Chayei Sarah 5785: His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him...

ByRabbi Anita Josefa Barzman MD Founder, micro-mishkan.net

(ח) וַיִּגְוַ֨ע וַיָּ֧מׇת אַבְרָהָ֛ם בְּשֵׂיבָ֥ה טוֹבָ֖ה זָקֵ֣ן וְשָׂבֵ֑עַ וַיֵּאָ֖סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו׃(ט)וַיִּקְבְּר֨וּ אֹת֜וֹ יִצְחָ֤ק וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ בָּנָ֔יו אֶל־מְעָרַ֖ת הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֑ה אֶל־שְׂדֵ֞ה עֶפְרֹ֤ן בֶּן־צֹ֙חַר֙ הַֽחִתִּ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י מַמְרֵֽא׃(י) הַשָּׂדֶ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־קָנָ֥ה אַבְרָהָ֖ם מֵאֵ֣ת בְּנֵי־חֵ֑ת שָׁ֛מָּה קֻבַּ֥ר אַבְרָהָ֖ם וְשָׂרָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃

Genesis 25:8-10

(8) And Abraham breathed his last, dying at a good ripe age, old and contented; and he was gathered to his kin. (9)His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre,(10) the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites; there Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife.

Very soon in the Parsha we read an account of Ishmael's descendants, brief but nonetheless notable for its inclusion here:

Much of the commentary that's been written on this verse explores why Isaac is mentioned first, ahead of Ishmael, although Ishmael is the elder son. The commentaries ask: are they listed in the order of their righteousness? Of their wisdom?

Many of these commentaries talk about Isaac being the more righteous of the two (without much evidence to that effect, that I can find).

Bava Batra 16b explores whether Ishmael "repented" in Abraham's lifetime
וְשֶׁעָשָׂה יִשְׁמָעֵאל תְּשׁוּבָה בְּיָמָיו
(although it seems to me, that this could also be translated as "Ishmael made a return").

Bava Batra likely was recorded centuries before the beginning of Islam. It may be helpful to remind ourselves of this as we consider and study our verse and this exploration of it in the Talmud. What would Ishmael have been repenting of, at the time of Abraham's death?

In any case - birth order, righteousness, the presence or absence of teshuva notwithstanding - what calls out to me from this verse at this time (18 November 2024 | 17 Cheshvan 5785) is this: Ishmael and Isaac bury their father together.The both of them.His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him...

The way language works, one or the other of them would have to be mentioned first. Perhaps Isaac is mentioned first because he was in closer physical proximity to Abraham at the time of his death; Ishmael needed to travel to be there with them.

Many of us have been in this situation: we live in the same city as an aging parent, who's in poor health; our sister or brother lives in another state, another time zone, perhaps another country.

When our father or mother dies, the sibling who is there on scene starts the funeral arrangements, and the other sibling hastens to arrive as soon as possible. As sisters or brothers gather to honor their deceased parents, don't the sisters and brothers also merit honor?

בראשית כ״ה:י״ב-י״ח

(יב) וְאֵ֛לֶּה תֹּלְדֹ֥ת יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָלְדָ֜ה הָגָ֧ר הַמִּצְרִ֛ית שִׁפְחַ֥ת שָׂרָ֖ה לְאַבְרָהָֽם׃(יג) וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמוֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל בִּשְׁמֹתָ֖ם לְתוֹלְדֹתָ֑ם בְּכֹ֤ר יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ נְבָיֹ֔ת וְקֵדָ֥ר וְאַדְבְּאֵ֖ל וּמִבְשָֽׂם׃(יד) וּמִשְׁמָ֥ע וְדוּמָ֖ה וּמַשָּֽׂא׃(טו) חֲדַ֣ד וְתֵימָ֔א יְט֥וּר נָפִ֖ישׁ וָקֵֽדְמָה׃(טז) אֵ֣לֶּה הֵ֞ם בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ וְאֵ֣לֶּה שְׁמֹתָ֔ם בְּחַצְרֵיהֶ֖ם וּבְטִֽירֹתָ֑ם שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר נְשִׂיאִ֖ם לְאֻמֹּתָֽם׃(יז) וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל מְאַ֥ת שָׁנָ֛ה וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיִּגְוַ֣ע וַיָּ֔מׇת וַיֵּאָ֖סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו׃(יח) וַיִּשְׁכְּנ֨וּ מֵֽחֲוִילָ֜ה עַד־שׁ֗וּר אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּאֲכָ֖ה אַשּׁ֑וּרָה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כׇל־אֶחָ֖יו נָפָֽל׃ {פ}

Genesis 25:12-18

(12) This is the line of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s slave, bore to Abraham.(13) These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the first-born of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,(14) Mishma, Dumah, Massa,(15) Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedmah.(16) These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names by their villages and by their encampments: twelve chieftains of as many tribes.—(17) These were the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred and thirty-seven years; then he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his kin.—(18) They dwelt from Havilah, by Shur, which is close to Egypt, all the way to Asshur; they camped alongside all their kin.

Why this mention of Ishmael's descendants, and why here, after Ishmael and his brother Isaac have buried Abraham?

A reminder of our consanguinity with Ishmael?

This year, at a time when the world so badly needs connection and shalom... this year, as we come to this part of Parashat Chayei Sarah, let us wonder at the presence of both of Abraham's sons; let us learn from their proximity and their joining together in the task of honoring their father.

A suggestion, as we study Parashat Chayei Sarah at this season, November 2024, Cheshvan 5785, at this time when the world so badly needs connection and shalom; this year, as we come to these verses toward the end of Parashat Chayei Sarah, let us wonder at the presence of both of Abraham's sons; let us learn from their proximity and their joining together in the task of honoring their father.

May we reflect on the honor due to our sisters and brothers, the descendants of Ishmael, the descendants of our forepart Abraham.

May we reflect on the ways we can be connected with our brothers and sisters, and on the ways that all of us might make a return to affiliation and connection.