Lech Lecha 5780
Question: 16:2 How do we understand Sara(i)’s statement that if Hagar has a child, it is as if she has a child?
Approach: the word used is אבנה. From other places in תנ״ך, it appears that this root has the meaning of creating a dynasty or something meant to be long/ever lasting. For example, this root is used in conjunction with the building of the בית המקדש, but strikingly NOT with the building of the משכן (where the root used is הקם)
It therefore seems that Sarai figured that, since she was barren, the way for her to create her dynasty was for her husband to have a child with another woman whom she would raise, and therefore be treated AS IF she was the mother figure (perhaps a bit along the lines of the converts from חרן as per the Midrash).
An interesting point to note is that the word for “son” or “child” is בן . Which may well indicate how we are to view our children.
Rashi seems to take a different approach, which links helping someone else with a similar problem to yourself might help your own problems. This fits in with the exact same wording used by Rachel, and Rashi’s comments there are consistent with those mentioned here
Approach: the word used is אבנה. From other places in תנ״ך, it appears that this root has the meaning of creating a dynasty or something meant to be long/ever lasting. For example, this root is used in conjunction with the building of the בית המקדש, but strikingly NOT with the building of the משכן (where the root used is הקם)
It therefore seems that Sarai figured that, since she was barren, the way for her to create her dynasty was for her husband to have a child with another woman whom she would raise, and therefore be treated AS IF she was the mother figure (perhaps a bit along the lines of the converts from חרן as per the Midrash).
An interesting point to note is that the word for “son” or “child” is בן . Which may well indicate how we are to view our children.
Rashi seems to take a different approach, which links helping someone else with a similar problem to yourself might help your own problems. This fits in with the exact same wording used by Rachel, and Rashi’s comments there are consistent with those mentioned here
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