Vayeira 21:14 · EXTRA

Supplementary classical material; Torah Temimah lists no citation under this passuk.

The Complete Passuk

וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֣ם אַבְרָהָ֣ם ׀ בַּבֹּ֡קֶר וַיִּֽקַּֽח־לֶחֶם֩ וְחֵ֨מַת מַ֜יִם וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֶל־הָ֠גָ֠ר שָׂ֧ם עַל־שִׁכְמָ֛הּ וְאֶת־הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַיְשַׁלְּחֶ֑הָ וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ וַתֵּ֔תַע בְּמִדְבַּ֖ר בְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃

Avraham rose early in the morning, took bread and a skin of water, and gave them to Hagar, placing them on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away; she went and wandered in the wilderness of Be’er Sheva.

Source Citation

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text

לֶחֶם וְחֵמַת מַיִם. וְלֹא כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה שׂוֹנְאוֹ עַל שֶׁיָּצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה. וְאֶת הַיֶּלֶד — אַף הַיֶּלֶד שָׂם עַל שִׁכְמָהּ, שֶׁהִכְנִיסָה בּוֹ שָׂרָה עַיִן רָעָה וַאֲחָזַתּוּ חַמָּה וְלֹא יָכוֹל לֵילֵךְ בְּרַגְלָיו.

English: “Bread and a skin of water” — and not silver and gold, because he hated him for having gone out to evil ways. “And the child” — he also placed the child on her shoulder, for Sarah had cast an evil eye upon him and fever seized him so that he could not walk on his feet.

On the daf / in context: The sparse provisions and the child’s inability to walk are both read as consequences of the rupture: moral disapproval on Avraham’s side and the effects of the evil eye on Yishmael.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Rashi / Midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13. Absence of wealth and the child’s placement on the shoulder are both interpreted.

What Is Learned

Dismissal under divine command still carries pain; limited provisions and sudden weakness mark the gravity of the separation.