The Ramban says that since Sarah chotoh, sinned by afflicting Hagar therefore we will be afflicted by the Yishmaelim. The Abarbanel questions that Sarah by afflicting her forced to follow her teachings, so why did she sin? Also, the malach says go back and continue to get afflicted. When one eats garlic and mouth smells is not told to eat more. Maybe, the word chotoh can also mean to err, make a mistake. The gemora says that a Jewish servant if not behaving properly is allowed to be afflicted. Sarah Imenu, if not afflicting Hagar, could have given us an excuse to say that Sarah could have afflicted Hagar but she didn’t. Therefore we should not be punished when we don’t behave properly.
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