Never Say Good Bye

The story of the expulsion ends with Hagar and Ishmael returning to Egypt, their country of origin. There is no mention of reconciliation between Abraham and Ishmael at this juncture, but there is a telltale verse, which leaves us wondering:

And Abraham breathed his last, dying at a good ripe age, old and contented; and he was gathered to his kin. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre, the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites... (Genesis 25: 8-9)

The fact that Ishmael was present with his half-brother Isaac at their father's burial would seem to indicate that the ties between the families were not completely severed.

Taking its cue from this verse, a remarkable midrashic text introduces an additional chapter in the relationship of Abraham with his son Ishmael, one in which Abraham set out in search of the son he had banished.

And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran. Ishmael sent for a wife from among the daughters of Moab and Ayeshah was her name. After three years Abraham went to see Ishmael his son, having sworn to Sarah that he would not descend from the camel in the place where Ishmael dwelt. He arrived there at midday and found there the wife of Ishmael. He said to her: 'Where is Ishmael?' She said to him: 'He has gone with his mother to fetch the fruit of the palms from the wilderness.' He said to her: 'Give me a little bread and a little water, for my soul is faint after the journey in the desert.' She said to him: 'I have neither bread nor water.' He said to her: 'When Ishmael comes home tell him this story, and say to him: A certain old man came from the land of Canaan to see thee, and he said, Exchange the threshold of thy house, for it is not good for thee.' When Ishmael came home his wife told him the story. A son of a wise man is like half a wise man. Ishmael understood. His mother sent and took for him a wife from her father's house, and her name was Fatimah.

Again after three years Abraham went to see his son Ishmael, having sworn to Sarah as on the first occasion that he would not descend from the camel in the place where Ishmael dwelt. He came there at midday, and found there Ishmael's wife. He said to her: 'Where is Ishmael?' She replied to him: 'He has gone with his mother to feed the camels in the desert.' He said to her: 'Give me a little bread and water, for my soul is faint after the journey of the desert.' She fetched it and gave it to him. Abraham arose and prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, for his son, and thereupon Ishmael's house was filled with all good things of the various blessings. When Ishmael came home his wife told him what had happened, and Ishmael knew that his father's love was still extended to him. (Pirke d'Rabbi Eliezer 29)

The midrash affords the story closure, embellishing it with a moving rapprochement between Abraham and his son Ishmael.