The Torah first informs us of Sarah’s infertility at the end of parshas Noach (Bereishis 11.30). Textually, this precedes the biblical wedding announcement of Avraham and Sarah. We can almost sense trouble brewing. Fast forward five chapters to the end of Lech Lecha and more than ten years since Avraham’s relocation and we now sense Sarah’s frustration.
God promises that Avraham will be the patriarch of a great nation. Yet with Avraham in his eighties, there are no sons. In an act of desperation, Sarah encourages Avraham to take Hagar, her Egyptian slave so that Avraham can father a son. What can she hope to gain declaring that “perhaps I will be built up from her"? We can just imagine the surprise of both women when Hagar immediately conceives.
Hagar uncharacteristically assumes an air of superiority over Sarah because of her success in carrying Avraham’s progeny in contrast to Sarah’s failure. Sarah is indignant over the disrespect of her slave. Or maybe there is more egging her on. She turns on Avraham and seeks to lay the blame at his feet! Avraham shrugs it off and tells Sarah to do with Hagar as she wishes. So, Sarah torments Hagar until Hagar flees.
Recalling that Sarah is the primal Matriarch, we marvel at this behavior. First, how does a slave suddenly show contempt for her mistress? And how does the righteous Sarah come to treat Hagar so cruelly? How does infertility affect Avraham and Sarah? God promised Avraham an heir; Did God make this same promise to Sarah?
I wonder too about the relationship between Sarah and Hagar. My understanding is that Hagar, discovering she was pregnant, lauds it over her mistress. Hagar wants to be instated as the chief wife, and waits for Avraham to do this.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Avraham was treating Hagar differently - wouldn't he be ecstatic at the prospect of a child?
Sarah may have been somewhat dejected by the immediate turn of events- even though it was her idea for Hagar and Avraham to try for parenthood. Sarah may not have changed her behavior toward Hagar - and that may have been the problem. Hagar expected to now be treated as true royalty. To Sarah she was still just a servant.
I miss the Shabbat morning Chevra - glad to be able to put in my thoughts via the internet.
Kol tuv,
Chaye
Good point. Rashi, cites the Midrash, trying to understand what got into Hagar: Hagar infers her own ability to quickly conceive as proof that she was really the righteous on and Sarah was a fraud. Avraham seems otherwise occupied.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Sarah being "somewhat dejected" might be a bit of an understatement. Bereishis 16.5 seems like fighting words: "May my injustice be on you!...May God judge between me and you!"
No, there is more here. Note well:
Sarah brings Hagar into the mix so that any son would be as if Sarah bore him. But the text is rife with the terminology 'as a wife' (16.3).
Here is what we came up with last Shabbos:
Verse 1 says Sarah had not given birth but does not say why. WE know why; We already read 11.30: "And Sarai was BARREN..." but Sarah did not read parshas Noach. Can she be tested for infertility? Yes. Offer Hagar to Avraham and see if she gets pregnant. She probably is betting she won't. When Hagar does, Sarah realizes that (A) SHE is infertile and (B) Avraham prayed for a son for HIMSELF but did not pray that Sarah be the mother. So this is why Sarah is angry with Avraham. Avraham shrugs it off: That is he declares mea culpa. We will see next week, Sarah prevails as well she should!