Hagar and the Wells

Rosh Hashana: The codas

The readings for Rosh Hashanna are selected, dramatic stories of desperation and Divine rescue.  They are each followed by a section that is far less dramatic.  The difference is enough to make one wonder about the juxtaposition. 

On the first day, we read about the eviction of Hagar and Ishmael.  I remember seeing the Corot painting  at the Metropolitan Museum and thinking that it was antisemitic, portraying the consequence of the cruelty of father Abraham  and his ill treatment of brother Ishmael and his mother.  I also think about Ishmael,the narrator of Moby Dick - at sea because he was cast off from the homestead in deference to the favored son.  How could Abraham send them off into the wilderness with inadequate water? 

Look at the coda.  וַֽיְהִי֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְ וּפִיכֹל֙ שַׂר־צְבָא֔וֹ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֖ם  At that time Abimelech and Phicol, chief of his troops, said to Abraham The simultaneity  is important. At the time of the banishment of Hagar and son, these neighboring potentates come to make a treaty with Abraham.    But Abraham has a criticism: Then Abraham reproached Abimelech for the well of water which the servants of Abimelech had seized.   That was the well Avraham  expected Hagar would reach and where  she would replenish.  But the well was not reachable.  It was stolen, unavailable.  Only Gd's intervention could save the mother and child.  Hagar and Ishmael were saved...so a treaty could be made.  Things would have been far more difficult if they had died because of the stolen well.  Thus, through miracles of salvation Gd brings peace to the world.