Seder Yomi

Chapter Previewהַקְדָּמָה

In this aliyah, we learn about the painful but necessary sending away of Hagar and Yishmael. Hashem reassures Avraham Avinu that Yishmael will also become a nation because he is Avraham's seed. Avraham rises early in the morning, showing his eagerness to fulfill Hashem's ratzon, and sends Hagar away with bread and water.

We then see the difficult journey of Hagar and Yishmael in the midbar. When the water runs out, Hagar despairs and casts the child under a bush, unable to watch him suffer. But Hashem, in His infinite rachmanus, hears the cry of the young lad and sends an angel to comfort Hagar.

All introductions, summaries, and contextual notes are the editor's commentary and are not part of the original text.אַלע הַקְדָּמוֹת, סִכּוּמִים, און הערות זענען דעם רעדאַקטאָר'ס באַמערקונגען און זענען נישט קיין טייל פונעם אָריגינעלן טעקסט.

פָּסוּק א

Pasuk 1

וְגַםAnd alsoאֶת—בֶּןthe son ofהָאָמָהthe maidservantלְגוֹיinto a nationאֲשִׂימֶנּוּI will make himכִּיbecauseזַרְעֲךָyour seedהוּא׃he is

פָּסוּק ב

Pasuk 2

וַיַּשְׁכֵּםAnd he arose earlyאַבְרָהָםAvrahamבַּבֹּקֶרin the morningוַיִּקַּחand he tookלֶחֶםbreadוְחֵמַתand a flask ofמַיִםwaterוַיִּתֵּןand he gaveאֶלtoהָגָרHagarשָׂםhe placedעַלuponשִׁכְמָהּher shoulderוְאֶתand —הַיֶּלֶדthe childוַיְשַׁלְּחֶהָand he sent herוַתֵּלֶךְand she wentוַתֵּתַעand she strayedבְּמִדְבַּרin the wilderness ofבְּאֵרBeerשָׁבַע׃Sheva

רַשִׁ״י

לחםbreadוחמתand a flask ofמים.waterוְלֹאand notכֶסֶףsilverוְזָהָב,and goldלְפִיbecauseשֶׁהָיָהthat he wasשׂוֹנְאוֹhating himעַלoverשֶׁיָּצָאthat he went outלְתַרְבּוּתto a cultureרָעָה:evil

רַשִׁ״י

ואתand —הילד.the childאַףevenהַיֶּלֶדthe childשָׂםhe placedעַלonשִׁכְמָהּ,her shoulderשֶׁהִכְנִיסָהfor she castבוֹin himשָׂרָהSarahעַיִןan eyeרָעָהevilוַאֲחָזַתּוּand seized himחַמָּהa feverוְלֹאand notיָכוֹלhe was ableלֵילֵךְto walkבְּרַגְלָיוon his feetבראשיתBereishisרבהRabbah:

רַשִׁ״י

ותלךAnd she wentותתע.and she wanderedחָזְרָהshe returnedלְגִלּוּלֵיto the idols ofבֵיתthe house ofאָבִיהָher fatherפרקיPirkeiדרביDeRabbiאליעזרEliezerפ'chapterל'30:

פָּסוּק ג

Pasuk 3

וַיִּכְלוּAnd were finishedהַמַּיִםthe waterמִןfromהַחֵמֶתthe skinוַתַּשְׁלֵךְand she castאֶת—הַיֶּלֶדthe childתַּחַתunderאַחַדone ofהַשִּׂיחִם׃the bushes

רַשִׁ״י

ויכלוAnd was spentהמים.the waterלְפִיbecauseשֶׁדֶּרֶךְthat the way ofחוֹלִיםsick people isלִשְׁתּוֹתto drinkהַרְבֵּה:much

פָּסוּק ד

Pasuk 4

וַתֵּלֶךְAnd she wentוַתֵּשֶׁבand she satלָהּherselfמִנֶּגֶדfrom oppositeהַרְחֵקdistancingכִּמְטַחֲוֵיlike the draw ofקֶשֶׁתa bowכִּיforאָמְרָהshe saidאַלlet me notאֶרְאֶהlookבְּמוֹתupon the death ofהַיָּלֶדthe childוַתֵּשֶׁבand she satמִנֶּגֶדfrom oppositeוַתִּשָּׂאand she raisedאֶת—קֹלָהּher voiceוַתֵּבְךְּ׃and she wept

