Chayei Sarah
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week's parsha of the death of Sarah Imeinu and at the end of the parsha we read of the petirah of Araham Avinu. The Torah mentions the burial of Avraham and tells us (Chapter 25, Pasuk 9), Vayikberu Oso Yitzchak V'Yishmael Banv el Me'aras Hamachpelah. Yitzchak and Yishmael the sons of Avraham buried him in Me'aras Hamachpelah. Rashi comments on the fact that Yitzchak's name is mentioned first that we see from here that Yishmael did teshuva since he let Yitzchak go before him.
Why does this indicate that Yishmael did teshuva? Surely as the oldest he had a right to lead the funeral procession. And Yishmael's problems were much greater, as Rashi explains in the pasuk in parshat Vayeira (Chapter 21, Pasuk 9) on the word "Metzachek", that Yishmael was involved in the most serious aveiros. Where do we see that he did teshuva from idolatry, immorality, and murder?
The Ramban in his commentary on the pasuk above of Vayikberu Oso Yitzchak V'Yishmael Banv el Me'aras Hamachpelah, brings the words of the Medrash Rabbah (62, 3). The Medrash says, Kan Ben Ha'Amah Choleik Kavod L'Ben Ha'Gevirah. Here the son of the maidservant gave honor to the son of the distinguished woman. And the Ramban doesn't add anything to these words of the Medrash. What is the Ramban teaching us?
The Meshech Chachmah explains that according to the Seforno in parshat Vayeira, the reason Sarah asked Avraham to send Yishmael away was not because of the three major aveiros. Rather he explains the word Metzachek in its simple meaning of laughing or scoffing. According to the Seforno, Yishmael was spreading the evil gossip of the "Letzanei HaDor", the scoffers of the generation who claimed that Sarah conceived Yitzchak from Avimelech (see Rashi on Chapter 25, Pasuk 19). This is why Sarah sent him out. Therefore, when Yishmael has Yitzchak go before him and lead the way in accompanying Avraham to his final resting place, he is doing teshuva and acknowledging Yitzchak as also being the son of Avraham.
The Meshech Chachmah adds that Yishmael really had no business being involved in such slander. When the angel informs Avraham that he will have a child and Sarah hears it as well (Chapter 18, Pasuk 10), the pasuk ends with the words, V'Hu Acharav. The Medrash Rabbah (48, 16) teaches that the person standing behind was Yishmael and he overheard the conversation. He should have believed the words of the angel and understood that Avraham was the father of Yitzchak. His teshuva included having faith and belief in the angel of Gd.
The Ramban brings the same p'shat as the Seforno in the word "Metzachek". He also teaches that Yishmael was scoffing and questioning Yitzchak's lineage. This is why when Sarah asks Avraham to send him away, she doesn't refer to Yishmael by name but rather calls Yishmael "ben ha'amah". He is scoffing my son when he himself is from low lineage. He must leave my home and will not inherit with my son.
This, then, is what the Ramban is teaching us in our parsha by quoting the Medrash, Kan Ben Ha'Amah Choleik Kavod L'Ben Ha'Gevirah. The Medrash is teaching us the teshuva of Yishmael. Here he truly acknowledges not only that Yitzchak is the son of Avraham, but that he is from greater stock being the son the illustrious Sarah Imeinu, while he stems from Hagar the maidservant. Though Yishmael is older, he is not a bechor. Though they share the same father, their mothers were very different. And both of these facts were only acknowledged by Yishmael at the end of Avraham's life when he did teshuva at the burial of Avraham Avinu.
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