God Regrets Creating Ishmael

y. Ta‘aniyot 3:4, 15a

220–400

R. Joshua ben Yair [said] in the name of R. Pinḥas ben Yair: There are three [things] that the Holy One created, and regrets that He created: the Chaldeans, the Ishmaelites, and the evil inclination. The Chaldeans: Behold the land of Chaldea—This is the people that has ceased to be (Isaiah 23:13, NJPS)—if only they never were! The Ishmaelites: Robb…