Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who was Basemat mentioned in Genesis 36:3?
A: Basemat was the daughter of Yishmael (Ishmael) and the sister of Nevayot. She was one of the wives of Esau (Eisav), as mentioned in Genesis 36:3. According to Rashi, she is the same person as Mahalat (mentioned in Genesis 28:9), as names sometimes changed in the Torah.
Q: Why is Basemat's lineage important in this verse?
A: The Torah specifies Basemat's lineage (daughter of Yishmael, sister of Nevayot) to highlight the family connections of Esau's wives. This helps trace the genealogy of Edom (Esau's descendants) and shows the fulfillment of Hashem's promise to Avraham that both Yitzchak and Yishmael would become great nations (Genesis 17:20, 21:13).
Q: What can we learn from Esau marrying Basemat, daughter of Yishmael?
A: Esau's marriage to Basemat, daughter of Yishmael, teaches that he continued to choose wives from families outside the spiritual path of Avraham and Yitzchak. The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 67:13) notes that this was part of Esau's pattern of behavior, distancing himself from the values of his forefathers.
Q: Why does the Torah mention Nevayot in connection with Basemat?
A: Nevayot was Yishmael's firstborn son (Genesis 25:13), and mentioning him here emphasizes Basemat's prominent family status. The Torah often includes details about siblings to provide context about a person's background, showing that she came from an important lineage within the Yishmaelite family.
Introduction to the Verse
The verse "וְאֶת־בָּשְׂמַת בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֲחוֹת נְבָיוֹת" (and Basemat, daughter of Yishma'el, sister of Nevayot) appears in Bereshit 36:3 as part of the genealogy of Esav (Esau). This verse identifies Basemat as both the daughter of Yishma'el and the sister of Nevayot, connecting her to two significant figures in the Torah.
Context in the Torah
Basemat is mentioned as one of Esav's wives, alongside other wives such as Adah and Oholibamah. The Torah provides genealogical details to clarify lineage and relationships, particularly in the context of Esav's descendants, who became the Edomites. The mention of Basemat as the daughter of Yishma'el highlights a marital alliance between the families of Yitzchak (Isaac) and Yishma'el (Ishmael).
Rashi's Commentary
Rashi (Bereshit 36:3) notes that Basemat is also referred to as Machalat in Bereshit 28:9, where Esav takes her as a wife after seeing that Yitzchak instructed Yaakov (Jacob) not to marry a Canaanite woman. Rashi explains that the name change (or dual naming) may signify a spiritual transformation or an event tied to her marriage. He further connects the name Machalat to the root מחל (forgiveness), suggesting that Esav's sins were "forgiven" when he married her, as it demonstrated his desire to follow his father's example in avoiding Canaanite wives.
Midrashic Insights
The Midrash (Bereshit Rabbah 67:13) elaborates on the significance of Basemat being the daughter of Yishma'el. It emphasizes that Esav sought to emulate his father Yitzchak by marrying within the family of Avraham, rather than taking Canaanite wives like his earlier marriages (e.g., Yehudit, daughter of Be'eri). This reflects a partial return to the values of his forefathers, albeit incompletely, as Esav's overall character remained flawed.
Nevayot's Mention
The phrase "sister of Nevayot" is significant because Nevayot was Yishma'el's firstborn (Bereshit 25:13). By identifying Basemat in relation to Nevayot, the Torah underscores her prominent lineage within Yishma'el's family. Ramban (Nachmanides) suggests that this detail reinforces the nobility of her ancestry, as Nevayot was a chieftain of a notable clan.
Lessons from the Verse