Sarah, Hagar and the politics of the "shifchah"

Vayeira (Genesis 18:1-22:20)


In August, one of our rabbinical students, Neora, held a yard sale in preparation for her moving to Israel. For a dollar, I picked up Ancient Sisterhood: The Lost Traditions of Sarah and Hagar, by Savina Teubal (1926-2005).

Teubal was a feminist scholar and writer. She grew up in the Syrian-Jewish community in Argentina and later lived in England and the United States. She earned a doctorate in Ancient and Near Eastern Studies from International College and was an affiliated scholar at the University of Southern California.

Teubal looks into the relationship between Sarah and Hagar and places it in the context of Babylonian society. I think she goes to far in positing that (1) Sarah was a priestess, (2) Hagar is combination of two characters---Abraham’s concubine and an un-named Desert Matriarch, and (3) ancient near eastern society was matriarchal. However, these are topics for another day.

Her analysis of the relationship between Sarah and Hagar and the Babylonian context is an eye opener.

The key term is “shifchah.” which is generally translated as “maidservant.” In the Babylonian context, the shifchah was not just a servant. The shifchah was the surrogate mother for the Naditu, an order of childless Babylonian priestesses. The shifchah’s child was the the priestess’s child. This child inherited the priestess’ property.

In the Bible, the shifchah was the property of the mistress. When Sarah was unable to conceive, she gave her shifchah to Abraham. Hagar was the mother in place of Sarah. Hagar was not Abraham’s wife or concubine. Hagar was Sarah’s property.

In the Jacob story, Laban gives each of his daughters a shifchah. When Rachel is unable to conceive, she gives Bilhah, to Jacob. Bilhah conceived. Bilhah’s children are Rachel’s.

When Leah stops conceiving, she gives Zilpah, to Jacob. Zilpah conceives. Zilpah’s children are Leah’s.

In Lech Lecha, we read that when Hagar became pregnant, problems arose between Sarah and Hagar. Sarah complained to Abraham. Abraham replied, “Do to her as you see fit.” (Artscroll, Genesis 16:6). Clearly, Hagar was Sarah’s property, not Abraham’s wife.

In Vayeira, we read, that Sarah asked that Hagar and Ishmael be expelled. Abraham complied, not only because God consented, but because Hagar was Sarah’s to expel.
Savina J. Teubal

Teubal says that the child born by the shifchah would inherit the mistress’s property. Therefore, Sarah told Abraham, “Drive out that slavewoman with her son, for the son of that slavewoman shall not inherit with my son, with Isaac.” (Artscroll, Genesis 21-10). Sarah was disinheriting Ishmael to make sure that Isaac would get all of Sarah’s estate.

By this declaration, Sarah has terminated Hagar as her shifchah. Sarah uses the word “amah” meaning slave instead of shifchah. By reducing Hagar from shifchah to amah, and by expelling her, Sarah has disowned, disinherited and unadopted her son Ishmael. I find Sarah’s treatment of her son, Ishmael shocking.

The Artscroll Chumash sets forth the traditional defenses for the expulsion of Ishmael. According to Rashi, Sarah found Ishmael mocking "mitzachek" Isaac. This verb is used to denote idolatry (Exodus 32:6), adultry (Exodus 39:17) and murder (Second Samuel 2:14). Ishmael had to be expelled because he menaced the spiritual and possibly the physical health of Isaac.

Tribute to Savina J. Teubal

In memory of Albert Anastasia

Today was the 52nd anniversary of the assassination of Albert Anastasia.

On October 25, 1957, the head of Murder Incorporated, a New York mob affiliate, was executed as he sat down in the barber chair at the Park Central Hotel in Manhattan. He had visited the barbershop as part of his daily routine. The assassins shot Anastasia from behind and escaped through the subway. To this day, they remain at-large, if not dead. As the New York Times wrote, "Death took the executioner."

