Shevi'i - Bereishis/Genesis - Parshas Chayei Sarah 25:12-18

And these are the generations of Yishmael, the son of Avraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, the maidservant of Sarah, bore to Avraham. This is the introduction to the section about Yishmael's descendants. The Torah is now listing the children of Yishmael, who was Avraham's son through Hagar, Sarah's maidservant.

And these are the names of the sons of Yishmael, by their names, in the order of their birth: the firstborn of Yishmael, Nevoyos, then Kedar, Adbe'el, and Mivsam. The Torah lists the names of Yishmael's sons, and the phrase bishmosam lesoldosam means by their names, in the order of their birth. This is the order in which they were born, one after the other.

Rashi explains on the words bishmosam lesoldosam (by their names, in the order of their birth) that this means the order of their birth, one after the other. The Torah is listing them in the order that they were born, not just randomly, but specifically in birth order.

And Mishma, and Duma, and Masa. These are more of the names of Yishmael's sons. The Torah continues to list the children of Yishmael, giving us all their names.

Chadad, and Teima, Yetur, Nafish, and Kedma. These are the rest of the names of Yishmael's sons. The Torah is giving us the full list of all twelve sons of Yishmael.

These are the sons of Yishmael, and these are their names in their settlements and in their encampments: twelve princes to their nations. The Torah tells us that there were twelve princes, corresponding to the twelve sons of Yishmael, each one a leader of his own nation. The phrase bechatzreihem uvetirotam refers to their cities and encampments.

Rashi explains on the words bechatzreihem (in their settlements) that these are cities that do not have a wall. The Targum translates it as befatchayhon, meaning that they are open cities, from the word "open" (petichah), like the verse in Tehillim 98:4: "pischu veranenu" (open up and sing). So bechatzreihem means open, unwalled cities.

And these are the years of Yishmael's life: one hundred years, and thirty years, and seven years. And he expired and died, and was gathered to his people. The Torah tells us that Yishmael lived 137 years. The phrase vayigva vayomos (he expired and died) is used, and Rashi brings from Chazal that this expression of 'expired' is only written regarding the righteous. This is another indication that Yishmael was considered a tzaddik at the end of his life. Rashi also brings from Chazal that the Torah counts the years of Yishmael in order to help us calculate the years of Yaakov. From the years of Yishmael, we learn that Yaakov spent fourteen years in the house of Ever after he left his father's home, before he came to Lavan. The reason is that when Yaakov left his father, that was when Yishmael died, as it says later (Bereishis 28:9): "Vayelech Esav el Yishmael" (and Esav went to Yishmael). This is explained in the commentaries. The phrase vayigva (expired) is used for the righteous, showing that Yishmael repented at the end of his life.

On the words "Ve'eleh shnei chayei Yishmael" (And these are the years of Yishmael's life), Rashi brings the teaching of Rabbi Chiya bar Abba: Why are the years of Yishmael counted in the Torah? It is in order to relate them to the years of Yaakov. From the calculation of Yishmael's years, we learn that Yaakov spent fourteen years in the house of Ever after he left his father's home, before he arrived at Lavan. The reason is that when Yaakov left his father, Yishmael died at that time. As it says later in the Torah (Bereishis 28:9), "Vayeilech Esav el Yishmael" (And Esav went to Yishmael). This is explained at the end of the section called "Megillah Nikreis" in Megillah 17a. Also, the expression "Vayigva" (he expired) is only used regarding tzaddikim, as it says in Bava Basra 16b. This is another indication that in the end, Yishmael was considered a tzaddik.

The verse says: "Vayishkenu meiChavila ad Shur asher al penei Mitzrayim bo'acha Ashura al penei kol echav nafal" — "And they dwelt from Chavila to Shur, which is before Egypt, as you go toward Ashur; before all his brothers he fell." This describes the territory where the descendants of Yishmael lived, stretching from Chavila to Shur, bordering Egypt, and extending toward Ashur. The phrase "al penei kol echav nafal" means that he fell before all his brothers, which Rashi will explain further.

On the words "nafal shachan" (he fell, he dwelt), Rashi explains that according to the Targum, "shara" means to dwell. The word "nafal" is similar to the usage in Shoftim 7:12: "uMidyan vaAmalek vechol bnei Kedem noflim ba'emek" — "and Midian and Amalek and all the children of the East were fallen in the valley." Here, the Torah uses the term "nefilah" (falling), but earlier (Bereishis 16:12) it used the term "yishkon" (he will dwell): "al penei kol echav yishkon" — "he will dwell before all his brothers." The difference is that before Avraham died, Yishmael was "yishkon" — he dwelt securely. After Avraham's death, it says "nafal" — he fell. This is based on Bereishis Rabbah 62:5.