Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 21

13But I will also make the son of the bondwoman into a nation, for he is also your offspring.”   יגוְגַ֥ם אֶת־בֶּן־הָֽאָמָ֖ה לְג֣וֹי אֲשִׂימֶ֑נּוּ כִּ֥י זַרְעֲךָ֖ הֽוּא:
14Abraham rose early in the morning, took bread and a leather flask of water, and gave them to Hagar. Abraham placed the food on Hagar’s shoulder together with the child, and sent her away. She left and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.   ידוַיַּשְׁכֵּ֣ם אַבְרָהָ֣ם | בַּבֹּ֡קֶר וַיִּקַּח־לֶ֩חֶם֩ וְחֵ֨מַת מַ֜יִם וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֶל־הָ֠גָ֠ר שָׂ֧ם עַל־שִׁכְמָ֛הּ וְאֶת־הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַיְשַׁלְּחֶ֑הָ וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ וַתֵּ֔תַע בְּמִדְבַּ֖ר בְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע:
לֶחֶם וְחֵמַת מַיִם - Bread and a leather flask of water - but not silver and gold, because he hated him since he had adopted evil ways.   לֶחֶם וְחֵמַת מַיִם.  וְלֹא כֶסֶף וְזָהָב, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה שׂוֹנְאוֹ עַל שֶׁיָּצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה:
וְאֶת־הַיֶּלֶד - With the child. Even the child he put on her shoulder, because Sarah had cast an evil eye upon him, so that a fever gripped him and he could not walk on his own.   וְאֶת־הַיֶּלֶד.  אַף הַיֶּלֶד שָׂם עַל שִׁכְמָהּ, שֶׁהִכְנִיסָה בוֹ שָׂרָה עַיִן רָעָה וַאֲחָזַתּוּ חַמָּה וְלֹא יָכוֹל לֵילֵךְ בְּרַגְלָיו (בראשית רבה):
וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתֵּתַע - She left and wandered. She reverted to the idols of her father’s house.   וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתֵּתַע.  חָזְרָה לְגִלּוּלֵי בֵית אָבִיהָ (פרקי דרבי אליעזר פ' ל'):
15When the water from the leather flask was used up, she cast the child under one of the bushes.   טווַיִּכְל֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם מִן־הַחֵ֑מֶת וַתַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד תַּ֖חַת אַחַ֥ד הַשִּׂיחִֽם:
וַיִּכְלוּ הַמַּיִם - The water was used up - because it is usual for sick people to drink much.   וַיִּכְלוּ הַמַּיִם.  לְפִי שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ חוֹלִים לִשְׁתּוֹת הַרְבֵּה:
16She then walked away and sat down at a distance, some bowshots away, for she said, “Let me not look on as the child dies.” She sat at a further distance and burst out crying.   טזוַתֵּ֩לֶךְ֩ וַתֵּ֨שֶׁב לָ֜הּ מִנֶּ֗גֶד הַרְחֵק֙ כִּמְטַֽחֲוֵ֣י קֶ֔שֶׁת כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֔ה אַל־אֶרְאֶ֖ה בְּמ֣וֹת הַיָּ֑לֶד וַתֵּ֣שֶׁב מִנֶּ֔גֶד וַתִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹלָ֖הּ וַתֵּֽבְךְּ:
מִנֶּגֶד - in addition to this word’s usual meaning of “opposite” or “before,” here it carries the added connotation of “at a distance.”   מִנֶּגֶד.  מֵרָחוֹק:
כִּמְטַֽחֲוֵי קֶשֶׁת - Some bowshots away - i.e., the distance of two bowshots. The word כִּמְטַחֲוֵי connotes shooting of an arrow, as we find in Mishnaic Hebrew: “a man had relations (הִטִּיחַ) with his wife,” 1 this word being used because semen shoots like an arrow. If you ask: It should have written כִּמְטַחֵי קֶשֶׁת without a ו, since the root is טחה, the answer is: a ו may typically be inserted here, as in “in the clefts (בְּחַגְוֵי) of the rock,” 2 being of the same root as in “The land of Judah will become the ruin (לְחָגָּא) of Egypt,” 3 and as in “They fall apart (יָחוֹגּוּ) and stagger like a drunkard.” 