Why does the Torah need to tell us how long Yishmael lived?
Rashi: To learn from it that Ya?akov must have spent fourteen years in the Yeshiva of Eiver, after leaving his father's house before arriving in Charan. 1
Ramban #1: Discussing the children and the life-span of Yishmael, it teaches us the extent to which the sons of Tzadikim are blessed. 2
Ramban #2: Because he did Teshuvah and is considered a Tzadik, the Torah writes about him like it does about Tzadikim.
Rashbam: In honor of Avraham - since it informed us of his birth (16:16) and his B?ris (17:25), it also tells us how many years he lived.
"100 years, thirty years, seven years." Why do Chazal interpret this repeated word in the verses regarding Sarah (23:1) and Avraham (25:7), but not here regarding Yishmael?
Refer to 23:1:1.3.
Why does the Torah write "va'Yigva va'Yamos"?
Rashi: It is an expression that pertains exclusively to Tzadikim 1 - and it is an (Ramban - another) 2 indication that he did Teshuvah.
Ramban #1: (citing Bava Basra, 16b) ?Vayigva? implies that one died without prior illness or suffering. 3 And when the Torah adds ?Misah? or ?Asifah? it refers to Tzadikim.
Ramban #2 (citing a Midrash and Targum Onkelos) and Targum Yonasan: It implies that he died following stomach pains for ten or twenty days 4 which is the classical death of Tzadikim.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "Why were the years of Yishmael counted..." (Megilah 17a). But why is this surprising; the Torah often tells us how long a person lived?
Gur Aryeh: Chazal mean, why should we count the years of the wicked? (Rashi to Megilah 17a). Although Yishmael did Teshuvah (Rashi to 25:9); that was towards the end of his life; and the Pasuk need not have tallied the years that he was wicked.
Rashi writes: "'Va'Yigva' (he perished) - This expression is used only for the righteous." The Gemara (Bava Basra 16b) adds that although this term 'Geviyah' is also used regarding the generation wiped out by the Flood (6:17; 17:21), 'Geviyah' along with 'Asifah' is used only for Tzadikim. Why is this so?
Gur Aryeh: Geviyah means absolute negation. The term is appropriate for the generation of the flood, who were wiped out totally, both body and Nefesh. 1 But when the terms Geviyah and Asifah are used together, it indicates the negation of the body even while the Nefesh endures. For the righteous, as physical strength fails, the Nefesh-intellect becomes pure. The body is divested, while the Nefesh is gathered in (Asifah) [to its source]. The wicked, in contrast, have not purified their Nefesh, and it remains inclined towards the Guf.
Dor ha'Mabul has no share in Olam ha'Ba, nor will their Ru'ach even arise to stand judgment (Sanhedrin 107b-108a). (CS)
Rashi writes that the Torah writes the years of Yishmael 'Kedei Leyaches (to give importance; to state the origin)' Yaakov's years. Why did he not say 'to know' Yaakov's years?
Ha'amek Davar: This teaches that his best years were when he learned in Beis Ever, without any distractions. This teaches us that one who can learn now and marry afterwards should do so, and not say, 'my time [to marry] has come.' 1
Kidushin 29b says that sometimes it is better to marry first; it depends on whether one is in Eretz Yisrael or in Bavel. Perhaps Ha'amek Davar discusses one who will not be able to learn after he marries. (PF)
