וַיָּבֹ֥א אֶל־הָגָ֖ר וַתַּ֑הַר וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וַתֵּקַ֥ל גְּבִרְתָּ֖הּ בְּעֵינֶֽיהָ׃
Y él cohabitó con Agar, la cual concibió: y cuando vió que había concebido, miraba con desprecio á su señora.
Bereshit Rabbah
“He consorted with Hagar, and she conceived; she saw that she conceived, and her mistress was diminished in her eyes” (Genesis 16:4).
“He consorted with Hagar, and she conceived” – Rabbi Levi bar Ḥayata said: She conceived from the initial act of intercourse. Rabbi Elazar said: A woman never conceives from her initial act of intercourse. But is it not written: “Lot’s two daughters conceived from their father”? (Genesis 19:36). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: They manipulated themselves, broke their hymens, and conceived as though it were from a second act of intercourse.
Rabbi Ḥanina ben Pazi said: Thornbushes are neither weeded nor sown, yet they emerge on their own, grow tall, and rise up; as for wheat, [however,] how much travail and how much toil [must one undertake] until they grow.18Plants of great worth have much more difficulty growing and prospering than worthless weeds. This is a metaphor for people. The most righteous women often have the most difficulty with procreation. Why were the matriarchs barren?19Sarah, Rebecca and Rachel all had great difficulty conceiving. Rabbi Sheila of Kefar Temarta and Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: It is because the Holy One blessed be He desires their prayers and desires their supplications, as it is stated: “My dove, in the clefts of the rock” (Song of Songs 2:14). “My dove, in the clefts” – why did I render you barren?20As infertile as rocks. It is for this reason: “Show me your countenance, let me hear your voice” (Song of Songs 2:14).
Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan bar Pappa: It was so that they would become beloved to their husbands in their beauty. Rabbi Huna in name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: So that most of the years would pass without enslavement.21Four hundred years of exile, oppression and enslavement had been decreed for Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 15:13). The enslavement portion of the four hundred years was to begin after the deaths of all of Jacob’s sons. By delaying the births of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, this most extreme component of the decree would be shorter.
Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Avun said in the name of Rabbi Meir: It was so that their husbands could enjoy them, for whenever a woman carries a fetus, she becomes unsightly and neglected. All ninety years that Sarah did not bear children, she was as [beautiful as] a bride under her wedding canopy.
Noblewomen would come and inquire after Sarah’s wellbeing, and Sarah would say: ‘Go and inquire after the wellbeing of that meek woman’ [Hagar]. Hagar would say to them: ‘My mistress Sarah, her inner reality is not like her outward impression. She gives the impression of being a righteous woman, but she is not a righteous woman. Were she a righteous woman, look at how many years that she did not conceive, whereas I conceived in one night.’ Sarah would then say: ‘Should I have a discussion with this woman? Better that I should have a discussion with her master.’22She then went to Abraham and complained about Hagar, as the next verse relates.
“He consorted with Hagar, and she conceived” – Rabbi Levi bar Ḥayata said: She conceived from the initial act of intercourse. Rabbi Elazar said: A woman never conceives from her initial act of intercourse. But is it not written: “Lot’s two daughters conceived from their father”? (Genesis 19:36). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: They manipulated themselves, broke their hymens, and conceived as though it were from a second act of intercourse.
Rabbi Ḥanina ben Pazi said: Thornbushes are neither weeded nor sown, yet they emerge on their own, grow tall, and rise up; as for wheat, [however,] how much travail and how much toil [must one undertake] until they grow.18Plants of great worth have much more difficulty growing and prospering than worthless weeds. This is a metaphor for people. The most righteous women often have the most difficulty with procreation. Why were the matriarchs barren?19Sarah, Rebecca and Rachel all had great difficulty conceiving. Rabbi Sheila of Kefar Temarta and Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: It is because the Holy One blessed be He desires their prayers and desires their supplications, as it is stated: “My dove, in the clefts of the rock” (Song of Songs 2:14). “My dove, in the clefts” – why did I render you barren?20As infertile as rocks. It is for this reason: “Show me your countenance, let me hear your voice” (Song of Songs 2:14).
Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan bar Pappa: It was so that they would become beloved to their husbands in their beauty. Rabbi Huna in name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: So that most of the years would pass without enslavement.21Four hundred years of exile, oppression and enslavement had been decreed for Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 15:13). The enslavement portion of the four hundred years was to begin after the deaths of all of Jacob’s sons. By delaying the births of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, this most extreme component of the decree would be shorter.
Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Avun said in the name of Rabbi Meir: It was so that their husbands could enjoy them, for whenever a woman carries a fetus, she becomes unsightly and neglected. All ninety years that Sarah did not bear children, she was as [beautiful as] a bride under her wedding canopy.
Noblewomen would come and inquire after Sarah’s wellbeing, and Sarah would say: ‘Go and inquire after the wellbeing of that meek woman’ [Hagar]. Hagar would say to them: ‘My mistress Sarah, her inner reality is not like her outward impression. She gives the impression of being a righteous woman, but she is not a righteous woman. Were she a righteous woman, look at how many years that she did not conceive, whereas I conceived in one night.’ Sarah would then say: ‘Should I have a discussion with this woman? Better that I should have a discussion with her master.’22She then went to Abraham and complained about Hagar, as the next verse relates.
Bereshit Rabbah
“Sarai said to Abram: The injustice done to me is on you. I gave my maidservant into your bosom and she saw that she conceived and I was diminished in her eyes; May the Lord judge between me and you” (Genesis 16:5).
“Sarai said to Abram: The injustice done to me [ḥamasi] is on you” – Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: You are committing an injustice of words against me, as you hear my humiliation23From Hagar. and remain silent. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: [Sarah said:] ‘I have a grievance against you.’ This is analogous to two men incarcerated in prison. Once it happened that the king passed by. One of them said to him: ‘Take up my cause for the wrong done to me.’ He said [to the jailers]: ‘Free him.’ His counterpart24The other prisoner. said to him: ‘I have a grievance against you. Had you said: Take up our cause for the wrong done to us, just as he freed you, he would have freed me. Now that you said: Take up my cause for the wrong done to me, he freed you and did not free me.’ So, too, [Sarah said:] ‘Had you said: “We go childless,” just as He granted you [a child], so would He have granted me. But now that you have said: “I go childless” (Genesis 15:2), He granted you [a child], but did not grant me.’
This is analogous to two people who went to borrow seeds from the king. One of them said to him: ‘Lend me seeds.’ He gave the order and they gave it to him. His counterpart said: ‘I have a grievance against you. Had you said: Lend us seeds, just as he gave you, so he would have given me.’ Here, too, [Sarah said: ‘Had you said: “Behold, you have not given us descendants,” just as He granted you [a child], so would He have granted me. Now that you said: “Behold, you have not given me descendants” (Genesis 15:3), He granted you, but did not grant me.’
Rabbi Neḥemya said in the name of Rabbi Avun: She scratched [ḥimesa] him in the face.
The Rabbis said: Four traits are mentioned regarding women: Gluttons, eavesdroppers, lazy people, and jealous people. Gluttons, from Eve – “she took of its fruit and ate” (Genesis 3:6). Eavesdroppers – “Sarah heard” (Genesis 18:10). Lazy – “quickly bring three seah of high quality flour” (Genesis 18:6).25Since Abraham had to urge her to hurry, the implication is that she would not otherwise have acted with alacrity. Jealous, as it is written: “Rachel was jealous of her sister” (Genesis 30:1).
Rabbi Yehuda bar Neḥemya said: Sensitive and chatty, as well. Sensitive – “Sarai said to Abram: The injustice done to me is on you.” Talkative – “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses” (Numbers 12:1).
Rabbi Levi said: Thieves, as well, as it is stated: “Rachel stole the household idols” (Genesis 31:19). Roamers – “Dina went out [to see the girls of the land]” (Genesis 34:1).
Rabbi Tanḥuma said in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya: Anyone who assiduously pursues the attribute of justice will not emerge intact from its effects. Sarah was worthy of reaching Abraham’s years, but because she said: “May the Lord judge between me and you” (Genesis 16:5), thirty-eight26Manuscripts read: Forty-eight. years were deducted from her life.
