The text recounts Hagar's desperate wanderings with her son. "And she departed and wandered," the passage begins, referencing Genesis 21:14. But Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer interprets "wandering" here as a slide into idolatry. Why? Because, as Jeremiah 10:15 says of idols, "They are vanity, a work of delusion." It's a powerful connection, suggesting that spiritual thirst can lead us down dangerous paths.
Lost and near death, Ishmael cries out to God beneath the thorns of the wilderness, begging not to die of thirst. He calls upon "the God of my father Abraham," a direct appeal to the covenant. And God hears him. "For God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is," Genesis 21:17 tells us, and a well, one of those created at twilight according to tradition, opens for them. They drink, refill their bottle, and find their way to the wilderness of Paran, finding streams of water and settling there, as Genesis 21:21 states: "And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran."
But the story doesn't end there. Ishmael marries a woman from Moab named Ayeshah. Three years later, Abraham, yearning to see his son, journeys to Ishmael's dwelling. He's sworn to Sarah not to dismount his camel within Ishmael's territory, so he remains a visitor. He finds Ishmael absent, out fetching dates with his mother. Abraham asks Ayeshah for bread and water, but she refuses, claiming she has none.
Abraham, in a veiled message, tells her to tell Ishmael: "Exchange the threshold of thy house, for it is not good for thee." What does this cryptic message mean? It's a powerful metaphor.
When Ishmael returns and hears the story, he understands immediately. "A son of a wise man is like half a wise man," the text notes. This proverb highlights Ishmael's intelligence and understanding. He realizes that Abraham is advising him to divorce Ayeshah. The "threshold" represents the wife, the entrance to the home.
Ishmael's mother then arranges for him to marry Fatimah, a woman from her own father's house.
What are we to make of this story? It's a story of divine intervention, of a father's love, and of the importance of choosing the right partner. It shows us that even in the most desolate of circumstances, hope and redemption are possible. The well in the desert is not just a source of water; it’s a symbol of God's unwavering presence, even in the face of our mistakes and wanderings. And sometimes, the wisdom of a parent, even delivered through a coded message, can guide us towards a better path.