MG Ros Hásáná

The child grew up and was weaned, and Abraham held a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.

ויגמל שקדים AND RIPENED INTO ALMONDS — This means that when the fruit was recognisable as such it could be recognised that they were almonds. The verb has the same meaning as in (Genesis 21:8) “And the child grew ויגמל, and became a full child” (i.e., able to do without its mother’s milk). This expression is frequently used of the fruit of trees, as e.g. (Isaiah 18:5) “And the blossom becometh a ripening (גמל) grape” (cf. Rashi on Genesis 40:10). — But why did it bring forth almonds? Because it is a fruit that blossoms earlier than all other fruits; so, too, the punishment of him who sets himself in opposition to the constituted priesthood comes quickly, just as we find stated in the case of Uzziah (II Chronicles 26:19) “And the leprosy instantly broke out in his forehead”. — Its translation in the Targum is: וכפת שגדין, meaning that it produced a kind of cluster of almonds, knotted together one upon the other (Aramaic כפת denotes “tied”).

For the son of this maidservant shall not inherit: And [just] because he banished him, is it impossible for him to return for his inheritance after the death of his father? So it appears that it was speaking about the inheritance of his deeds. As Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she bore for Avraham, laughing with sexual immorality - from the angle that he was the son of Hagar the Egyptian, [as] she gave birth to one similar to herself. For it is known that the Egyptians are awash in licentiousness, as it is stated (Ezekiel 23:20), "and whose issue was like that of horses"; and their offspring are similar to them. Therefore Sarah said to banish him, so that Yitzchak would not learn from his deeds. But perhaps you will say, it is the opposite - maybe Yitzchak will change him and bring him back to the good! It is about this that she said, "I knew it through prophecy that he will not inherit with my son from the good deeds of his father, Avraham." And hence the concern remained that Yitzchak would learn from him. And [for] more of the content of this section, see below, Parashat Chaye Sarah, on the verse, "and her name was Keturah" (Kli Yakar on Genesis 25:1).

Avraham again took. The word vayosef — “again” — has connotations of continuing a previous relationship, hinting that this was the second time he married her. Keturah. See Rashi. Avraham named her in honor of the holy incense to make it known that she had repented fully after having lapsed into idolatry, so that now even her former deeds ascended to Heaven like the incense.

את קול הנער THE VOICE OF THE LAD — From this we may infer that the prayer of a sick person is more effective than the prayer offered by others for him and that it is more readily accepted (Genesis Rabbah 53:14).

The prayer of the sick person is more effective than the prayers of others... Rashi is answering the question: Hagar also cried, as it is written (v. 16), “She wept in a loud voice.” Why did Hashem not hear her voice? [You might object:] The Gemara asks in Berachos 5b, “Why was R. Yochanan unable to heal himself [through prayer]?” and answers, “A prisoner cannot free himself from jail.” The reason must be that R. Yochanan was not able to concentrate [in prayer]. But if he were able to do so, his own prayer would be better. (Re’m)

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באשר הוא שם WHERE HE IS — According to the actions he is now doing shall he be judged and not according to what he may do in future. Because the ministering angels laid information against him, saying, “Master of the Universe, for him whose descendants will at one time kill your children with thirst will You provide a well?” He asked them, “What is he now, righteous or wicked?” They replied to him, “Righteous.” He said to them, “According to his present deeds will I judge him.” This is the meaning of what is written: “[For God hath heard the voice of the lad ] באשר הוא שם in that condition in which he now is” (Genesis Rabbah 53:14). Where did he (Ishmael) kill Israel with thirst? When Nebuchadnezzar carried them into exile — as it is said, (Isaiah 21:13, 14) “The burden upon Arabia … O ye caravans of Dedanites, unto him that is thirsty bring ye water! etc.” When they were bringing them near the Arabians the Israelites said to their captors, “We beg of you bring us to the children of our uncle, Ishmael, who will certainly show pity to us”, as it is said, “O ye caravans of the Dedanites (דדנים)”; read not דדנים but דודים, kinsmen. — These indeed came to them bringing them salted meat and fish and water-skins inflated with air. The Israelites believed that these were full of water and when they placed them in their mouths, after having opened them, the air entered their bodies and they died (Eichah Rabbah 2:4).

Toward the thirsty it is customary to bring water, but you, the inhabitants of the land of Tema, did not do so, but with his bread they came before the wanderer; they brought them sorts of salty foods and blown up flasks full of air, and he would eat and ask to drink, and he would put the opening of the flask into his mouth, and the air would go into his innards, and he would die. Another explanation of “Toward the thirsty they bring water,” is as follows: I did not do so to your forefather, Ishmael; when he was thirsty, I revealed to him a well of water.

The “In the Steppe” Pronouncement.
In the scrub, in the steppe, you will lodge,
O caravans of the Dedanites!

WHERE HE IS. He shall be judged according to his present deeds, and not according to those actions which he may do in the future. This was because the ministering angels laid charges, etc. Thus the words of Rashi quoting from the teachings of our Rabbis.
The correct interpretation, in line with the simple meaning of Scripture, appears to me to be that the verse is stating that G-d heard the voice of the lad in the place in which he was. He informed her that she will not need to go from there to a fountain or well for in that very place he will quench his thirst immediately. He thus said to her, “Arise, lift up the lad after you will have given him to drink, for I will make him a great nation. Similarly, the word sham (there) in verses, Where he sunk, there he fell down dead; And where the slain are, there is she, alludes to the place.

באשר הוא שם, seeing she could not see him from the place where she had sat down, the angel had to use this manner of referring to Ishmael. He would be provided with water at that location.

But the Yevusi dwellers of Yerushalayim. There was a section of Yerushalayim entitled Yevusi. They were descendants of Avimelech, and they could not oust them because of the oath—until the arrival of Dovid—as his grandson still lived, and he had sworn to him, his son, and his grandson.

אחר הדברים האלה AFTER THESE THINGS [or, WORDS] —Some of our Rabbis say (Sanhedrin 89b) that it means after the words of Satan who denounced Abraham saying, “Of all the banquets which Abraham prepared not a single bullock nor a single ram did he bring as a sacrifice to You ’. God replied to him, “Does he do anything at all except for his son’s sake? Yet if I were to bid him, “Sacrifice him to Me’’, he would not refuse’’. Others say that it means “after the words of Ishmael” who boasted to Isaac that he had been circumcised when he was thirteen years old without resisting. Isaac replied to him, “You think to intimidate me by mentioning the loss of one part of the body! If the Holy One, blessed be He, were to tell me, “Sacrifice yourself to Me” I would not refuse” (Sanhedrin 89b).

ויהי אחר הדברים האלה. It was after these events. The events referred to are Abraham's various adventures, the tortuous route to becoming Isaac's father at an advanced age. In the meantime Isaac had grown up since we find Abraham described as "living in the land of the Philistines for many years," and Isaac was born during the first year of Abraham's stay there. The test assumed much greater impact in view of the repeated promises G'd had made to Abraham concerning Isaac and his future. To be told at this stage to offer Isaac as a sacrifice and not to hesitate or challenge G'd's command or even ask for an explanation, was a tremendous act of obedience. Isaac too deserves great credit for submitting. Another reason that the Torah wrote "after these events" is, that only now could G'd refer to Isaac as Abraham's only son. As long as Ishmael had not yet been expelled by Abraham the description "your only son" would not have been appropriate.