בראשית, פרק כ״ה, פסוק ו׳

As Abraham nears the end of his life, he takes decisive action to secure Isaac's unique position as his sole spiritual and material heir. To prevent future inheritance struggles, he carefully settles the status of his other descendants and distances them from his primary successor. The women who bore these other children are identified as concubines, a term carrying specific legal and social weight. Some define a concubine as a woman taken in marriage but without a formal marriage contract [רש״י, רבנו בחיי, מזרחי, משכיל לדוד], while others argue the relationship involved neither formal marriage nor a contract [רמב״ן, תולדות יצחק, גור אריה]. The term itself is viewed by some as a linguistic blend meaning a half wife, reflecting a partial marital status [אם למקרא, שפתי חכמים]. Rather than referring to the exact marital standing of the mothers, the title may serve as a class designation for inferior sons who are not entitled to a full inheritance [העמק דבר, רש״ר הירש]. Alternatively, these women might not have been Abraham's concubines at all, but rather those of his servants whose children were raised in his household [רד״ק]. The primary approach among commentators focuses on Abraham's own wives. Some identify his concubines as Hagar and Keturah, viewing them as the same woman who returned to him [רש״י, רבנו בחיי, חזקוני, חתם סופר], whereas others maintain they were two distinct individuals [רשב״ם]. Ultimately, Abraham maintained these relationships under the status of concubinage because of God's promise that only Isaac would carry on his legacy. By defining his other wives as concubines, Abraham ensured their offspring would not be considered his legal heirs [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך].

Having already transferred his entire estate to Isaac, Abraham provides these other sons with alternative gifts before sending them away. A straightforward reading suggests he bestowed upon them vast wealth, including silver, gold, and movable property [אבן עזרא, רשב״ם, ביאור יש״ר, שטיינזלץ]. Ishmael is notably absent from this distribution, likely because he had already been sent away years prior, or because his status was entirely subsumed under Isaac's authority [אור החיים]. Beyond material wealth, a widespread tradition suggests these gifts were of a mystical nature. According to this view, Abraham imparted a name of impurity, granting them knowledge of sorcery, demons, and hidden forces. Commentators offer several explanations for why Abraham would share such unusual knowledge. He may have equipped them with these skills for self defense against the dark forces and sorcerers prevalent in the regions to which they were traveling [משכיל לדוד, חומש קה״ת, גור אריה]. Knowing these sons would not maintain strict spiritual purity, Abraham provided them with mystical names they could safely use even in an impure state [הדר זקנים, דעת זקנים, חזקוני]. Another perspective suggests Abraham taught them the secrets of sorcery specifically to expose the worthlessness of idolatry, hoping this understanding would prevent them from being led astray [פענח רזא, דברי דוד, צאינה וראינה].

To finalize the separation, Abraham sends these sons away while he is still alive. This proactive measure is designed to prevent any future friction or challenges to Isaac's exclusive inheritance of both the covenant and the physical property [רד״ק, העמק דבר, שטיינזלץ, מחוקקי יהודה]. By executing this plan during his lifetime, Abraham establishes undeniable facts on the ground, avoiding reliance on wills or legal documents that might be contested or violated after his passing [ספורנו, הכתב והקבלה]. This physical distance also serves a profound spiritual purpose, creating a buffer that protects Isaac's holy environment from impure influences [רקנאטי]. Abraham directs their journey eastward, steering them toward regions like the Arabian Peninsula, well beyond the borders of the Land of Israel [אבן עזרא, רשב״ם, שד״ל, שטיינזלץ, ביאור יש״ר]. He may have specifically sent them toward his original homeland, knowing his extended family would welcome them warmly [רד״ק]. Conceptually, however, the East is deeply associated with sorcery and impurity, aligning perfectly with the mystical gifts he had provided [חזקוני, העמק דבר]. Ultimately, sending these sons eastward symbolizes their removal from the spiritual and moral trajectory of humanity, a destiny that would unfold exclusively within the Land of Israel through the descendants of Isaac [רש״ר הירש].