4 Similarly we find “the ends of (קַצְוֵי) the earth,” 5 which is of the same root as קָצֶה “end.”   כִּמְטַֽחֲוֵי קֶשֶׁת.  כִּשְׁתֵּי טִיחוֹת (בראשית רבה), וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן יְרִיַּת חֵץ, בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה שֶׁהֵטִיחַ בְאִשְׁתּוֹ, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהַזֶּרַע יוֹרֶה כַּחֵץ; וְאִם תֹּאמַר הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב כִּמְטַחֵי קֶשֶׁת, מִשְׁפַּט הַוָּי"ו לִכָּנֵס לְכָאן, כְּמוֹ בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע (שיר השירים ב'), מִגִּזְרַת וְהָיְתָה אַדְמַת יְהוּדָה לְמִצְרַיִם לְחָגָּא (ישעיהו י"ט), וּמִגִּזְרַת יָחוֹגּוּ וְיָנוּעוּ כַּשִּׁכּוֹר (תהילים ק"ז), וְכֵן קַצְוֵי אֶרֶץ (תהילים ס"ה), מִגִּזְרַת קָצֶה:
וַתֵּשֶׁב מִנֶּגֶד - She sat at a further distance. When he was near death, she moved further away.   וַתֵּשֶׁב מִנֶּגֶד.  כֵּיוָן שֶׁקָּרַב לָמוּת הוֹסִיפָה לְהִתְרַחֵק:
17God heard the boy’s voice. So an angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the boy’s voice, considering only where he is with regard to his own moral merit, not judging him for the deeds of his wicked descendants.   יזוַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אֱלֹהִים֘ אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַנַּ֒עַר֒ וַיִּקְרָא֩ מַלְאַ֨ךְ אֱלֹהִ֤ים | אֶל־הָגָר֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָ֖הּ מַה־לָּ֣ךְ הָגָ֑ר אַל־תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֧ע אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶל־ק֥וֹל הַנַּ֖עַר בַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר הוּא־שָֽׁם:
אֶת־קוֹל הַנַּעַר - The boy’s voice. From here we learn that a sick person’s own prayer is more effective than other people’s prayer for him, and it is accepted before theirs.   אֶת־קוֹל הַנַּעַר.  מִכָּאן שֶׁיָּפָה תְּפִלַּת הַחוֹלֶה מִתְּפִלַּת אֲחֵרִים עָלָיו וְהִיא קוֹדֶמֶת לְהִתְקַבֵּל (בראשית רבה):
בַּֽאֲשֶׁר הוּא־שָֽׁם - Where he is - i.e., according to his present deeds he is being judged and not according to his future deeds. For the ministering angels were incriminating him, saying, “Master of the world! For him, whose descendants in the future will kill Your children by thirst, You are going to provide a well!” He replied to them, “What is he now, righteous or evil?” They answered Him, “He is righteous.” He said to them, “I judge him according to his present deeds.” This, then, is what is meant by “where he is.” And where did Ishmael kill the Israelites by thirst? When Nebuchadnezzar exiled them, as it says: “A prophetic message concerning Arabia…. For the thirsty bring water!” 6 When their captors were taking them near the Arabians, descendants of Ishmael, the Israelites said to their captors, “We beg of you, take us to the descendants of our uncle Ishmael, who will have pity on us” – as it says: “caravans of Dedanites (דְּדָנִים)”; 7 do not read דְּדָנִים, but דּוֹדִים (relatives). These Ishmaelites then came out to them, bringing salted meat and fish and flasks inflated with air. The Israelites thought they were full of water, and when each one put it to his mouth and opened it, the air entered his body and he died.   בַּֽאֲשֶׁר הוּא־שָֽׁם.  