Claiming Har Habayis: The Battle Between Yishmael and Yitzchak's Descendants

The pasuk says that if we return to Hashem, He will put all the curses mentioned earlier on our ‘oyeiv’ and ‘sonei’. Both these terms refer to enemies, and we know there are no true synonyms in lashon hakodesh. What is the difference between these two expressions?

Rabeinu Bechaye explains that the hatred of an oyeiv runs deeper than that of a sonei, and he will act with no mercy whatsoever. The word oyeiv is the very same letters as avoi, because when faced with this enemy, one will cry out “oy v’avoi”!

The pasuk refers to our two main enemies throughout our long galus. Historically, Eisav opposes us, and serves as our sonei, yet we always manage to survive. Yishmael harbors an everlasting hatred for us and threatens our very existence; he is an oyeiv.

When Esther told Achashveirosh of Haman’s plans, she identified him as “ish tzar ve’oyeiv". We know that Haman was a descendant of Eisav, so he should be called a sonei?

However, the Gemara (Megillah 16) gives us the real story. Esther intended to point at Achashveirosh and identify him as her enemy, the one who wanted to ruthlessly wipe out an entire nation. At the last moment, Hashem sent a malach to push her hand in the direction of Haman, instead.

So, it is Achashveirosh the Persian whom she called her oyeiv, and the Maharal (Netzach Yisrael 21) writes that Persia was descended from Yishmael. Thus, the Gemara inferred from this very term that she intended to name Achashveirosh as her enemy.

The Gemara tells of the time that Rabbi Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Akiva visited Yerushalayim, some years after the Churban. When they arrived at the Har Habayis, they saw a fox emerging from the ruins of the kodesh hakodoshim, a place where no Yid dared enter. Shocked and dismayed at this terrible chilul Hashem, Rabbi Gamliel and Rabbi Elazar began to cry. Imagine their surprise when they saw that Rabbi Akiva was laughing! When they questioned his response, he explained that a Navi had predicted this very event. Now that he saw this prophecy had come true, he was reassured how other prophesies, predicting the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash, would also come true! After hearing this explanation, the others replied, “Akiva, nichamtanu,” you have consoled us.

The Rama of Pano reveals a deeper significance to this story. The word for foxes, shu’alim, are the same letters as the name Yishmael. He lays claim to the Har Habayis, thinking that he will stay there forever, but Rabbi Akiva laughed at the obvious fallacy, recognizing that his claim could not last.

This exchange has its roots in another incident that took place in that very spot, many years before. When Avraham Avinu went to Har Hamoria to sacrifice Yitzchok, he took Yishmael along with him, to show Yishmael that he has no stake in this special place.

When Avraham first glimpsed the mountain, the pasuk says, vayar es ha’makom, and he saw the place. Chazal explain that the word makom is a reference to the shechina, because Avraham sensed the presence of Hashem on the mountain. Yitzchak saw it, as well, but Yishmael could not sense anything different. At that moment, Hashem clearly demonstrated that Yitzchok was Avraham’s rightful heir, and could lay claim to the Har Habayis, and not Yishmael.

Yet we see that Yishmael established a presence on Har Habayis and maintained this control for many generations. How did this come about?

Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky (Emes L’yaakov, Parshas Vayeira), citing the Zohar, explains that Yishmael boasted to Yitzchak that he agreed to have a bris mila when he was already older. This zechus gave his descendants a temporary hold on Eretz Yisroel.

However, Rav Yaakov adds that Avraham foresaw this claim, and he deliberately made a treaty with the Pelishtim before the akeida. The pesukim often refer to the Pelishtim as areilim, uncircumcised, yet Avraham did not hesitate to strengthen their claim to Eretz Yisroel. By doing this, he demonstrated that the merit of bris mila alone would not be a determining factor in the ownership of Eretz Yisroel, countering Yishmael’s claim to the land. They will maintain control throughout the galus, but they forfeited a real claim to the Har Habayis long ago.

During our own time, with all the pain we are suffering at the hands of the bnei Yishmael, we must reinforce our emuna in our ownership of Eretz Yisroel. We look forward to the time when Yishmael will be forced to renounce his claim to the Har Habayis and the world will recognize our rightful