Expulsion of Hagar in Art & Literature

5-14
Genesis 21:14-16
Shalom Bayit for the point of view of both the ideal and practical
Ideal. State of holiness when the relation is harmonious
Practical. Joseph Mesler. Not mean tranquility. Compromise and restraint to preserve harmony.
In past the term was used to alleviate abuse of a spouse. Only in the past twenty years has it been recognized as a mask. "for the sake of shalom bayit.”

Book Reference: "the Chalice and the Blade Our History, Our Future” By Riane Eisler.

Contemporary midrashim. Peter Pitzele. Book: Our Fathers’ Wells. (BiblioDrama)

From Ismael’s point of view. Protests the situations. The voice of the outcast.


Question about the teaching parenting... And God. Poem by Yehuda Amichai
A cut and paste type of Bible. To take out the parts that are difficult.
Shadow of what we don't like in ourselves. Ishmael represents what they want to separate from being Jewish.

Abraham's story. A man who is continually asked to give up what he loves for his faith in God.
Art :
Book: Phyllis Kramer - The dismissal of Hagar in five works of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
Dutch art it is a popular subject.
Expulsion of Hagar. Rembrant did it five times. Abraham central but not in control. Hagar and Ishmael are clearly distressed. Sarah in background looking pleased behind a pillar.

Hagar leaves: “She wandered”
Rashi. She returned to the idolatry of her fathers house. A spiritual wandering rather than geographical.
Eli Munk. Retun to pagan way. But Ishmael is the one who God responds to.

“Water runs out.”
Commentators are Troubled by this. Suggests that Abraham didn't give enough. But Ibn Ezra says it was because she wandered. Rashi. Suggests that Ishmael was sick and needed more water. Sick because Sarah put evil curse on him.
Hagar in desert. Geographic wilderness
V15. Threw boy under one of the bushes. Verb is to throw or cast. Shocking moment. Midrash says that he is weak and about to die.
Commentators are critical of her. She is throwing away her child.