רַשִׁ״י

מנגד.From oppositeמֵרָחוֹק:from afar

רַשִׁ״י

כמטחויas two bowshotsקשת.of a bowכִּשְׁתֵּיlike twoטִיחוֹתshootingsבראשיתBereishisרבהRabbah,וְהוּאand itלְשׁוֹןan expression ofיְרִיַּתshooting ofחֵץ,an arrowבִּלְשׁוֹןin the language ofמִשְׁנָהthe Mishnahשֶׁהֵטִיחַwho shotבְאִשְׁתּוֹ,with his wifeעַלonשֵׁםaccount ofשֶׁהַזֶּרַעthat the seedיוֹרֶהshootsכַּחֵץ;like an arrowוְאִםand ifתֹּאמַרyou will sayהָיָהit wasלוֹfor itלִכְתֹּבto writeכִּמְטַחֵיas the shootings ofקֶשֶׁת,a bowמִשְׁפַּטthe rule ofהַוָּי"וthe letter vavלִכָּנֵסis to enterלְכָאן,to hereכְּמוֹlikeבְּחַגְוֵיin the clefts ofהַסֶּלַעthe rockשירShirהשיריםha-Shirimב'two,מִגִּזְרַתfrom the derivation ofוְהָיְתָהand shall beאַדְמַתthe land ofיְהוּדָהYehudahלְמִצְרַיִםto Mitzrayimלְחָגָּאfor a dreadישעיהוYeshayahuי"טnineteen,וּמִגִּזְרַתand from the derivation ofיָחוֹגּוּthey reelוְיָנוּעוּand staggerכַּשִּׁכּוֹרlike a drunkardתהיליםTehillimק"זone hundred seven,וְכֵןand soקַצְוֵיthe ends ofאֶרֶץearthתהיליםTehillimס"הsixty-five,מִגִּזְרַתfrom the derivation ofקָצֶה:end

רַשִׁ״י

ותשבAnd she satמנגד.at a distanceכֵּיוָןonceשֶׁקָּרַבhe drew nearלָמוּתto dieהוֹסִיפָהshe addedלְהִתְרַחֵק:to distance herself

פָּסוּק ה

Pasuk 5

וַיִּשְׁמַעAnd heardאֱלֹהִיםGodאֶת—קוֹלthe voice ofהַנַּעַרthe youthוַיִּקְרָאand calledמַלְאַךְan angel ofאֱלֹהִיםGodאֶלtoהָגָרHagarמִןfromהַשָּׁמַיִםthe heavensוַיֹּאמֶרand he saidלָהּto herמַהwhatלָּךְis to youהָגָרHagarאַלdo notתִּירְאִיfearכִּיforשָׁמַעheardאֱלֹהִיםGodאֶלtoקוֹלthe voice ofהַנַּעַרthe youthבַּאֲשֶׁרin whereהוּאheשָׁם׃is there

רַשִׁ״י

את—קולthe voice ofהנער.the ladמִכָּאןfrom hereשֶׁיָּפָהthat is betterתְּפִלַּתthe prayer ofהַחוֹלֶהthe sick personמִתְּפִלַּתthan the prayer ofאֲחֵרִיםothersעָלָיוfor himוְהִיאand itקוֹדֶמֶתcomes firstלְהִתְקַבֵּלto be acceptedבראשיתBereishisרבהRabbah:

