Vayeira (Genesis 18:1-22:20)
Sarah, Hagar and the politics of the "shifchah"
7 October 2009
In August, one of our rabbinical students, Neora, held a yard sale in preparation for her moving to Israel. For a dollar, I picked up th Ancient Sisterhood: The Lost Traditions of Sarah and Hagar, by Savina Teubal (1926-2005).
Savina J. Teubal
Teubal was a feminist scholar and writer.
She grew up in the Syrian-Jewish community in Argentina and later lived in England and the United States. She earned a doctorate in Ancient and Near Eastern Studies from International College and was an affiliated scholar at the University of Southern California.
Teubal looks into the relationship between Sarah and Hagar and places it in the context of Babylonian society. I think she goes to far in positing that (1) Sarah was a priestess, (2) Hagar is combination of two characters---Abraham’s concubine and an un-named Desert Matriarch, and (3) ancient near eastern society was matriarchal. However, these are topics for another day.
Her analysis of the relationship between Sarah and Hagar and the Babylonian context is an eye opener.
The key term is “shifchah.” which is generally translated as “maidservant.” In the Babylonian context, the shifchah was not just a servant. The shifchah was the surrogate mother for the Naditu, an order of childless Babylonian priestesses. The shifchah’s child was the the priestess’s child. This child inherited the priestess’ property.
In the Bible, the shifchah was the property of the mistress. When Sarah was unable to conceive, she gave her shifchah to Abraham. Hagar was the mother in place of Sarah. Hagar was not Abraham’s wife or concubine. Hagar was Sarah’s property.
In the Jacob story, Laban gives each of his daughters a shifchah. When Rachel is unable to conceive, she gives Bilhah, to Jacob. Bilhah conceived. Bilhah’s children are Rachel’s.
When Leah stops conceiving, she gives Zilpah, to Jacob. Zilpah conceives. Zilpah’s children are Leah’s.
In Lech Lecha, we read that when Hagar became pregnant, problems arose between Sarah and Hagar. Sarah complained to Abraham. Abraham replied, “Do to her as you see fit.” (Artscroll, Genesis 16:6). Clearly, Hagar was Sarah’s property, not Abraham’s wife.
In Vayeira, we read, that Sarah asked that Hagar and Ishmael be expelled. Abraham complied, not only because God consented, but because Hagar was Sarah’s to expell.
Teubal says that the child born by the shifchah would inherit the mistress’s property. Therefore, Sarah told Abraham, “Drive out that slavewoman with her son, for the son of that slavewoman shall not inherit with my son, with Isaac.” (Artscroll, Genesis 21-10). Sarah was disinheriting Ishmael to make sure that Isaac would get all of Sarah’s estate.
By this declaration, Sarah has terminated Hagar as her shifchah. Sarah uses the word “amah” meaning slave instead of shifchah. By reducing Hagar from shifchah to amah, and by expelling her, Sarah has disowned, disinherited and unadopted her son Ishmael.
I find Sarah’s treatment of her son, Ishmael shocking.
The Artscroll Chumash sets forth the traditional defenses for the expulsion of Ishmael. According to Rashi, Sarah found Ishmael mocking "mitzachek" Isaac. This verb is used to denote idolatry (Exodus 32:6), adultry (Exodus 39:17) and murder (Second Samuel 2:14). Ishmael had to be expelled because he menaced the spiritual and possibly the physical health of Isaac.
Tribute to Savina J. Teubal
Eikev
Pinchas
P'dukei
Shoftim
Miketz
Bechukotai
Terumah
Tazriah-Metzora
Lech Lecha
Va-era
Re-eh
Vayeira
RH2