It is written: “He consorted with Hagar, and she conceived.” Why, then, does the verse [later] state [to Hagar]: “Behold, you will conceive and bear a son”? (Genesis 16:11). The explanation is that it teaches that Sarah directed an evil eye against her and caused her to miscarry her fetus. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Between me and you [uveinekh] – uvinkha is written.27The word could be read uvinkha, your son.
Rabbi Ḥanina said: Had Elisha the prophet said this [to Hagar] through the Divine Spirit, it would have been sufficient. But she was privileged to have an angel speak with her.28“The angel of the Lord said to her: Behold, you will conceive and bear a son” (Genesis 16:11).
“Sarai said to Abram: The injustice done to me [ḥamasi] is on you” – Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: You are committing an injustice of words against me, as you hear my humiliation23From Hagar. and remain silent. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: [Sarah said:] ‘I have a grievance against you.’ This is analogous to two men incarcerated in prison. Once it happened that the king passed by. One of them said to him: ‘Take up my cause for the wrong done to me.’ He said [to the jailers]: ‘Free him.’ His counterpart24The other prisoner. said to him: ‘I have a grievance against you. Had you said: Take up our cause for the wrong done to us, just as he freed you, he would have freed me. Now that you said: Take up my cause for the wrong done to me, he freed you and did not free me.’ So, too, [Sarah said:] ‘Had you said: “We go childless,” just as He granted you [a child], so would He have granted me. But now that you have said: “I go childless” (Genesis 15:2), He granted you [a child], but did not grant me.’
This is analogous to two people who went to borrow seeds from the king. One of them said to him: ‘Lend me seeds.’ He gave the order and they gave it to him. His counterpart said: ‘I have a grievance against you. Had you said: Lend us seeds, just as he gave you, so he would have given me.’ Here, too, [Sarah said: ‘Had you said: “Behold, you have not given us descendants,” just as He granted you [a child], so would He have granted me. Now that you said: “Behold, you have not given me descendants” (Genesis 15:3), He granted you, but did not grant me.’
Rabbi Neḥemya said in the name of Rabbi Avun: She scratched [ḥimesa] him in the face.
The Rabbis said: Four traits are mentioned regarding women: Gluttons, eavesdroppers, lazy people, and jealous people. Gluttons, from Eve – “she took of its fruit and ate” (Genesis 3:6). Eavesdroppers – “Sarah heard” (Genesis 18:10). Lazy – “quickly bring three seah of high quality flour” (Genesis 18:6).25Since Abraham had to urge her to hurry, the implication is that she would not otherwise have acted with alacrity. Jealous, as it is written: “Rachel was jealous of her sister” (Genesis 30:1).
Rabbi Yehuda bar Neḥemya said: Sensitive and chatty, as well. Sensitive – “Sarai said to Abram: The injustice done to me is on you.” Talkative – “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses” (Numbers 12:1).
Rabbi Levi said: Thieves, as well, as it is stated: “Rachel stole the household idols” (Genesis 31:19). Roamers – “Dina went out [to see the girls of the land]” (Genesis 34:1).
Rabbi Tanḥuma said in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya: Anyone who assiduously pursues the attribute of justice will not emerge intact from its effects. Sarah was worthy of reaching Abraham’s years, but because she said: “May the Lord judge between me and you” (Genesis 16:5), thirty-eight26Manuscripts read: Forty-eight. years were deducted from her life.
It is written: “He consorted with Hagar, and she conceived.” Why, then, does the verse [later] state [to Hagar]: “Behold, you will conceive and bear a son”? (Genesis 16:11). The explanation is that it teaches that Sarah directed an evil eye against her and caused her to miscarry her fetus. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Between me and you [uveinekh] – uvinkha is written.27The word could be read uvinkha, your son.
Rabbi Ḥanina said: Had Elisha the prophet said this [to Hagar] through the Divine Spirit, it would have been sufficient. But she was privileged to have an angel speak with her.28“The angel of the Lord said to her: Behold, you will conceive and bear a son” (Genesis 16:11).