Ilustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
Midrash מִדְרָשׁ
Just before Yitzhak meets his bride-to-be, Rivkah, we hear about his precise location:
וְיִצְחָק בָּא מִבּוֹא בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי…
Yitzhak was coming back from going to Be’er Lahai Ro’i…
Why does the Torah mention that Yitzhak was in Be’er Lahai Ro’i? What was he doing there?
הָלַךְ לְהָבִיא אֶת הָגָר, אוֹתָהּ שֶׁיָּשְׁבָה עַל הַבְּאֵר וְאָמְרָה לְחַי הָעוֹלָמִים רְאֵה בְּעֶלְבּוֹנִי.
He had gone to bring Hagar home. She was the one who sat by the well and said to the Life of the World: ‘See (re’eh) my humiliation.’
Remember Be’er Lahai Ro’i from Parashat Lekh Lekha? Two weeks ago, we read about Hagar running to the desert to escape from Sarah. An angel comforted Hagar and she called the place where this all happened Be’er Lahai Ro’i (Bereishit 16:14).
Why would Yitzhak have been going to get Hagar from Be’er Lahai Ro’i?
Rashi says he was bringing Hagar home to Avraham, so that the two of them could continue sharing a life together. Sarah had died, Avraham was now alone, and Yitzhak wanted to help his father.
Most of the parashah seems to be about Avraham helping Yitzhak find a companion in life. The midrash flips this, and shows Yitzhak doing the same for his father!
- What might have made Yitzhak want to care for his father, Avraham?
- What events in Yitzhak’s life might have made him think about Hagar, and want to help her?
- What are the ways that your parents care for you, and how do you also care for them?
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