Hagar Flees Sarai and the Angel Commands Her to Return

"May the LORD judge between me and you" (Genesis 16:5). It is written "and your son." But it has already been written "and he came to Hagar and she conceived," so why does it say "behold, you are with child" (Genesis 16:11)? Rather, it teaches that the evil eye entered her and she miscarried her fetus. Rabbi Chanin said: had the prophet Elisha said this by the Holy Spirit, it would suffice. "And Abram said to Sarai, Behold, your handmaid is in your hand" (Genesis 16:6). He said to her: I care neither for her good nor for her harm. It is written, "you shall not deal with her as a slave" -- yet now that we have caused her grief, are we to enslave her? I care neither for her good nor for her harm. It is written, "to a foreign people he shall have no power to sell her" (Exodus 21:8) -- yet this one, after we made her a mistress, shall we make her a handmaid? I care neither for her good nor for her harm. "And Sarai afflicted her, and she fled from before her." Rav Abba bar Kahana said: she withheld her from the duty of the marriage bed. Rabbi Berekhiah said: she struck her on the face with a slipper. Rabbi Berekhiah in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: she made her carry water buckets and bath-towels to the bathhouse. "By the way of Shur" -- by the road of Chalutza. "And he said, Hagar, handmaid of Sarai" (Genesis 16:8-11). A proverb says: if one man tells you your ears are a donkey's, do not believe it; if two tell you, make yourself a halter. So Abraham said, "Behold, your handmaid is in your hand," and the angel said, "Hagar, handmaid of Sarai," and she said, "I am fleeing from before my mistress Sarai." From where comes the saying people say, "if your friend has called you a donkey, fasten a saddle on yourself"? As it is written, "And he said, Hagar, handmaid of Sarai," and "the angel of the LORD said to her, Return to your mistress," even though you will be afflicted under her hand.