The Torah reading for the first day of Rosh HaShanah is generally described as the expulsion of Yishmael and Hagar. However, it is extremely important to note that the reading also includes the brit between Avraham and Avimelech. Often, rabbis are inclined to compare the expulsion of Yishmael to the Akeda of Yitzchak, with the story of Avimelech as a bridge. However, since the chachamim chose to include the story of the brit with Avimelech with today’s reading about the expulsion of Yishmael and Hagar, I would like to compare these two stories. 

Sarah is central to both stories. In his work, Tzror haMor, Rabbi Avraham Saba, 15th c, Spain, Portugal, Morocco & Italy, wrote:

וירע הדבר מאד בעיני אברהם. וכל זה לחזק גלות בניו ביד ישמעאל בעון זה… ולכן אמר לו השם אל ירע בעיניך על הנער…כי שרה רואה למרחוק יותר ממך. ולכן שמע בקולה. כי היא רואה מה שעתיד לעשות לבניך.

Sarah sees the future tensions, violence and cruelty between the two nations and concludes that Avraham must expel Yishmael and Hagar without guilt or worry. Similarly, Avimelech took Sarah as a wife in Bereshit 20:1-2:

וַיִּסַּ֨ע מִשָּׁ֤ם אַבְרָהָם֙ אַ֣רְצָה הַנֶּ֔גֶב וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בֵּין־קָדֵ֖שׁ וּבֵ֣ין שׁ֑וּר וַיָּ֖גׇר בִּגְרָֽר׃

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶל־שָׂרָ֥ה אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח אֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ גְּרָ֔ר וַיִּקַּ֖ח אֶת־שָׂרָֽה׃

Both stories contain the themes of cardinal sins, murder, immortality and idolatry.

Again, Rabbi Avraham Saba wrote:

כשראתה לישמעאל מצחק… שראתה הצדקת בו דברי עבירה ויראה שיוציא את בנה לתרבות רעה.

This is based on the midrashic tradition in Midrash Rabbah Bereshit 53:11 based on the nuanced meanings of the word, מצחק: The root word is used during the incident of the Golden Calf in Exodus 32:6 (“and they rose up to revel/play”). 

וַיַּשְׁכִּ֙ימוּ֙ מִֽמּחֳרָ֔ת וַיַּעֲל֣וּ עֹלֹ֔ת וַיַּגִּ֖שׁוּ שְׁלָמִ֑ים וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב הָעָם֙ לֶֽאֱכֹ֣ל וְשָׁת֔וֹ וַיָּקֻ֖מוּ לְצַחֵֽק׃ {פ}

The Midrash explains that Sarah witnessed the 15-year-old Ishmael bringing idols into his tent and worshipping them, mimicking the practices of their Canaanite neighbors. The word is also used when Potiphar’s wife falsely accuses Joseph of trying to mock/insult her in Genesis 39:17. 

וַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו כַּדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לֵאמֹ֑ר בָּֽא־אֵלַ֞י הָעֶ֧בֶד הָֽעִבְרִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־הֵבֵ֥אתָ לָּ֖נוּ לְצַ֥חֶק בִּֽי׃

The word is used in 2 Samuel 2:14 when soldiers are told to get up and “play” (fight........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)