abraham said to her: ‘This is not the time for modesty. Instead, expose your breasts, so that everyone will know that the Holy One blessed be He has begun to perform miracles.’ She exposed her breasts and they were flowing with milk like two wellsprings. Noblewomen were coming and having their children nurse from her. They were saying: ‘We are not worthy of having our children nurse from this righteous woman.’ The Rabbis and Rabbi Aḥa, the Rabbis say: Anyone who came [to Sarah] for the sake of Heaven28With sincere motives. became God-fearing. Rabbi Aḥa said: Even one who did not come for the sake of Heaven, dominion in this world was granted to him. But once they [the nations of the world] distanced themselves [from God] at Sinai by not accepting the Torah, that dominion was taken from them.
וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד וַיִּגָּמַל (בראשית כא, ח), רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה רַבָּה אָמַר נִגְמַל מִיֵּצֶר הָרָע. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי נִגְמַל מֵחֲלָבוֹ. (בראשית כא, ח): וַיַּעַשׂ אַבְרָהָם מִשְׁתֶּה גָדוֹל, רַבִּי יוּדָא בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר גְּדוֹל עוֹלָמִים הָיָה שָׁם. רַבִּי יוּדָן בַּר מַסְפַּרְתָּא אָמַר (אסתר ב, יח): וַיַּעַשׂ הַמֶּלֶךְ מִשְׁתֶּה גָדוֹל, גְּדוֹלֵי עוֹלָם הָיוּ שָׁם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים ל, ט): כִּי יָשׁוּב ה' לָשׂוּשׂ עָלֶיךָ לְטוֹב, בִּימֵי מָרְדְּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר, (דברים ל, ט): כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׂשׂ עַל אֲבֹתֶיךָ, בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן מִשְׁתֶּה גָּדוֹל, מִשְׁתֵּה גְּדוֹלִים, עוֹג וְכָל גְּדוֹלִים עִמּוֹ הָיוּ שָׁם, אָמְרוּ לְעוֹג לֹא הָיִיתָ אוֹמֵר אַבְרָהָם פִּרְדָּה עֲקָרָה וְאֵינוֹ מוֹלִיד, אָמַר לָהֶם עַכְשָׁו מַתָּנָתוֹ מַה הִיא לֹא שְׁפוּפָה, אִין יָהֵיב אֲנָא אֶצְבְּעִי עֲלֵיהּ אֲנָא פָּחֵשׁ לֵיהּ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מָה אַתָּה מְבַזֶּה עַל מַתָּנָתוֹ חַיֶּיךָ, שֶׁאַתְּ רוֹאֶה אֶלֶף אֲלָפִים וְרִבֵּי רְבָבוֹת יוֹצְאִים מִבְּנֵי בָנָיו, וְאֵין סוֹפוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ לִפֹּל אֶלָּא בְּיָדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כא, לד): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה אַל תִּירָא אֹתוֹ כִּי בְיָדְךָ נָתַתִּי וגו', דְּאָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי לֹא נִדְנְדָה עֲרִיסָה תְּחִלָּה אֶלָּא בְּבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן מְנַחֲמָה אוֹתָן שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם מְלָכִים שֶׁהָרַג יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כֻּלָּם הָיוּ בַּמִּשְׁתֶּה שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, וְלֹא שְׁלשִׁים וְאֶחָד הָיוּ, אֶלָּא כִּי הַהִיא דְּאָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה וְרַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ וְרַבִּי פַּרְנָךְ מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן (יהושע יב, ט): מֶלֶךְ יְרִיחוֹ אֶחָד, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר אֶחָד, אֶלָּא הוּא וְאַנְטְקֵיסוֹר שֶׁלּוֹ.
“The child grew and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned” (Genesis 21:8).
“The child grew and was weaned” – Rabbi Hoshaya the Great said: He was weaned from the evil inclination. The Rabbis say: He was weaned from his milk.
