Abraham, Jacob and Elkana failed in various degrees to understand the agony that their respective wives endured due to their bareness, or to offer prayer of hope and faith, even as all three resigned themselves to the status quo, while not attempting to debunk the idea that their wives’ infertility expressed God’s will.
In the absence of a better option, we may consider the possibility – though not mentioned in the Torah – that Abraham sent off Ishmael his son and his mother to Grar, and the parsimonious provisions should have been sufficient for a quick walk to Grar
women were not at the ‘’mercy’’ of their husbands when it came to their initiative-taking in the realm of marital intimacy; Sarai (in this weekly Torah portion) being the trailblazer of this reality...
When it comes to food God exclusively and quickly weighs in with the first humans on the sustenance of all creatures; all were positively assigned the seeded plant and fruit produce, and “the green plants” on earth (Genesis 1:29).
Is it any wonder why Jonah is such a popular story that reminds many of their own way of thinking? How we use this story for upgrading the quality of our spiritual living is everybody’s challenge and sacred destination.
Moses, so it seems, lost at once his due special respect, if not the adulation the people gave him as their leader (see Exodus 14:31b), and they did not seek him out anymore.
Though she gave birth to several children P'ninah -- Hannah's co-wife -- taunted her for Hannah remained Elkanah's beloved. P’ninah's taunting is reminiscent of Hagar, who upon her quickly-becoming-pregnant exhibited an arrogant attitude towards Sara, her mistress, at whose demand Abraham took Hagar as a wife for progeny.
Numerous curses and horrific imprecations are listed in this weekly Torah portion, Ki Tavo, destined for those who do not heed the voice of God and observe the divine laws. Nevertheless no specific transgressions that would entail those terrible comeuppances are spelled out here except: ‘’…not having served the Lord your God in joy and with a good heart…’’ (Deuteronomy 28:47).
