Chavarah- Jewish Community Learning

A blog of Jewish study and traditions. Notes from classes: Torah Study with Rabbi Marder, Toledot and Shabbaton as well as other details found of interest.

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Saturday, April 16, 2011

The Weaning Feast

Torah study 4-16
Genesis 21:1-10

Naomi Rosenblat : Book Wrestling with Angels.
Dream about the future. Dream fulfillment is really a starting point with new challenges.
Sarah is caught unprepared for the new challenges for their family.

Weaning feast: Rashi- Feast with wine. Great feast because the great men of the area were there including Avimelach.
Abraham made a mistake because he didn't invite the poor. Must also give joy to the poor.
Hafitz Hayim. Whatever is ok for your family is ok for anyone. Give 3% of what you spend on the party to the poor.
Rambam. Rejoicing of the belly. Share joy with others.

v9. When issaac is about 3 and Ishmael is 14. Sarah sees the son of Hagar. What did she see?
Playing. Laughing. Mocking. Taunting. Scoffing. Toying with him sexually. - The interpretations of the word leaves the translation unclear.
Same root word as Itzak. Laughing. But differently need to look at how the word is used in different places and look at the context.
What Sarah sees provokes her to her action.
Midrash about Ishmael is violent with Isaac about the inheritance.

Different interpretations. From influence of the older child. Either they were close or hostile but both dangerous.
This Son of this slave will not suitable for the inheritance.

v10. Expels Hagar. Cast out.
Some scholars blame Sarah.
Sarah speaks to Abraham directly.. She orders him to cast out Hagar and her son no acknowledgement of any connection to Abraham.

Contemporary commentaries:
Nachum Sarna legal position of Ishmael. Abrahams son. Then change when Isaac born?
Laws of Hamarabi. Make inheritance rights based on laws on slaves. Giving Hagar freedom will cut the ties of inheritance.

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