Which is really interesting considering just before Abram believed that Hashem would make his children as numerous as the skies without asking for a sign.

Why did the promise of children not require a sign, but a promise of land did? I’m chewing on that.

Could it be because of confirmation bias? Abram REALLLY wanted kids of his own. He even complained to Hashem earlier about being childless. When Hashem said Abram would have kids, he wanted to believe that, and so didn’t need any kind of evidence it was true.

On the other hand, Abram really wasn’t pushing for more land. In fact, he had the opportunity for more land with Sodom. When Hashem promised him land as an inheritance – he wanted a sign. Interesting.

So Abram followed Hashem’s directions – and made a sacrifice. Which; to be honest is odd, given that he was literally listening to Hashem’s voice; that wasn’t enough to believe. Abram wanted more.

Then Abram fell into sleep and Hashem gave him a vision that would allude to what was to come for Abram’s descendants.

There is an interesting part here that stood out to me….

2. Hashem tells Abram his descendants will return to the land he was in, because the “Ammorites will not be completely sinful until then.”

This is interesting because It teaches us that Hashem allows things to process naturally. There was a timing that was important here for us to understand. The Jews went into egypt for 400 years, and left with wealth to come back to the land; which the Ammorites were living in, but weren’t sinful enough to drive out.

As a Jew, there is some hope here that the Torah is very clear that things work out according to Hashem’s timeline and not our own. We can trust this.

If I put myself in the shoes of the Ammorites, there is a sense that my actions impact Hashem. My decision to be “sinful” or not make a difference on Hashem’s plans even as someone technically “not chosen.” There is some cognitive dissonance here because this passage REALLY communicates love and compassion for all; Jew or non-Jew. There is always a chance.

Hashem then struck a covenant with Abram. Telling Abram this was the land being given to Abram.

3. Next, we read about Sarai not having children. Sarai could see the critical point that Abram was to have descendants and took it upon herself to convince Hagar to be with Abram to produce offspring. Abram listened to Sarai and thought this is the way to go.

Sarai gave Hagar to Abram to be his wife. And, Hagar conceived.

When Hagar got pregnant and realized Sarai hadn’t, Hagar began to think of herself higher (and better) than Sarai. Rashi writes “Hagar thought ‘Sarai’s inner character is not the same as what she presents. She appears to be righteous but she is obviously not – the proof being that in all these years she has not merited to become pregnant from Abram, whereas I became pregnant from him right away.”

Again, the theme of timing is brought up. It is a mistake to think fast = better. The timing is always perfect in Hashem’s eyes. Hagar made a big mistake.

Now; what is Also Left out of the story it seems, and the ancient writings share is that Hagar had a miscarriage. She was not pregnant with Ishmael at this time. We know this because later an angel tells Hagar she will conceive and bear a son named Ishmael. So; what happened to this current pregnancy.

The writing suggest Sarai was upset because of how Hagar changed the way she treated her, and Sarai gave Hagar the evil eye, which caused her to miscarry. It’s an interesting thought for sure; but the bottom line is that the Torah does seem to indicate Hagar had a miscarriage.

4. Sarai then goes to Abram because he was in the wrong as well here. She lays out the charge. The writings Indicate one of the issues is Abram didn’t pray for Sarai; only himself (typical selfish Husband. I can completely relate), in addition, when Abram got what he wanted (a pregnancy) he lost interest in his wife. Then, Sarai tells Abram to “let God judge between me and you.”

Abram’s response? He gave Sarai back her handmaiden. Then we get an interesting and difficult to swallow passage:

“Sarai mistreated her (Hagar) and she ran away from her.”

Ick.

Why did Sarai mistreat her? Was it anger? Was it jealousy?

Rabbi Isaac Abravenel in the 15th century writes; “Sarai was not, God forbid, taking revenge and afflicting Hagar for libeling her. Rather Sarai’s actions were intended as a course of character refinement. When something goes out of shape, often the only course of action is to be bend it the other way. Once Sarai saw that Hagar had lost focus and stepped out of line by maligning her mistress, she felt it necessary to employ a ‘tough love’ approach.

5. Hagar did not respond well to this; she ran away. And an angel appeared to Hagar to convince her to go back and subjugate herself to Sarai; and that she would be blessed by doing so. She would have so many descendants they would not be able to be counted. Hagar’s response was to call Hashem “the God of vision”.

6. Because Hagar had said she had seen angels in Abram’s house, she was surprised to encounter angels in the place she ran away to. Because of this; the well where she was is named “Beer-Lahai-Roi” which means the well at which the living angel appeared.”

Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram when he was 86 years old.

7. Fast forward 13 years later to Abram as a 99 year old man. Hashem appears to Abram and tells Abram to come close, worship, and “be perfect.” He tells Abram he will place his covenant between them and multiply Abram.

Now wait. “Be perfect?” Um. How? The Talmud actually refers to this as the act of circumcision. Abram is only “perfect” once he is circumcised.

Rabbi Judah Aryeh Leib Alter of Gur (that name…wow) in the 19th century expanded;

“How does circumcision bring you to ‘perfection?’ Perfection is reached when you diminish yourself and annihilate your ego before God. You very existence ‘flows’ from Hashem, so -paradoxically – it is only by surrendering your ego to Him that you can sustain your existence in the most complete sense.

That is why the precept of circumcision is assigned to this particular organ, where the power of reproduction lies – the most potent of all human powers. Right here, there needs to be an indication that man is inherently deficient and that he is reliant on Hashem in order to be whole.”

I’m chewing on this; honestly, other than “because Hashem said to” or “it’s tradition” I hadn’t heard or considered much more when it comes to circumcision.

The idea that we circumcise boys at the age of 8 days indicates that really we aren’t perfect; and we need Hashem to make us perfect.

And; that women aren’t required to be circumcised might indicate they are a smidge more perfect than men? Just sayin.

8. (Last one). Hashem then renames Abram to Abraham. Because Abraham is the father of a multitude of nations.

Whew. There is a lot here. I will leave you with this spiritual vitamin quote from the Torah I am reading; “Democracy and freedom should not be a cauldron of assimilation, but rather the contrary: they offer the possibility for you to take your place, enjoy your rights, and live according to your faith 100%!”

Would love any and all thoughts! Wishing you a Shabbat shalom as the sun sets this evening!