Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why does the Torah mention Avram's age when Yishmael was born?
A: The Torah mentions Avram's age to show the passage of time and to highlight that he was 86 years old when Yishmael was born. According to Rashi, this detail helps us understand the sequence of events in Avram's life, especially in relation to the covenant with Hashem (which happens later when Avram is 99).
Q: Who was Hagar, and why did she bear Yishmael to Avram?
A: Hagar was Sarai's maidservant (Genesis 16:1). Since Sarai was initially unable to have children, she gave Hagar to Avram as a wife to bear a child on her behalf (a practice understood in that time). Yishmael's birth was part of Avram and Sarai's attempt to fulfill Hashem's promise of descendants, though he was not the child of the ultimate covenant (which would later be Yitzchak).
Q: What is the significance of Yishmael's birth in Avram's story?
A: Yishmael's birth represents a human effort to bring about Hashem's promise of descendants before the miraculous birth of Yitzchak (Isaac). The Midrash explains that this teaches the importance of patience and trusting in Hashem's timing, as Yishmael was not the intended heir of Avraham's legacy—Yitzchak would be.
Q: How does this verse connect to later events in the Torah?
A: This verse sets the stage for future events, including the tension between Yishmael and Yitzchak (Genesis 21:9-10) and Avraham's eventual plea for Yishmael before Yitzchak is born (Genesis 17:18). The Torah traces Yishmael's lineage, showing that he also became a great nation, as Hashem promised (Genesis 17:20).
Q: What lesson can we learn from Avram having a child at 86?
A: This teaches that Hashem's blessings can come at any stage in life. While Yishmael was not the child of the covenant, his birth showed that Avram and Sarai were still hopeful for descendants. Later, when Avraham was 100 and Sarah 90, they merited the birth of Yitzchak—proving that with Hashem, nothing is impossible.
Age of Avram at Yishmael's Birth
The verse states that Avram was 86 years old when Hagar bore Yishmael. Rashi (Bereshit 16:16) notes that this age is significant because it marks 10 years since Avram and Sarai arrived in the Land of Canaan (based on Bereshit 12:4, where Avram was 75 when he departed Haran). This aligns with the Talmudic teaching (Nedarim 32a) that Avram waited 10 years for children before taking Hagar as a wife, demonstrating his patience and faith in Hashem's promise.
The Name "Yishmael"
The name Yishmael (יִשְׁמָעֵאל) means "G-d will hear," as Hagar declared (Bereshit 16:11). Ramban (Bereshit 16:16) explains that this name reflects Divine providence—even though Yishmael was not the child of the primary covenant, Hashem still heard Hagar's suffering and blessed her offspring. However, the Midrash (Bereshit Rabbah 45:4) emphasizes that Yishmael's birth through Hagar was not the ultimate fulfillment of Avraham's legacy, which would come through Yitzchak.
Chronological Context
Spiritual Significance
The Kli Yakar (Bereshit 16:16) observes that Yishmael's birth at age 86 hints at the incomplete nature of this event—86 is the gematria (numerical value) of the word "הטבע" (ha-teva, "the natural"), suggesting Yishmael's conception was through natural means rather than the miraculous birth that would characterize Yitzchak. This foreshadows the distinction between the two lineages in Jewish tradition.