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Why does Rashi (רש"י) say Hagar is called Keturah because her deeds were beautiful as ketores, when she returned to idolatry after leaving Avrohom's house? The shiur develops a yesod that rebellion stems from feeling rejected and worthless. Just as the community must welcome sinners (poshei Yisrael) to heal their self-hatred—like chelbonah in the ketores—Hagar's transformation came when she realized Hashem (ה׳)'s sending angels proved His love, not rejection.
Rabbi Zweig addresses a fundamental difficulty in Rashi (רש"י)'s commentary on Parshas Chayei Sarah. The pasuk states "Vayosef Avrohom vayikach ishah u'shemah Keturah," and Rashi identifies Keturah as Hagar, explaining that she is called Keturah "because her actions were beautiful as the ketores (incense)." Rashi also notes that she had no relationship with anyone from the day she left Avrohom. The difficulty is glaring: in Parshas Vayeira, when Hagar left Avrohom's house, the pasuk says "Vateilech vateita ba'midbar" (she went and got lost in the desert), which Chazal interpret as "Chazrah l'gilulei aviha"—she returned to the idolatry of her father. How can Rashi reconcile calling her actions as beautiful as ketores when she returned to avodah zarah? The answer lies in understanding Rashi's precise language. Rashi uses the pejorative term "gilulim" (literally "dung") for idolatry. This is not mere poetic license—Rashi is telling us something fundamental about Hagar's motivation. She didn't return to avodah zarah because of intellectual conviction or ideological commitment. Rather, when Hashem (ה׳) appeared to reject her—not just Yishmael being expelled, but she herself being thrown out—she felt a tremendous sense of rejection and became self-hating. When a person feels that Hashem has rejected them, they feel worthless and develop an urge to destroy themselves further. Hagar wanted to "wallow in filth," to degrade herself with the "dung" of idolatry. This is a powerful yetzer hara: when someone feels down and rejected, they actively hasten their own self-destruction.
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Bereishis 25:1 (Chayei Sarah); Bereishis 21 (Vayeira)
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Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
