149 Torah Book & Portion, Book of Genesis, Lech Lecha (Genesis 12:1–17:27), Source Book Keys, SACKS GENESIS | 16:4 despise — GEN857 Ramban [Nachmanides] criticizes Sarah. Des... GEN857 Ramban [Nachmanides] criticizes Sarah. Despairing of having a child, she asks Abraham to sleep with her handmaid Hagar in the hope that she might bear him a child. Abraham does so, and Hagar becomes pregnant. The text then says that Hagar “began to despise her mistress” [this verse]. Sarah complains to Abraham and then “afflict[s] Hagar” Genesis 16:6 who flees from her into the desert. On this, Ramban writes: “Our mother [Sarah] transgressed by this affliction, as did Abraham by allowing her to do so. God heard her [Hagar’s] affliction and gave her a son who would be a wild ass of a man to afflict the seed of Abraham and Sarah with all kinds of affliction. (Commentary to Genesis 16:6). SACKS 16 Share Print Source KeySACKSVerse16:4Keyword(s)despiseSource Page(s)(See end of excerpt) Switch article GENESIS | 16:3 ten — GEN856 The Rabbis taught: “If one were married to... Previous Article GENESIS | 16:5 decide — GEN858 R. Chanan said: “If one calls down heavenl... Next Article