What was Yishmael Doing (to Yitzchak?)?

Parshat Vayera 

by Rabbi Avi Billet

            

In all of the Torah, Yishmael and Yitzchak have (maybe) one encounter, other than burying Avraham together. As the Torah describes Avraham making a party over Yitzchak's weaning, it describes Sarah's concern over what she witnessed: Yishmael was "m'tzachek," perhaps towards or with Yitzchak. Or not.

            

What does "m'tzachek" mean?

            

Avimelekh will later witness Yitzchak being "m'tzachek" his wife. I don't know of any commentary who views that as a negative act.

            

Certainly in context, with everyone smiling and laughing over the birth of Yitzchak (the root "tzchok" appears five times in 8 verses), one would think Yishmael is doing nothing out of the ordinary to Yitzchak.

            

Midrash Aggada suggests he bent over and kissed him. This should be viewed as nothing more than an older brother kissing his cute little brother. Until you read that the Midrash compares the "m'tzachek" verb to a similar one describing the lewd behavior surrounding the worship of the Golden Calf. (Why not compare it the word in the Yitzchak/Rivkah context?)

            

Midrash also records the more well known opinion (made famous by Rashi) that Yishmael was pulling a "William Tell" move on Yitzchak, perhaps with the intent to kill (based on verses in Mishlei 26:18-19).

            

Rabbi Akiva compares our "m'tzachek" verb to the one used by Potiphar's wife in her accusing Yosef of trying to seduce her (based on Bereshit 39:17), while Rabbi Yishmael (ironically) suggests he was teaching Yitzchak about idolatry (comparing to the Golden Calf verse). Rabbi Eliezer (son of Rabbi Yosi Haglili) said "m'tzachek" refers to murder, as he compared it to Samuel II 2:14. (Pesikta Zutrasa)

            

Onkelos said "Mtzachek" means he was smiling. While Targum YOnatan suggests idolatry.

            

Ibn Ezra suggests Sarah was jealous because Yishmael was bigger than her son. Radak says Yitzchak was an easy target because his parents were "old."

            

Ramban rejects a whole host of views and concludes that it's all a question of inheritance. Yishmael was born as a result of Sarah's graciousness in giving Hagar to Avraham. Now that she had borne Yitzchak and he was to inherit, Sarah did not want Yishmael to get too comfortable with Yitzchak – to avoid fights in the future. (See also Rashbam and Midrash Sechel Tov)

            

Chizkuni felt that Yishmael was trying to play with Yitzchak in a mature – not age-appropriate way. Which Sarah viewed as a threat to her son's well-being.

            

Seforno says Yishmael was mocking the party Avraham had made in Yitzchak's honor, particularly as he spread the barnyard slander he had heard of people claiming Avimelekh was the father of the baby. This never bothered Sarah until she heard it from Yishmael, because before then she had been preoccupied with the birth and getting back to routine.

            

The Malbim suggests this is the reason why Sarah refers to him as "the son of Hagar the Egyptian" as if to contrast him with her own son – who is clearly her son, with Avraham, as the Torah repeatedly confirms.

            

In an extreme interpretation, Rabbenu Bachya even suggests Yishmael’s mocking behavior warranted a death sentence, because a servant who mocks his master may be killed. From this perspective, the subsequent banishment was actually saving Yishmael’s life.

            

I personally prefer the approach of the Tosefta – even though Ramban rejects it – because it looks at the context of what Sarah is saying, "Banish him because he will not inherit with my son, with Yitzchak."

            

The Tosefta suggests that Sarah saw the "m'tzachek" to be a mocking of everyone who was celebrating Yitzchak's birth as the birth of the inheritor. "I am the firstborn," thought Yishmael, "and I am obviously going to inherit the double portion that is my rite and entitlement – everyone who thinks otherwise is a fool."

            

It is true that the possibilities abound, but the imperative question to address is how much of a thought process did Yishmael have? Was he so vindictive and evil? Or was he just a teenager?

            

Was he – a person who grew up in Avraham's home – really so troubled that he could engage in idolatry, murder, immorality?

            

We raise our children and we don't agree with all of their choices. In some cases, their choices really trouble us.

            

But there are some things which are so ingrained in their personalities and upbringing that, barring a real psychological episode, we can be nearly 100% certain they will not be engaging in activities that are so against the very fabric of our essence and our nature as the Jewish people.

            

May we merit to fulfill the positive sides of "m'tzachek" with our families and loved ones. And may the negative "m'tzachek" interpretations remain in the realm of homiletics and drash. A nice thought, but not a reflection of who we are. Amen.