Zoey and I marked this historic day by visiting Mugshots, a theme restaurant across from the Eastern State Penitentiary in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia. Eastern State opened in 1829 and was closed in 1970. It was built like a fortress.
It was converted to a museum because the walls were too thick to tear down.
Second floor cell block inside Eastern State Penitentiary

Eastern State was the center of some of Philadelphia's greatest folklore. America's greatest criminal, Al Capone, spent six months there on a gun rap. It is said that his cell was the lap of luxury. In 1945, bank robber Willie Sutton and hitman Frederick J. Tenuto (who later climbed over the walls of Holmesburg Prison and was never captured) were among 12 prisoners who tunneled under the walls only to be captured within hours. The reconstructed synagogue notes one of its most colorful congregants, Morris Bolber, who helped grieving widows collect on their husbands' life insurance policies.

I had a Green Mile salad wihout dressing. I topped it with Muir Glen Organic Tomato Ketchup. I finished it with Peruvian decaf coffee. Rich, thick and wonderful.

Zoey had a black bean burrito (salsa, beans and cheddar cheese), holding the sour cream, but adding guacamole. She topped it off with green jasmine tea and a wedge of lemon.

A taste of Alcatraz on the East Coast.

"Man the ship and bring her to life"

In June, I attended the reunion for the USS HERMITAGE (LSD 34), on which I had served. At the closing event, a former commanding officer spoke about the decommissioning ceremony on 2 October 1989. He said that "the colors were lowered and the crew marched off the ship" leaving it to the Brazilian Navy as the CEARA (C-30).

The image of the decommissioning has stayed with me



On 10 October 2009, I witnessed the reverse image. I attended the commissioning of the USS WAYNE E. MEYER (DDG 108) at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia. Rear Admiral Meyer was father of the AEGIS weapons system. He died on September 1, 2009 at the age of 83. It is rare for a person to be alive when a ship is under construction and named after him.


Rear Admiral Wayne E. Meyer

The ceremony drew young and old, veterans and their families, and lots of brass. I shook hands with two admirals of the Australian Navy.


The commissioning pennant and national ensign are raised.

After the speeches, the national ensign and the commissioning pennant were raised. The Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Chief of Naval Operations were present. The four star flag of a full admiral was raised.


The crew takes its positions on board.

Anna Mae Meyer, wife of Rear Admiral Meyer, announced, "Man the ship and bring her to life." The crew marched on board and took its positions on each deck. The guns were activated, rotated and "whirred." The ship's horn blasted. A five inch 38 caliber gun on the USS NEW JERSEY (BB 62 ), now a museum across the Delaware River, fired a salute.

History came full circle. I imagined the closing of the HERMITAGE and witnessed the birth of the WAYNE E. MEYER.

Website of USS WAYNE E. MEYER (DDG 108)
Obituary of Rear Admiral Wayne E. Meyer
Philadelphia Inquirer report

Live from Harrisburg

Food and Republican State Committee

Flamingo Diner in Harrisburg

The Mighty Zed is in Harrisburg to cover a meeting of the Republican State Committee. On the train to the State Capital, I watched a video of the 1947 noir classic Dark Passage. One scene was in Harry's diner in San Francisco. The working people who ate there were not stockbrokers or lawyers.



As I was walking from the train station in Harrisburg to the hotel, I passed by a diner right out of Dark Passage. Welcome to the Flamingo Diner near Third and Market Streets about two blocks from the train station, and a block from the Zion Lutheran Church where William Henry Harrison was nominated for President in 1840 by the Whig Party.



Watch out, Allan Linnell (aka Vincent Parry) played by Humphrey Bogart is about to order hams and eggs and coffee.

Caffeine Connection

After checking in at the hotel, The Mighty Zed proceeded to the State Museum to check out the 1949 Packard. On the way, I stopped at the Caffeine Connection.



Definitely not a national chain. One of a kind design, done by the owner. Across the street from the Capitol, you wouldn't find Vincent Parry here, at least before he became Allan Linnell. If Irene Jansen were visiting Harrisburg, she would surely stop at the Caffeine Connection.

Tom Corbett: Chocolate pretzels for Governor

This afternoon, The Mighty Zed began the circuit of hospitality suites. First stop, Attorney General Tom Corbett who is running for Governor.




With Pennsylvania being the nation's premier pretzel producer and the national committeeperson in the chocolate business, Corbett is the clear favorite for Governor.