After God tells Avraham that Sarah, his wife, would have a child, Avraham declares “if only Yishmael would live before you.” (Genesis 17:18)  Yishmael was Avraham’s child from Hagar.  Bearing in mind that God had just promised Avraham a son from Sarah, this is a strange response.  Could it be that Avraham at this point in time felt that Yishmael would be the second patriarch?

He may have felt this way because of the Covenant of the Pieces presented previously in Chapter 15.  Here, God tells Avraham redemption would come only after his children would be strangers (ger), slaves (avadim) who would be afflicted (inui). (Genesis 15:13)

Following this chapter, the Torah tells us of Hagar’s relationship with Avraham.  She is called Hagar, which may be a play on the word ger (Ha-ger, the stranger).  She was also a maid-servant and in that sense the female counterpart of a slave.  And the Torah declares she was afflicted by Sarah. (Genesis 16:6)  These three factors seem to reflect perfectly those indicated in the Covenant of the Pieces.

Is it possible that Hagar comes to believe that she would be the bearer of Avraham’s covenantal seed?  Indeed, as she wanders in the desert the angel says to her that she would have a child: “And you shall call his name Yishmael because the Lord has heard your affliction.” (Genesis 16:11)  The angels words are definitely shared with Avraham for he himself calls the child born to him and Hagar, Yishmael.

Thus, in Chapter 17, when God reaffirms the brit (covenant) with Avraham, Avraham must have assumed it would be through Yishmael (Genesis 17:1-8).  It is in this context that God tells Avraham that a child would be born to Sarah.  (Genesis 17:16)  Avraham is understandably confused and cries out, isn’t Yishmael that child?  It is here that God reaffirms the covenant declaring Yishmael would become a great nation, but the covenantal continuity will be through Yitzhak. (Genesis 17:19-21)

Today the Palestinians are claiming to be the true children of Avraham.  They insist that they are the ones afflicted.  They see themselves as the David fighting the Goliath, Israel.  In reality, it is Israel that continues to be in the role of David, physically surrounded by the Goliath of 22 Arab nations.

The attempt to strip the Jewish people of its Jewish covenantal mission is not new.  Yishmael tried to do the same in biblical times.  This week’s portion declares that while Yishmael may be the loved son of Avraham, Yitzhak is the covenantal son whose descendants are entitled to the land of Israel.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Avi Weiss