לְפִי מַעֲשִׂים שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה עַכְשָׁו הוּא נִדּוֹן, וְלֹא לְפִי מַה שֶּׁהוּא עָתִיד לַעֲשׂוֹת (ראש השנה ט"ז), לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מְקַטְרְגִים וְאוֹמְרִים רִבּוֹנו שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מִי שֶׁעָתִיד זַרְעוֹ לְהָמִית בָּנֶיךָ בַּצָּמָא אַתָּה מַעֲלֶה לוֹ בְּאֵר, וְהוּא מְשִׁיבָם עַכְשָׁו מַה הוּא, צַדִּיק אוֹ רָשָׁע? אָמְרוּ לוֹ צַדִּיק, אָמַר לָהֶם לְפִי מַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁל עַכְשָׁו אֲנִי דָנוֹ, וְזֶהוּ בַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא שָׁם. וְהֵיכָן הֵמִית אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּצָּמָא? כְּשֶׁהֶגְלָם נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מַשָּׂא בַּעְרָב וְגוֹ' לִקְרַאת צָמֵא הֵתָיוּ מָיִם וְגוֹ' (ישעיהו כ"א), כְּשֶׁהָיוּ מוֹלִיכִין אוֹתָם אֵצֶל עַרְבִיִּים, הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים לְשׁוֹבֵיהֶם בְּבַקָּשָׁה מִכֶּם הוֹלִיכוּנוּ אֵצֶל בְּנֵי דוֹדֵנוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל וִירַחֲמוּ עָלֵינוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֹרְחוֹת דְּדָנִים (שם) – אַל תִּקְרֵי דְּדָנִים אֶלָּא דּוֹדִים – וְאֵלּוּ יוֹצְאִים לִקְרָאתָם וּמְבִיאִין לָהֶם בָּשָׂר וְדָג מָלוּחַ וְנוֹדוֹת נְפוּחִים, כִּסְבוּרִים יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵם מְלֵאִים מַיִם, וּכְשֶׁמַּכְנִיסוֹ לְתוֹךְ פִּיו וּפוֹתְחוֹ, הָרוּחַ נִכְנֶסֶת בְּגוּפוֹ וּמֵת:
18Rise, lift up the boy, and grasp him with your hand, for I will make of him a great nation.”   יחק֚וּמִי שְׂאִ֣י אֶת־הַנַּ֔עַר וְהַֽחֲזִ֥יקִי אֶת־יָדֵ֖ךְ בּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל אֲשִׂימֶֽנּוּ:
19God then opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the leather flask with water and gave the boy to drink.   יטוַיִּפְקַ֤ח אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־עֵינֶ֔יהָ וַתֵּ֖רֶא בְּאֵ֣ר מָ֑יִם וַתֵּ֜לֶךְ וַתְּמַלֵּ֤א אֶת־הַחֵ֨מֶת֙ מַ֔יִם וַתַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־הַנָּֽעַר:
20God was with the boy and he grew up; he lived in the desert and became an archer, robbing travelers.   כוַיְהִ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הַנַּ֖עַר וַיִּגְדָּ֑ל וַיֵּ֨שֶׁב֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וַיְהִ֖י רֹבֶ֥ה קַשָּֽׁת:
רֹבֶה קַשָּֽׁת - means one who shoots arrows with a bow.   רֹבֶה קַשָּֽׁת.  יוֹרֶה חִצִּים בְּקֶשֶׁת:
קַשָּֽׁת - refers to the trade (a bowman), like חַמָּר (a donkey driver), גַּמָּל (a camel driver), צַיָּד (a hunter), and therefore the ש has a dagesh. He would live in the desert and rob travelers. Thus it says concerning him: “His hand will be set against everyone….” 8   קַשָּֽׁת.  עַל שֵׁם הָאֻמָּנוּת, כְּמוֹ חַמָּר, גַּמָּל, צַיָּד, לְפִיכָך הַשִּׁי"ן מֻדְגֶּשֶׁת. הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בַּמִּדְבָּר וּמְלַסְטֵם אֶת הָעוֹבְרִים, הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר יָדוֹ בַכֹּל וְגוֹמֵר:
21He settled in the Paran Desert, and his mother took him a wife from among the girls of Egypt.   כאוַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר פָּארָ֑ן וַתִּקַּח־ל֥וֹ אִמּ֛וֹ אִשָּׁ֖ה מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם - From Egypt. From the place where she grew up, as it says: “Sarai had an Egyptian bondwoman whose name was Hagar.” 9 That is the proverb people say: “Throw a stick into the air and it will fall to its root.”   מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם.  מִמְּקוֹם גִּדּוּלֶיהָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְלָהּ שִׁפְחָה מִצְרִית וְגוֹ' (בראשית ט״ז:א׳), הַיְנוּ דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי זְרֹק חוּטְרָא לַאֲוִירָא, אֲעִיקְּרֵיהּ קָאֵי: