[Avodah] Yishmael

Yisrael Medad yisrael.medad at gmail.com
Mon Nov 13 21:56:37 PST 2006


Since we're on the subject, those who read the parsha carefully noticed an
example of semantic deconstruction.  The verses 21:16-17read:

*"And she [Hagar] sat over against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept.
And God heard the voice of the lad;"*

True, the Midrash notes that Hashem listens to those who pray, and
extrapolates that Yishmael must have prayed, but the literay aspect is why
didn't he listen to Hagar and why doesn't it explicitly say that Yishmael
prayed?  There's a subtle dislocation here.  A mother's voice is not up to
the mark?  And why not write "an Yishmael prayed, too and..."?

-- 
Yisrael Medad
Shiloh
Mobile Post Efraim 44830
Israel
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