Lech Lecha Drash - In Defense of Sarai

In Defense of Sarai

In this weeks Parashat we have a lot of time and events covered. Yet there was no doubt what was placed upon my heart to share today. So I titled this drash In Defense of Sarai.

Many commentaries about Sarai, and Abram, often times claim Sarai bringing Hagar to Abram as an example of Sarai not trusting Adonai. This has always bothered me, not because I think she was some how exemplary in her behavior, rather because I do not think anyone who wrote on the subject has been in the same circumstances as Sarai and so I do not think it is fair for her to be judged in this manner. So I wanted to learn more about this specific event. As well it was important to me to not be judgmental, for If we are not to speak evil of, or judge a brother, how much more so our mother.

The verse that I found most interesting comes from verse 5 of Chapter 16

Holy Scriptures: Tree of Life Version Chapter 16

5So Sarai said to Abram, “The wrong done to me is because of you! I myself placed my slave-girl in your embrace.

Have you ever done exactly what someone asked and they get angry with you for it? It is frustrating and confusing all at the same time. That seems to be what is stated here. Some say that Sarai is blaming Abram for doing what she asked. Yet did Abram have to do it? Could he have responded with “No. I will have a child with you or none at all”? Surely in this perspective it could hardly be said that fault is one sided.

Secondly consider that Adonai has spoken to Abram but we do not read any where in the Torah up to this point that Adonai spoke to Sarai. Have you ever thought you were doing exactly what someone wanted only to find out that you had messed up? I have prayed for guidance, thought I recieved it, acted on it and then everything went wrong. Perhaps Sarai thought she was doing what Adonai and Abram wanted her to do.

Lastly, Something I learned that was interesting is that many of the sages agree that Sarai was a prophetess in her own right. Some even go so far as to say her prophecy was greater that Abram’s. As such they suggest that she could foresee that Abram would have a child, Ishmael, with Hagar. From Ishmael we get the 12 tribes of Ishmael. Many historians agree that this is beginning of the Arab people.

Imagine for a moment having a prophetic gift and seeing that from the child of this union many millions of people through out time would be born. Without this child of this union they would not exist. Do we even have a word for such a thing as to prevent a people from existing? Could it be that Sarai knew what was going to happen and it was a choice between her honor and rights as a wife and the lives of all of those people? Would we in the same situation make the same choice that she did?

I have seen motivational memes created that say things like “You are the best person to be you” or “God put you here because you are the best person for the job.” If that is true for us it is only just for it to be true for Sarai. Adonai placed Sarai in the position she was in because she was the best person for the position. She handled the difficult situations she was in better than any of us could. I cannot judge the actions of Sarai. I have never been in her position or faced with her decisions. I am thankful for Sarai and her faithfulness as the mother of the people the Messiah chose to dwell among.