רַשִׁ״י

באשרin thatהואheשם.is thereלְפִיaccording toמַעֲשִׂיםdeedsשֶׁהוּאthat heעוֹשֶׂהdoesעַכְשָׁוnowהוּאheנִדּוֹן,is judgedוְלֹאand notלְפִיaccording toמַהwhatשֶּׁהוּאthat heעָתִידis destinedלַעֲשׂוֹתto doראשRoshהשנהHashanahט"ז16a,לְפִיbecauseשֶׁהָיוּthat wereמַלְאֲכֵיthe angels ofהַשָּׁרֵתthe serviceמְקַטְרְגִיםprosecutingוְאוֹמְרִיםand sayingרִבּוֹנוMasterשֶׁלofעוֹלָם,the universeמִיoneשֶׁעָתִידwho is destinedזַרְעוֹhis offspringלְהָמִיתto killבָּנֶיךָyour childrenבַּצָּמָאwith thirstאַתָּהYouמַעֲלֶהbring upלוֹfor himבְּאֵר,a wellוְהוּאand Heמְשִׁיבָםanswers themעַכְשָׁוnowמַהwhatהוּא,is heצַדִּיקrighteousאוֹorרָשָׁע?wickedאָמְרוּthey saidלוֹto Himצַדִּיק,righteousאָמַרHe saidלָהֶםto themלְפִיaccording toמַעֲשָׂיוhis deedsשֶׁלofעַכְשָׁוnowאֲנִיIדָנוֹ,judge himוְזֶהוּand this isבַּאֲשֶׁרin thatהוּאheשָׁם.is thereוְהֵיכָןand whereהֵמִיתdid he killאֶת—יִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelבַּצָּמָא?with thirstכְּשֶׁהֶגְלָםwhen exiled themנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר,Nebuchadnezzarשֶׁנֶּאֱמַרas it is saidמַשָּׂאThe burdenבַּעְרָבupon Arabiaוְגוֹ'etc.לִקְרַאתtowardצָמֵאthe thirstyהֵתָיוּbringמָיִםwaterוְגוֹ'etc.ישעיהוYeshayahuכ"א21,כְּשֶׁהָיוּwhen they wereמוֹלִיכִיןleadingאוֹתָםthemאֵצֶלnearעַרְבִיִּים,ArabiansהָיוּwereיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelאוֹמְרִיםsayingלְשׁוֹבֵיהֶםto their captorsבְּבַקָּשָׁהpleaseמִכֶּםfrom youהוֹלִיכוּנוּlead usאֵצֶלnearבְּנֵיthe children ofדוֹדֵנוּour uncleיִשְׁמָעֵאלIshmaelוִירַחֲמוּand they will pityעָלֵינוּ,usשֶׁנֶּאֱמַרas it is saidאֹרְחוֹתcaravans ofדְּדָנִיםDedanitesשםibid.–אַלdo notתִּקְרֵיreadדְּדָנִיםDedanitesאֶלָּאbutדּוֹדִיםkinsmen–וְאֵלּוּand theseיוֹצְאִיםgo outלִקְרָאתָםtoward themוּמְבִיאִיןand bringלָהֶםto themבָּשָׂרmeatוְדָגand fishמָלוּחַsaltedוְנוֹדוֹתand water-skinsנְפוּחִים,inflatedכִּסְבוּרִיםbelievingיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelשֶׁהֵםthat theyמְלֵאִיםare full ofמַיִם,waterוּכְשֶׁמַּכְנִיסוֹand when he places itלְתוֹךְintoפִּיוhis mouthוּפוֹתְחוֹ,and opens itהָרוּחַthe airנִכְנֶסֶתentersבְּגוּפוֹhis bodyוּמֵת:and he dies

Chapter Summaryסִכּוּם

The aliyah details Avraham Avinu sending Hagar and Yishmael into the wilderness of Beer-sheba with minimal provisions. When their water is depleted, Hagar leaves Yishmael under a bush and sits at a distance, weeping so she will not witness his death. Hashem hears the cry of the boy from where he is, and an angel calls out to Hagar from Shamayim, telling her not to fear because Hashem has heeded the boy's tefillah.

לְמַעֲשֶׂהWhat To Take Home

The Torah is telling us a remarkable thing here. When Yishmael was dying of thirst in the desert, Hagar ran away because she could not bear to watch him suffer. But what does the pasuk say? "And God heard the cry of the boy... where he is." Rashi brings down the famous Chazal that the angels were complaining to Hashem, saying, "Ribono shel Olam, this boy is going to grow up to kill Your children with thirst! How can You save him?" And Hashem answered them, "Right now, at this very moment, is he a tzaddik or a rasha?" They answered, "A tzaddik." Hashem said, "I judge a person only 'ba'asher hu sham', according to his state right now."

Think about the depth of this chiddush. The midah of Hashem is to look at a Yid exactly as he is standing before Him in the present moment. Hashem does not say, "Well, look at his past failures," or "Look what is going to happen with him tomorrow when he faces that nisayon again." If a Yid turns to Hashem right now with a sincere heart, with a real tefillah, Hashem hears him immediately. The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and Hashem is davka looking at the "now."

We must learn to treat ourselves and others with this same midah. Sometimes the yetzer hara comes and makes a person feel completely worthless. He thinks, "Why should Hashem listen to my tefillah today? Look at how I acted yesterday, and I know I will probably slip up again tomorrow." This is a dangerous sheker. The Torah is teaching us that Hashem is "ba'asher hu sham." If you are trying right now, if you are crying out to Hashem right now, that is all that matters. Mimeila, we must also look at our children, our spouses, and our friends this way, not holding onto their past mistakes, but seeing the good they are trying to do right now.

Today, when you stand to daven or when you feel overwhelmed by your past mistakes, stop and remind yourself: Hashem is judging me "ba'asher hu sham", only on who I am at this very second. Take one minute to make a clean break from the past, turn to Hashem with a simple, honest tefillah from the bottom of your heart, and trust that He is listening to you right now.