This week we learned about Sarah and her somewhat "psychotic behavior." After Avraham tells Sarah that G-d said he would have a child, Sarah assumed that it would be from another woman. This is a reasonable assumption- she was too old to be having children. So she demanded that Avraham take her handmaiden Hagar and get her pregnant (which he did). Then it says that Hagar saw she was pregnant, and then Sarah came down in her eyes. יָּבֹא אֶל הָגָר וַתַּהַר וַתֵּרֶא כִּי הָרָתָה וַתֵּקַל גְּבִרְתָּהּ בְּעֵינֶיהָ.
Now, Sarah comes to Avraham and says, “I’m mad at you! I gave you this woman, she is pregnant, she looks down on me- G-d should judge between me and you.” וַתֹּאמֶר שָׂרַי אֶל אַבְרָם חֲמָסִי עָלֶיךָ אָנֹכִי נָתַתִּי שִׁפְחָתִי בְּחֵיקֶךָ וַתֵּרֶא כִּי הָרָתָה וָאֵקַל בְּעֵינֶיהָ יִשְׁפֹּט יְ־הֹוָ־ה בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶיךָ. What’s going on? Maybe Avraham treated her like a wife instead of putting her in her place, or he was just nice to her. Maybe Sarah thought her husband was unfaithful. Avraham says, “Why are you mad at me?” אמֶר אַבְרָם אֶל שָׂרַי הִנֵּה שִׁפְחָתֵךְ בְּיָדֵךְ עֲשִׂי לָהּ הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינָיִךְ. So Sarah afflicts her and as a result Hagar flees: וַתְּעַנֶּהָ שָׂרַי וַתִּבְרַח מִפָּנֶיהָ. This does not portray Sarah in a good light.
Now, Sarah comes to Avraham and says, “I’m mad at you! I gave you this woman, she is pregnant, she looks down on me- G-d should judge between me and you.” וַתֹּאמֶר שָׂרַי אֶל אַבְרָם חֲמָסִי עָלֶיךָ אָנֹכִי נָתַתִּי שִׁפְחָתִי בְּחֵיקֶךָ וַתֵּרֶא כִּי הָרָתָה וָאֵקַל בְּעֵינֶיהָ יִשְׁפֹּט יְ־הֹוָ־ה בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶיךָ. What’s going on? Maybe Avraham treated her like a wife instead of putting her in her place, or he was just nice to her. Maybe Sarah thought her husband was unfaithful. Avraham says, “Why are you mad at me?” אמֶר אַבְרָם אֶל שָׂרַי הִנֵּה שִׁפְחָתֵךְ בְּיָדֵךְ עֲשִׂי לָהּ הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינָיִךְ. So Sarah afflicts her and as a result Hagar flees: וַתְּעַנֶּהָ שָׂרַי וַתִּבְרַח מִפָּנֶיהָ. This does not portray Sarah in a good light.
Question: I am really bothered by this ordeal. Sarah is supposed to behave well and be a proper person, but she gets all crazy about Avraham getting Hagar pregnant. And she is rude about it. She is mean to Avraham and to Hagar. My question for you is: Do you think her behavior was justified? Do you think this story should affect our opinion of Sarah is the perfect "married to the forefather" type of person? Why or why not?
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