“Abraham made a great feast” – Rabbi Yuda ben Rabbi Simon said: [This means that] the Great One of all worlds was present there. Rabbi Yudan bar Masparta said: “The king made a great feast” (Esther 2:18) – the great leaders of the world were there. That is what is written: “As the Lord will return to rejoice over you for good” (Deuteronomy 30:9) – in the days of Mordekhai and Esther, “as He rejoiced over your fathers” (Deuteronomy 30:9) – in the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: “A great feast” – a feast of all the great people; Og and all the great men were there. They said to Og: ‘Did you not used to say: Abraham is a like barren mule and cannot beget a child?’ He said to them: ‘Now, what is his gift [Isaac], is it not puny? If I place my finger on him I could crush him.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Why are you disparaging his gift? By your life, you will [live to] see thousands upon thousands and myriads upon myriads emerging from his grandchildren, but that man [you, Og] will meet his end only by his hand,’ as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses: Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand…” (Numbers 21:34). It is as Rabbi Levi said: A cradle was rocked first only in the house of Abraham our patriarch.29Babies used to be born strong enough not to require a cradle. Isaac was the first child who required a cradle. That is why Og mocked his puniness.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Menaḥama said: Those sixty-two kings that Joshua killed, all of them were at the feast of Abraham our patriarch. But were they not thirty-one?30See Joshua 12:24. It is, rather, like what Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Ḥelbo, and Rabbi Parnakh said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: “The king of Jericho, one, [the king of Ai one, etc.]” (Joshua 12:9) — Why does the verse state: “One” [after each of the kings]? The explanation is that it refers to him and his viceroy.
וַתֵּרֶא שָׂרָה אֶת בֶּן הָגָר הַמִּצְרִית (בראשית כא, ט), אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא הָיָה אוֹמֵר בּוֹ דָּבָר לִגְנַאי, וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר בּוֹ דָּבָר לְשֶׁבַח, דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וַתֵּרֶא שָׂרָה וגו', אֵין מְצַחֵק אֶלָּא גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (בראשית לט, יז): בָּא אֵלַי הָעֶבֶד הָעִבְרִי אֲשֶׁר הֵבֵאתָ לָנוּ לְצַחֶק בִּי, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיְתָה אִמֵּנוּ שָׂרָה רוֹאָה אוֹתוֹ לְיִשְׁמָעֵאל מְכַבֵּשׁ גִּנּוֹת וְצָד נְשֵׁי אֲנָשִׁים וּמְעַנֶּה אוֹתָן. תָּנֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, אֵין הַלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה שֶׁל צְחוֹק אֶלָּא עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, ו): וַיֵּשֶׁב הָעָם לֶאֱכֹל וְשָׁתוֹ וַיָּקֻמוּ לְצַחֵק, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיְתָה אִמֵּנוּ שָׂרָה רוֹאָה אֶת יִשְׁמָעֵאל בּוֹנֶה בִּימוֹסִיּוֹת וְצָד חֲגָבִים וּמַקְרִיב עֲלֵיהֶם. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר אֵין הַלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה צְחוֹק אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמואל ב ב, יד): יָקוּמוּ נָא הַנְּעָרִים וִישַׂחֲקוּ לְפָנֵינוּ. רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר, אֲמַר לֵיהּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל לְיִצְחָק נֵלֵךְ וְנִרְאֶה חֶלְקֵנוּ בַּשָּׂדֶה, וְהָיָה יִשְׁמָעֵאל נוֹטֵל קֶשֶׁת וְחִצִּים וּמוֹרֶה כְּלַפֵּי יִצְחָק, וְעוֹשֶׂה עַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ מְצַחֵק, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי כו, יח יט): כְּמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶה זִקִּים וגו' כֵּן אִישׁ רִמָּה אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְאוֹמֵר הֲלֹא מְצַחֵק אָנִי, וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי בּוֹ דָּבָר לְשֶׁבַח אֵין לָשׁוֹן הַזֶּה שֶׁל צְחוֹק אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן יְרֻשָּׁה, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנּוֹלַד אָבִינוּ יִצְחָק הָיוּ הַכֹּל שְׂמֵחִים, אָמַר לָהֶם יִשְׁמָעֵאל שׁוֹטִים אַתֶּם, אֲנִי בְּכוֹר וַאֲנִי נוֹטֵל פִּי שְׁנַיִם, שֶׁמִּתְּשׁוּבַת אִמֵּנוּ שָׂרָה לְאַבְרָהָם (בראשית כא, י): כִּי לֹא יִירַשׁ בֶּן הָאָמָה הַזֹּאת עִם בְּנִי, אַתָּה לָמֵד, כִּי לֹא יִירַשׁ עִם בְּנִי אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁאֵינוֹ יִצְחָק, וְעִם יִצְחָק אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּנִי, קַל וָחֹמֶר עִם בְּנִי עִם יִצְחָק.
“Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she bore to Abraham, playing” (Genesis 21:9).
“She said to Abraham: Banish this maidservant and her son, for the son of this maidservant will not inherit with my son, with Isaac” (Genesis 21:10).
“Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: Rabbi Akiva used to say something derogatory regarding this, but I say something complimentary regarding it. Rabbi Akiva expounded: “Sarah saw [the son of Hagar…playing [metzaḥek]]” – metzaḥek is nothing other than sexual immorality, just as it says: “The Hebrew slave whom you brought to us came to me to play with [letzaḥek] me” (Genesis 39:17). It teaches that our matriarch Sarah would see Ishmael force himself on women, trap married women, and violate them.
It is taught: Rabbi Yishmael says: This expression of tzeḥok is nothing other than idol worship, as it is stated: “The people sat to eat and drink and they rose to revel [letzaḥek]” (Exodus 32:6). It teaches that our matriarch Sarah would see Ishmael building altars, trapping grasshoppers, and sacrificing [them] upon them.
Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: This expression of tzeḥok is nothing other than an expression of bloodshed, as it says: “Let the lads rise now and play [visaḥaku] before us” (II Samuel 2:14). Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Ishmael said to Isaac: ‘Let us go and see our portion in the field.’ Ishmael would then take a bow and arrows and shoot toward Isaac, conducting himself as though he was [just] playing. That is what is written: “Like the prankster who shoots firebrands, [arrows, and death], so is a man who deceives his friend, and says: Am I not joking?” (Proverbs 26:18–19).
But I [Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai] say something complimentary regarding it. This expression of tzeḥok is nothing other than an expression of inheritance. When our patriarch Isaac was born, everyone was rejoicing. Ishmael said to them: ‘You are fools. I am the firstborn and I will inherit twice as much.’ From Sarah’s response to Abraham: “For the son of this maidservant will not inherit with my son, with Isaac,” you may learn this.31Sarah said that the reason she wanted Yishmael banished was connected to the issue of inheritance.
“For…will not inherit with my son” – even if he were not Isaac, and “he will not inherit…with Isaac” – even if he were not my son; all the more so “with my son, with Isaac.”
וַיֵּרַע הַדָּבָר מְאֹד בְּעֵינֵי אַבְרָהָם (בראשית כא, יא), הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה לג, טו): עֹצֵם עֵינָיו מֵרְאוֹת בְּרָע. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל אַבְרָהָם אַל יֵרַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ וגו', אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן יִצְחָק אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא בְיִצְחָק, רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה בְּשֵׁם בַּר חַטְיָה בי"ת תְּרֵין, בְּמִי שֶׁהוּא מוֹדֶה בִּשְׁנֵי עוֹלָמוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּרַבִּי שָׁלוֹם, כְּתִיב (תהלים קה, ה): זִכְרוּ נִפְלְאוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה מֹפְתָיו וּמִשְׁפְּטֵי פִיו, מוֹפֵת נָתַתָּ לְמִי שֶׁהוּא מוֹצִיא מִתּוֹךְ פִּיו, כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא מוֹדֶה בִּשְׁנֵי עוֹלָמוֹת יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע, וְכָל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מוֹדֶה בִּשְׁנֵי עוֹלָמוֹת לֹא יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע.
“The matter was greatly distressing in Abraham’s eyes, regarding his son” (Genesis 21:11).
“The matter was greatly distressing in Abraham’s eyes” – that is what is written: “And shuts his eyes from seeing evil” (Isaiah 33:15).
“God said to Abraham: Do not be distressed about the lad and about your maidservant; everything that Sarah says to you, heed her voice; for through Isaac will be called your descendants” (Genesis 21:12).
“God said to Abraham: Do not be distressed…[for through Isaac will be called your descendants]” – Rabbi Yudan said: “Isaac” is not written here, but rather, “through Isaac [beYitzḥak].”32Part, but not all, of Isaac, as Esau is not included. Rabbi Azarya in the name of bar Ḥatya: Beit is two – through the one who acknowledges the existence of two worlds.
Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Shalom said: It is written: “Remember the wonders He has performed, His signs, and the judgments of His mouth” (Psalms 105:5). You [God] have provided a sign by what You have expressed with Your mouth:33Translation follows version of the text of Etz Yosef. Anyone who acknowledges two worlds “will be called your descendants,” and anyone who does not acknowledge two worlds will not be called your descendants.
וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּקַּח לֶחֶם וְחֵמַת מַיִם וַיִּתֵּן אֶל הָגָר (בראשית כא, יד), בֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל אָבִינוּ אַבְרָהָם וַתְּרָנִים הָיוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר, וַיִּתֵּן אֶל הָגָר, שֶׁכֵּן דֶּרֶךְ עֲבָדִים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מְמַלְּאִים כַּדִּים עַל שִׁכְמָם. (בראשית כא, יד): עַל שִׁכְמָהּ וְאֶת הַיֶּלֶד, בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ: שָׂם עַל שִׁכְמָהּ, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִכְנִיסָה בּוֹ שָׂרָה עַיִן רָעָה וְנִכְנְסָה בּוֹ חַמָּה וְאַכְאָבִית, תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁכֵּן, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית כא, טו): וַיִּכְלוּ הַמַּיִם מִן הַחֵמֶת, שֶׁכֵּן דֶּרֶךְ הַחוֹלֶה לִהְיוֹת שׁוֹתֶה הַרְבֵּה וּבְכָל שָׁעָה. (בראשית כא, טו): וַתַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד תַּחַת אַחַד הַשִּׂיחִם, אָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר שֶׁכֵּן דֶּרֶךְ הָרְתָמִים לִהְיוֹת גְּדֵלִים בַּמִּדְבָּר. אָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי תַּחַת אַחַד הַשִּׂיחִם, שֶׁשָּׁם הֵשִׂיחוּ עִמָּהּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת. (בראשית כא, טז): וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתֵּשֶׁב לָהּ מִנֶּגֶד, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן וַתֵּשֶׁב לָהּ מִנֶּגֶד, וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (במדבר כ, ב): מִנֶּגֶד סָבִיב לְאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד. הַרְחֵק, הָכָא אַתְּ אוֹמֵר הַרְחֵק כִּמְטַחֲוֵי קֶשֶׁת, וּלְהַלָּן אַתְּ אָמַר (יהושע ג, ד): אַךְ רָחוֹק יִהְיֶה בֵּינֵיכֶם וּבֵנָיו כְּאַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה בַּמִּדָּה, הָא לָמַדְנוּ נֶגֶד מִנֶּגֶד, וְרָחוֹק מֵרָחוֹק. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק כִּמְטַחֲוֵי קֶשֶׁת, שְׁנֵי טְוָחִים בַּקֶּשֶׁת, מִיל. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה כְּמַטַּחַת דְּבָרִים כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה, אָמְרָה אֶתְמוֹל אָמַרְתָּ לִי (בראשית טז, י): הַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה אֶת זַרְעֵךְ וגו', עַכְשָׁו הוּא מֵת בַּצָּמָא.
“Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave them to Hagar, he placed them her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away. She went and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba” (Genesis 21:14).
“Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave them to Hagar” – the people of the household of our patriarch Abraham were generous, as it is stated: “Abraham rose early […he placed them on her shoulder].”34The Midrash interprets “he placed on her shoulder” to mean that besides the bread and water, Abraham gave her other gifts as well. “And gave it to Hagar, [he placed them on her shoulder]” – as slaves typically would fill jugs of water on their shoulders.35Abraham wanted to demonstrate to people that Hagar was only a maidservant, not his full wife, and that Yishmael was not his heir. That is why he placed the water on her shoulder, in the manner of servants.
“On her shoulder and the child” – he was twenty-seven years old36The Midrash understands that the feast made in honor of Isaac was for his Bar Mitzva, and Yishmael was fourteen years older than Isaac. and yet you say: “On her shoulder”? It teaches that Sarah introduced an evil eye into him and he was afflicted with fever and pain [and could not walk on his own]. Know that it is so, as it is written: “The water in the skin was finished” (Genesis 21:15), as a sick person typically drinks a lot and frequently.
“The water in the bottle was finished, and she cast the child beneath one of the bushes” (Genesis 21:15).
“She cast the child beneath one of the bushes” – Rabbi Meir said: [The bush was a broom tree,] as it is the nature of broom trees to grow in the wilderness. Rabbi Ami said: “Beneath one of the bushes [hasiḥim]” – [this word is used] because there the ministering angels conversed [hesiḥu] with her.
“She went and sat herself opposite him, at a distance of about a bowshot, for she said: I will not see the death of the child. She sat opposite him, raised her voice, and wept” (Genesis 21:16).
“She went and sat herself opposite him” – here it is stated: “She…sat herself opposite [mineged] him,” and elsewhere it says: “Opposite it [mineged], around the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 2:2). “At a distance” – here it says: “At a distance of about a bowshot,” and elsewhere it says: “However, there shall be a distance of a measure of two thousand cubits between you” (Joshua 3:4). We derive neged from neged and raḥok from raḥok.37And we thus derive that the distance in all these instances is two thousand cubits. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “About a bowshot [kintaḥavei keshet]” – two bowshots,38Kimtaḥavei is plural. which is one mil. Rabbi Berekhya said: [She protested her fate] like one who speaks impertinently [kemataḥat] toward the One on High. She said to Him: ‘Yesterday you said to me: “I will multiply your descendants…” (Genesis 16:10); now he is dying of thirst.’
הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים נו, ט): נֹדִי סָפַרְתָּה אָתָּה שִׂימָה דִמְעָתִי בְנֹאדֶךָ, כְּאוֹתָהּ בַּעֲלַת נֹאד, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים (תהלים לט, יג): שִׁמְעָה תְפִלָּתִי ה' וְשַׁוְעָתִי הַאֲזִינָה וגו', אֶל דִּמְעָתָהּ שֶׁל הָגָר לֹא הֶחֱרַשְׁתָּ אֶל דִּמְעָתִי אַתָּה מַחֲרִישׁ. וְאִם תֹּאמַר עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיְתָה גִּיּוֹרֶת הָיְתָה חֲבִיבָה, אַף אָנֹכִי (תהלים לט, יג): כִּי גֵּר אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ תּוֹשָׁב כְּכָל אֲבוֹתָי. (בראשית כא, יז): וַיִּקְרָא מַלְאַךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶל הָגָר מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, בִּזְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם. (בראשית כא, יז): בַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא שָׁם, בִּזְכוּת עַצְמוֹ, יָפָה תְּפִלַּת הַחוֹלֶה לְעַצְמוֹ יוֹתֵר מִכֹּל. בַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא שָׁם, אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן קָפְצוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לְקַטְרְגוֹ, אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים, אָדָם שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לְהָמִית אֶת בָּנֶיךָ בַּצָּמָא אַתָּה מַעֲלֶה לוֹ בְּאֵר, אָמַר לָהֶם עַכְשָׁו מַה הוּא, צַדִּיק אוֹ רָשָׁע, אָמְרוּ לוֹ צַדִּיק, אָמַר לָהֶם אֵינִי דָן אֶת הָאָדָם אֶלָּא בִּשְׁעָתוֹ. (בראשית כא, יח): קוּמִי שְׂאִי אֶת הַנַּעַר. (בראשית כא, יט): וַיִּפְקַח אֶת עֵינֶיהָ, אָמַר רַבִּי בִּנְיָמִין הַכֹּל בְּחֶזְקַת סוּמִין עַד שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵאִיר אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם, מִן הָכָא וַיִּפְקַח אֱלֹהִים אֶת עֵינֶיהָ. (בראשית כא, יט): וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתְּמַלֵּא אֶת הַחֵמֶת, הֲדָא אָמְרָת מְחֻסֶּרֶת אֲמָנָה הָיְתָה.
That is what is written: “You have taken account of my wandering. Put my tears in Your flask [nodekha]” (Psalms 56:9) – [accept my tears] like that woman with the flask [Hagar]. Just as it is written in the book of Psalms: “Hear my prayer, Lord, and heed my cry; [do not be silent at my tears]” (Psalms 39:13) – [David said:] ‘To the tears of Hagar You were not silent, but to my tears You are silent? And if You will say: Because she was a stranger she was beloved, I, too, “for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, like all my fathers”’ (Psalms 39:13).
“God heard the voice of the lad; the angel of God called to Hagar from the heavens, and said to her: What is it with you, Hagar? Fear not, as God has heard the voice of the lad, as he is there” (Genesis 21:17).
“The angel of God called to Hagar from the heavens” – due to the merit of Abraham. “As he is there” – due to his own merit; the prayer of an ill person himself is superior to all others.
“As he is there” – Rabbi Simon said: The ministering angels leapt to condemn him before God]. They said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, a person who is destined to kill your children by thirst,39When being exiled by the Babylonians (see Eikha Rabba 2:4). will You produce a spring for him?’ He said to them: ‘What is he right now, righteous or wicked?’ They said to him: ‘He is righteous.’ He said to them: ‘I judge a person only at his present time. “Rise, lift the boy”’ (Genesis 21:18).
“God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad to drink” (Genesis 21:19).
“God opened her eyes” – Rabbi Binyamin said: Everyone has the presumptive status of being blind until the Holy One blessed be He opens their eyes.40A person does not see anything unless God wants them to see it. [This is derived] from here: “God opened her eyes.”
“She went and filled the skin with water” – this teaches that she was lacking in faith.41She did not believe that God would continue to provide them with water.
וַיְהִי אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַנַּעַר וַיִּגְדָּל (בראשית כא, כ), רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל שָׁאַל אֶת רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אָמַר לוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁשִּׁמַּשְׁתָּ נַחוּם אִישׁ גַּם זוֹ עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁתַּיִם שָׁנָה, אַכִים וְרַקִּים מִעוּטִים, אֶתִין וְגַמִּין רִבּוּיִם, הָדֵין אֶת דִּכְתִיב הָכָא מַהוּ, אָמַר לוֹ אִלּוּ נֶאֱמַר וַיְהִי אֱלֹהִים הַנַּעַר, הָיָה הַדָּבָר קָשֶׁה, אֶלָּא אֶת הַנַּעַר. אָמַר לוֹ (דברים לב, מז): כִּי לֹא דָּבָר רֵק הוּא מִכֶּם, וְאִם רֵק מִכֶּם, שֶׁאֵין אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִים לִדְרשׁ, אֶלָא אֶת הַנַּעַר, הוּא וְחַמָּרָיו וְגַמָּלָיו וּבְנֵי בֵיתוֹ. (בראשית כא, כ): וַיְהִי רֹבֶה קַשָּׁת, רָבֶה וְקַשְׁיוּתוֹ עִמּוֹ [נסח אחר: וקשיותו אמו], רָבֶה, מִתְלַמֵּד בְּקֶּשֶׁת, רָבֶה עַל כָּל הַמּוֹרִים בַּקֶּשֶׁת. (בראשית כא, כא): וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּמִדְבַּר פָּארָן, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק זְרוֹק חוּטְרָא לַאֲוִירָא וְעַל עִקְרֵיהּ הוּא קָאֵים, כָּךְ לְפִי שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית טז, א): וְלָהּ שִׁפְחָה מִצְרִית וּשְׁמָהּ הָגָר, לְפִיכָךְ (בראשית כא, כא): וַתִּקַּח לוֹ אִמּוֹ אִשָּׁה מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.
“God was with [et] the lad, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness and became an archer” (Genesis 21:20).43The difference between the two versions is whether the word imo is spelled with an ayin or with an alef. He grew [rava] and trained as an archer; he became greater [rava] than all the archers.
“God was with the lad [et hanaar], and he grew” – Rabbi Yishmael asked Rabbi Akiva, saying to him: ‘Because you studied under Naḥum of Gam Zo for twenty years, [who taught:] The words akh and rak are restrictive expressions, et and gam are inclusive expressions, [I ask you] what is the meaning of the et that is written here?’ He said to him: ‘Had it said: “God was the lad” that would have been difficult; instead, [the Torah writes] “with the lad.” He said to him: “For it is not an empty thing for you [mikem]” (Deuteronomy 32:47); if it appears empty, it is from you [mikem],42If you find something in the Torah that appears devoid of significance, it is because of your own ignorance. because you do not know how to expound. The correct explanation is, rather, “et hanaar” refers to him, his donkey drivers, his camel drivers, and the members of his household.’
“Became an archer [roveh kashat]” – he grew [rava] and his obstinacy [vekashyuto] remained with him.
“He lived in the wilderness of Paran and his mother took him a wife from the land of Egypt” (Genesis 21:21).
“He lived in the wilderness of Paran” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Toss a stick into the air, and it will fall on its base.44This saying means that a person has a tendency to go back to his roots eventually. So, too, because it is written: “She had an Egyptian maidservant and her name was Hagar” (Genesis 16:1); “his mother took him a wife from the land of Egypt.”