During one of his many visits to Israel, Captain Gary Kosak visited a small house factory of handicapped Arabs who were working at sewing machines and weaving looms. Though they were disabled, they worked hard to make wall hangings, tablecloths and other items. Some were born with their handicaps, but a beautiful young woman there was handicapped in an act of vengeance between two Arab families. Someone in her family had wronged someone from another Arab family, who then took out his rage on this young woman. Together with his accomplices, he kidnapped the young woman, held her down and cut the nerves and tendons in her legs, making her a cripple. Kosack writes, “It was an example of Arab vengeance that seems to fit the prophetic description of Ishmael’s offspring. In learning more about the Arab people, I discovered that acts of blood revenge were not uncommon. These types of tragedies happened frightfully more often than one would imagine.”
Islam was born and took root in the tribal lands of Ishmael, whom Muslims consider a prophet and the forefather of Muhammed. What drives the people of Ishmael to act this way? What is the root of their hatred and predilection to murder?
The seeds of Ishmael’s destiny, as is often the case in the Torah, are found at the very beginning of Ishmael’s story, even before his birth:
Though he is the firstborn son of Abraham, one of the greatest men to ever walk the earth, Ishmael is destined to be a “wild donkey of a man.” It is part of his very essence.
In the Hebrew language, the adjective always follows the noun. According to the standard grammatical rules, Ishmael should have been called “Adam Pere,” a “man that is a wild donkey.” Why does the Bible say Ishmael is a “Pere Adam,” a “wild donkey that is a man”? It seems that “wild donkey” is the primary word, the “noun” by which Ishmael is known, while “man” is merely an adjective.
What is the meaning of “Pere Adam,” that Ishmael is a “wild donkey” of a man?
A quick survey of the classic biblical commentators fills in the picture. Ishmael will be a man who loves to hunt beasts in the wilderness. “His hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him” – he will be a bandit, and everyone will hate and attack him. “He shall dwell alongside all of his kinsmen” – for his seed will be numerous. Others write that Ishmael will be a “wild-donkey man accustomed to the wilderness, seeking food, devouring all and being devoured by all… His children will increase and have wars with all the nations.” He will be “unrestrained among people” and “will rebel against all mankind.”
“Pereh,” the Hebrew word for “wild donkey,” is similar to other Hebrew words that begin with the same two letters – “pera,” “to uncover,” and “perach,” to bloom. The phrase “Pere Adam” describes a person who wants to be free and to shake off subjugation of any kind. Ishmael is impulsive, fiercely resisting any restrictions on his behavior. He is willing to do anything, to break any rule of decency, for he will allow nothing to stand in the way of his will.
These “wild donkey” character traits were not limited to Ishmael alone, but would come to define his many descendants for all time. Before moving to Israel, Rabbi Joseph Hayyim Sonnenfeld wondered how the Bible could compare Ishmael to a donkey. Was he not a human being created in the image of God? But after he moved to Israel and experienced the crimes of the Ishmaelites, he had the opposite question. How could a donkey be compared to Ishmael?
Does this mean that Ishmael is destined to be evil and has no hope of repentance? Certainly not. Though Ishmael is fundamentally wild, he also possesses the ability to channel his wildness in a holy direction. By humbly accepting Isaac’s leadership and recognizing the authority of the Bible, the people of Ishmael can use their great passion for holiness.
The Bible tells us that when Abraham died, Isaac and Ishmael reunited to bury their father together:
The sages explain that by listing Isaac, the younger son, before Ishmael, his older brother, the Bible implies that Ishmael gave precedence to Isaac as Abraham’s primary son. “From here [we may deduce] that Ishmael repented.” Ishmael’s acceptance of the primacy of Isaac demonstrates repentance, for it signifies his acknowledgment and acceptance of his father’s and God’s decision that Isaac, not Ishmael, would inherit Abraham’s blessings exclusively.
Ishmael’s reconciliation with Isaac did not last, and his descendants are once again committing acts of murder and terror in the name of God. But Ishmael’s reconciliation with Isaac is a reminder that the door to repentance is always open, if only Ishmael’s children can find the humility to walk through it.
The above article is taken from Rabbi Elie Mischel’s new book, The War Against the Bible: Ishmael, Esau and Israel at the End Times.
After Hamas terrorists slaughtered over 1,200 Israelis on October 7, an unholy alliance of Islamic jihadists and progressive activists joined together to fight an unholy war against the Bible. In The War Against the Bible, Rabbi Mischel offers a prophetic perspective on these dramatic events through the words of the Hebrew Bible itself. If you yearn for spiritual clarity amid today’s turbulence, let the power of the Hebrew Bible’s prophecies and call to action strengthen your faith. Click here to get your copy of The War Against the Bible: Ishmael, Esau and Israel at the End Times now!
