Lech Lchah

Chapter 16

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An Egyptian handmaid: She was Pharaoh's daughter. When he [Pharaoh] saw the miracles that were
performed for Sarah, he said "Better that my daughter be a servant-maid in this house rather than the mistress of
another house."
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Perhaps I will be built-up through her: This teaches that a person with no children is not considered
"built-up" but, rather, "demolished."
Built-up through her: Because of the merit of admitting my rival into my home.
To the voice of Sarai: To the prophecy that was within her.
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Sarai took: She took her with words "How fortunate you are that you are privileged to cleave to as holy a body
as this."
At the end of ten years: The time allotted to a woman for whom ten years have passed without having borne
children to her husband. He is then obligated to marry another.
That Avram had lived, etc: This tells us that the years of residence outside of Eretz Yisrael do not count in
this number, because he was not told "And I shall make you into a great nation," until he would come into Eretz
Yisrael.
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He came to Hagar and she conceived: From the first intercourse.
Her mistress became slighted in her eyes: She [Hagar] thought this [woman] Sarai is not the same in
private as she is in public. She pretends to be a righteous woman, but, is not [really] righteous, because she was
not privileged to conceive all these years, but, I have become pregnant from the first intercourse.
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The insult against me is your fault: For the wrong that had been done to me I call for you to be punished.
Wwhen you prayed to God "What will You give me since I continue to be childless?" you prayed only for
yourself. You should have prayed for us both and I would have been remembered along with you. Furthermore
"You have unrightfully withheld your words from me for you have heard my shame and remained silent."
I gave my maid, etc., between me and you: Every _:'a in Torah is spelled "lacking" (without the second
yud), but this one is spelled "full" _'_:'J. It may thus also be read _'_:'J (second person feminine), for she cast
an evil eye on Hagar's pregnancy, and she miscarried her fetus. That is why the angel said to Hagar, "Behold, you
will conceive." But was she not already pregnant? Yet he announces to her that she will conceive? But this
teaches that she miscarried her first pregnancy.



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Sarai dealt harshly with her: She made her work hard.
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From where have you come?: "From where have you come?" he knew. It was only to give her an opening---
to enter into conversation with her. The expression means Where is the place about which you can say, "From
this place I have come."
The angel said to her, etc: For each statement a different angel was sent to her. Therefore, the word "angel"
(and not a pronoun) is used for each and every statement.
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A wild, uncivilized man: One who loves the wilderness to hunt wild animals, as is written "He settled in the
wilderness of Paran; he became an expert archer."
His hand against everyone: A robber.
And everyone's hand will be against him: Everyone will hate him and will attack him.
In the presence of all his brothers he will dwell: His descendants will be many.
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Have I also?: It is an expression of wonder "Would I ever have thought that even here in the wilderness I
would see messengers of God after my having seen them in the house of Avraham where it was usual for me to
see angels? You may know that she was used to seeing them, for Monoach saw an angel once and he said, "We
shall certainly die!," whereas she saw them four times one after another, and did not become frightened.
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And Avram named, etc: Though Avram did not hear the words of the angel who said, "And call his name
Yishmael," yet, the Holy Spirit rested upon him and he called him Yishmael.
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Avram was eighty-six, etc: This is written in praise of Yishmael, to let us know that he was thirteen years old
when he was circumcised and did not oppose it.