In this week's Torah portion of Lech Lecha (B'reshit 12-17), we read of our Patriarch Avraham and his first steps in the Land of Israel, where he and his descendants will become a great nation that will be a blessing for the entire world (12,1-3). 

We also read of his son Yishmael and his mother Hagar. Yishmael is depicted in the Torah as ungrateful, one who not only does not appreciate what others have done for him, but actually mistreats them. And it seems clear that he inherited this negative trait from his Egyptian mother, who behaved in the same way.

Hagar began as a domestic in the home of Avraham and Sarah – a home famous already then for its holiness and kindness. Lucky for her, Sarah seemed to be unable to have children, and in her generosity of heart, arranged that Avraham take Hagar as a wife (16,3). And yet immediately Hagar began to take advantage: "Her mistress [Sarah] became cheapened in her eyes" (16,4). Instead of recognizing what Sarah had done for her, Hagar began a campaign of incitement against her. Rashi explains that Hagar said: "This Sarah, her insides are not what she presents to the world: She makes herself out to be a righteous woman, but she is not that at all – for she did not merit to become pregnant all these years, while I became pregnant right away."

Let us analyze the words our Sages ascribe to Hagar. For one thing, she calls Sarah by her first name, instead of saying "my mistress." She thus purposely seeks to negate and diminish Sarah's status as Avraham's wife, and relegate her to a position of no importance.

She also says, "This Sarah" – another way by which to put Sarah down and show her own importance. 

Hagar then casts a double accusation against Sarah: "Not only is she not the righteous person people think she is, but she brags of her supposedly righteous status and uses it for her own purposes, hoping to gain honor and more from others."

In other words, Hagar accuses Sarah of corruption and fraud, of using the prestige she created for herself to get others to trust her and receive spiritual and other guidance from her. 

This accusation is patently absurd, for Sarah was so beloved to G-d that He chose her to be the very first mother of the Chosen Nation. She was also greater than even Avraham in prophecy, for G-d told Avraham, "Whatever Sarah says to you [to do], listen to her" (21,12). We also know that the Divine Presence always dwelt in a cloud above her tent.

It is interesting to see how the Gentiles saw, or see, the concept of Divine Reward and Punishment. Hagar concluded from the fact that she became pregnant immediately that she was more deserving than Sarah. She thought that there was a Divine scoreboard that keeps track and doles out reward and punishment right away. But of course the Jews of the Torah understand that G-d's considerations are more profound than they appear on the surface. 

For instance, the Sages taught that our Matriarchs remained barren for years because He loves and knows the critical value of their prayers! They were barren – and so they prayed, and thus the world was raised up.

This is related to the primeval serpent of the story of Adam and Eve. G-d provided it with food at all time – in order that it not have to pray for nourishment, because He does not even want to hear its prayers and requests!

Hagar somehow passed on her traits of ungratefulness to her son Yishmael, who already at a young age (some say he was 16) tried to kill his half-brother Yitzchak. [This is based on the Talmud's interpretations of B'reshit 21,9, where we read of his negative behavior; the Sages say he committed idolatry, incest, and/or murder; one Sage went "light" on Yishmael and explained that he merely mocked and taunted Yitzchak regarding the large inheritance that he was expecting to receive.]

When Sarah saw this, she demanded that Avraham banish both Hagar and her son. G-d agreed with Sarah, and Avraham provided them with food and water and sent them off. When the water ran out, Hagar abandoned her son, and then began to cry. Once again, we see the same pattern: Yishmael sins, and when he is punished, he and his mother, who had also previously sinned, present themselves as the innocent victims. And instead of seeing where they went wrong, they blame the Creator for their bitter lot.

Reading this story superficially, we may be liable to think that they were treated unjustly. But on more careful analysis, it becomes clear that they brought the suffering upon themselves.

Even the very fact that the Torah tells us that Hagar distanced herself from her son "as far as the range of a bow" (21,16) is very telling. If she merely wanted not to hear her son's cries, she could have remained closer; why did she go so far, and why was the distance measured in such a strange way? 

R. Ovadiah of Bartenura explains that just as Yishmael tried to kill Yitzchak (according to one of the above Talmudic opinions) with arrows, Hagar feared that she, too, might become the victim of her son's total ungratefulness and that he would seek to kill her the same way. The message of their total lack of concern for those who helped them is once again clear.

Today as Well

Yishmael's descendants display those same traits even today. Not long ago, a Muslim woman in Israel gave birth to a baby that needed a kidney transplant. A donor was soon found: The father of an Israeli soldier who was killed in the war agreed to donate the organ from his fallen son. No sooner did this happen when the happy Arab mother proclaimed her fervent hope that her son would grow up to be a shahid, a suicide bomber. 

Another Muslim woman waiting in an Israeli hospital for medical treatment for her son was documented expressing the same wish. The life of Hamas leader Yihye Sinwar, may his name be blotted out, was saved by Israeli doctors who removed a malignant growth from his brain – and then, upon his release from prison, proceeded to lead terrorist actions, including the cruel massacre of Simchat Torah. 

Such evil is totally incomprehensible – until we remember from whence these people came. We dare not make light of the imperative to study and know our enemies.

Translated by Hillel Fendel.

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