"And an angel of the Lord called out to Hagar.... Arise, lift up your lad for I shall make him a great nation." (Genesis 21:17,18)

One of the most perplexing stories of the Bible - and the highlight of this week's portion of Vayera - is the Akedah, the "binding" of Isaac. But just before the Akedah, Abraham is commanded by G-d to banish his first-born son
Just before the Akedah, Abraham is commanded by G-d to banish his first-born son Ishmael.
Ishmael from his household. We could easily describe that story as the "binding" - the near-death - of Ishmael.

The Bible introduces the story of the binding of Isaac with the words, "And it happened after these things that the Lord tested Abraham...." What are these things? It may very well be that the Torah is referring to Abraham's harsh treatment of Ishmael. In effect, G-d is saying that if Abraham could send mother and son into the desert with only bread and a jug of water - supplies so inadequate that Hagar would end up watching her son come close to death - then G-d will now command Abraham to bring Isaac to Mount Moriah where he too will be forced to 'watch' his other beloved son narrowly escape death.

Further parallels between Ishmael in the desert and Isaac on Mount Moriah may give credence to a 'measure-for-measure' interpretation. In both events, it is G-d who commands the 'near-sacrifice', and on both occasions we read, "And Abraham rose up early in the morning." (Genesis 21:14, 22:3) In addition, Hagar "goes and wanders in the desert of Be'er Sheba," just as Abraham walks to an uncertain destination, to "one of the mountains which He [G-d] will tell him." (Genesis 21:14; 22:2,3) In both stories, the moment of deliverance occurs when an "angel of G-d" appears and saves the young men, both of whom are referred to as na'ar ("youth") rather than "son" (Genesis 21:17; 22:11,12); and in both instances the sons do not return to live with their father.

Although we have seen various parallels between the two 'bindings,' I'd like to suggest that they are quite different and it's wrong to consider the Akedah story as the measure-for-measure result of Abraham's treatment of Hagar and Ishmael. The fact is that Abraham banishes them only in acquiescence to G-d's command that he listen to Sarah; indeed, the Torah expressly states that "the matter [of the banishment] was very grievous in the eyes of Abraham...." (Genesis 21:11) Abraham only agrees to send mother and son into the desert following G-d's promise, "And I shall also make the son of this maid servant a nation [in his own right] because he is of your seed." (21:13)

I'd like to suggest that the weaving of these near fatal moments in the lives of both Isaac and Ishmael is not meant to illustrate a measure-for-measure punishment; rather, the Torah wants to emphasize that Ishmael is also a son of Abraham, and the similarities between his life and Isaac's - both brothers are saved from near death and both will become founders of great nations. But most important, the lives of these brothers will always be intertwined and inter-related.

Earlier in the Bible, when Hagar became pregnant and Sarah was still barren, Hagar behaved superciliously towards her, causing Sarah to treat her as a handmaiden once again. Distraught, Hagar fled from Sarah's home. An angel of the Lord found her, exhorted her to return to Sarah as a hand-maiden, and then blessed Hagar: "I shall increase, yes increase, your seed, and they shall not be able to be counted because they are so numerous... and behold you are pregnant and shall bear a son; call his name Ishmael...." (Genesis 16:10-11)

This blessing to Hagar's seed paralleled G-d's initial blessing to Abraham: "Look now heavenwards and count the stars; you cannot count them; so shall be your seed." (Genesis 15:5)

The location where G-d bestowed this blessing on Hagar's seed was a well between Kadesh and Bar'ed which Hagar named "the well for the Living G-d who looked after me, Be'er leHai Ro'i." (Genesis 16: 13,14) Indeed, because Ishmael has been significantly blessed by G-d, Isaac seems almost obsessed with Ishmael - or at least with Be'er LaHai Roi - the place where G-d first promised greatness to Hagar's son, and this fixation haunted him throughout his life.

It shouldn't surprise us that since Ishmael is Abraham's first-born, Isaac will always be concerned that his elder brother could become the heir to the Abrahamic patrimony. Hence, the younger Isaac is both attracted to the more dominant, first-born Ishmael, but also jealous of the brother destined to father a great nation. Unlike Ishmael, Isaac is rather meek and withdrawn - witness his reluctance to stand up to Avimelekh even though the King of Gerar has reneged on his contract. His lack of assertiveness and relative passivity could easily make Isaac feel
Isaac will always be concerned that his elder brother could become the heir to the Abrahamic patrimony.
unworthy and lead him to wonder whether his father had greater love and respect for his older brother. Maybe he knew that when G-d informed his father that Sarah was pregnant, Abraham responded, "Would that Ishmael may live before you." (Genesis 17:18)

Beyond jealousy, there is guilt. After all, Isaac could not forget that it was because of him that Ishmael and his mother were banished when the teenaged Ishmael was found to be "sporting" or "mocking" around him. Indeed, Isaac may have even considered the possibility that his father really wanted him out of the way and that the Akedah was a way to clear the path for Ishmael to inherit his mantle. Certainly, after the trauma of the Akedah, Isaac doesn't return with his father to Be'er Sheva, and father and son are never seen together again until the end of Abraham's life.

And so Isaac, due to his conflicted sensitivities and complex relationship with Ishmael, is seen returning to Be'er LeHai Roi (bo mibo - literally: "coming from coming"; Genesis 24: 62), which is where Eliezer finds him when he arrives with Isaac's future wife, Rebecca. Rashi even suggests that Isaac returned to Be'er LeHai Roi in order to bring Hagar back into Abraham's life after Sarah's death: still feeling troubled over Ishmael and Hagar's banishment, Isaac serves as his father's shadchan. And we should remember that the Torah underscores the fact that Abraham is buried by "Isaac and Ishmael, his sons," and the text points out that "Isaac dwelt by Be'er Le'Hai Roi." (Genesis 25: 9-11)

The chapter concludes with the twelve "princes of nations" who were born to Ishmael, paralleling Isaac's twelve grandsons and tribes born to his son Jacob (25:12). Ishmael and Isaac are involved in a perpetual approach-avoidance dance wherein they see each other as rivals, but come to recognize that ultimately they must learn to live together in the same part of the world, where each will become a great nation.

Abraham is indeed the father of a multitude of nations.