Why was Yishmael saved?

Question

In bereshis 21:17 it says

And G-d heard the lad's voice, and an angel of G-d called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, "What is troubling you, Hagar? Fear not, for G-d has heard the lad's voice in the place where he is.

Which the gemarah, Rosh HaShanah 16b, says teaches us that

A person is judged only based on his deeds of that moment, as it is written, ‘G-d has heard the voice of the youth [Yishmael], as he is there.

Rashi, quoting the Midrash Rabba fills in

For the ministering angels were accusing and saying,“ O L-rd of the Universe, for one who is destined to kill Your children with thirst, You are bringing up a well?!” And He answered them, “What is he now, righteous or wicked?” They replied, “Righteous.” He said to them, “According to his present deeds I judge him” (Gen. Rabbah 53:14)

But was Yishmael righteous? 8 Pesukim earlier we find

וַתֵּרֶא שָׂרָה אֶת בֶּן הָגָר הַמִּצְרִית אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לְאַבְרָהָם מְצַחֵק Which Rashi, from the midrash, explains as making merry: Heb. מְצַחֵק. An expression of idolatry, as it is said (Exod. 32:6):“and they rose up to make merry” (לְצַחֵק) . Another explanation: An expression of illicit sexual relations, as it is said (below 39:17):“to mock (לְצַחֶק) me.” Another explanation: An expression of murder, as it is said (II Sam. 2:14):“Let the boys get up now and sport (וַיִשַׂחֲקוּ) before us, etc.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 53:11]

So Yishmael engaged in at least one and possible all three of the cardinal sins, which are also capital offenses for a Ben Noach.

Why then is he dubbed "righteous" and not put to death?

And if you wish to answer that yishmael was saved out Hashem mercy such as repentance or Abraham's merit, then why does the Torah only use Elohim (which signifies strict justice) and not Hashem (which is mercy)?

Answer 1

I found two possible answers that are at odds with one another:

1. We know Ishmael repented in the lifetime of Abraham, since he allowed Isaac to precede him for Abraham's burial, (Gen 25:9, see also B. Bath. 16b). Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer, ch. 30 relates the following, which could suggest that his repentance happened in the desert:

"In the merit of Abraham, the water skin did not lack water. And when she, (Hagar), reached the desert, she began to stray after the idols of her father's house, and immediately the water was missing from the water skin, therefore she cast the lad. And 24 Years was Ishmael when he left the house of Abraham and Isaac was 10... And the soul of Ishmael became tired from thirst, he went and cast him self beneath the thorns of the desert and said Master of the world, if there is before you a will to give me to drink water, give me to drink so that my spirit will not leave me in thirst, for strange is death from thirst, and it is more difficult than all deaths. And Gd heard his prayer..."

Further in the chapter, Ishmael is said to divorce his first wife for not offering an anonymous Abraham food and water when he comes to visit his son, which suggests that in the very least he was hospitable after this repentance and its acceptance by Gd.

2. Ishmael was wicked or guilty, but was not of punishable age. Above, he is listed as 24, but in the Zohar part 1, 118b:

"See, they preserved him/established it, (aramaic word אוקמוה‏), that he was not of punishable age by the Upper Court, because the Lower Court punishes from thirteen years and up, and the Upper Court from twenty years and onward, and even though he was wicked/guilty, (aramaic word חייבא‏), he was not of punishable age, and see they preserved him/established it, and that is what is written 'as he is there', (Gen 21:17)".

So in the Upper Court, where Ishmael was being judged, his wicked deeds did not lead to his guilt or punishment, because he was less than twenty years old, which was not old enough to be held responsible.

Also, the Targum [pseudo] Jonathan on Gen 21:17 says that Gd spared Ishmael because of the merit of Abraham.

So, he was "righteous" for one of three reasons:

• He repented.
• He was not of punishable age so his sins were not counted against him.
• His father's merit was invoked on his behalf.

Answer 2

I read once from a reliable source (forgot where) "he was righteous" means in a relative sense, i.e. regarding this particular judgment that he was being judged in of whether he should die or not - but not that he was righteous in a general sense.

Answer 3

To answer as to how yishmael was judged favorably with God's strick justice, simply look at the Yonah reading. At first it is the merciful Name used to warn Nineveh to repent, but after they repent, it is God's strick justice Name used. Thus even Elohim accepts repentance.

Answer 4

The answer is in your question:

A person is judged only based on his deeds of that moment, as it is written, ‘G-d has heard the voice of the youth [Yishmael], as he is there.

For the ministering angels were accusing and saying,“ O Lord of the Universe, for one who is destined to kill Your children with thirst, You are bringing up a well?!” And He answered them, “What is he now, righteous or wicked?” They replied, “Righteous.” He said to them, “According to his present deeds I judge him” (Gen. Rabbah 53:14)

Yishmael's past and future deeds were not relevant to his judgement. That is the meaning of the extra words

"in the place where he is."

Answer 5

He was saved and also his descendants because he made a bris at thirteen. To be able to be paid back in this world.

The same as Eisav was saved and his descendants for honoring his father.