And it came to pass after these things, that G-d tested Abraham, and He said to him, "Abraham," and he said, "Here I am."
וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וְהָאֱ-לֹקים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי
Breisheit 22:1
The parshah of the Akeidah - The Binding of Isaac - is one of the most central, and moving narratives in the Torah, and begins with the words "after these things." The Torah doesn't describe what "these things" were that happened, but strongly alludes to certain things that happened, make those events all the more interesting and quite important, begging us to ask what were "these things."
Rashi describes the events that preceded the Akeidah in two different perspectives.
The Love Of Avraham
- Some of our Sages say (Sanh. 89b) [that this happened]: after the words [translating “devarim” as “words”] of Satan, who was accusing and saying, “Of every feast that Avraham made, he did not sacrifice before You one bull or one ram!” He [G-d] said to him, “Does he do anything but for his son? Yet, if I were to say to him, ‘Sacrifice him before Me,’ he would not withhold [him].”
- And some say,“ after the words of Ishmael,” who was boasting to Isaac that he was circumcised at the age of thirteen, and he did not protest. Isaac said to him,“ With one organ you intimidate me? If the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me, ‘Sacrifice yourself before Me,’ I would not hold back.”
Who is Avraham? The fundamental character aspect of Avraham is 'ahava' - love, as it says in the Haftorah of Lech Lecha in Yesheyahu " זֶרַע, אַבְרָהָם אֹהֲבִי" (Yesheyahu 41:8). How do we see the midah of Avraham expressed? In one side we see that Avraham is constantly striving to do chesed, and spread his love. What is his love? An absolute and unconditional love for Hashem. We see this brought in the the story of when Nimrod flung Avrohom into a fiery furnace. How did the flames not consume Avraham? Says the Holy Rebbe of Kuvrin (quoted by the Slonimer), from the depth and greatness of Avraham's love for Hakodesh Baruch Hu, he was saved!
Furthermore, says the Slonimer, all of the tests put before Avraham, he overcame them through (ahavah) his love for Hakadosh Baruch Hu. When internalizing this love, under the duress of a test, the love still remains.
What were the tests?
The Mishna in Avot (5:3) teaches: "Avraham Avinu, of blessed memory, was tested with ten tests and he withstood them all, to show how great the love of Avraham Avinu was."
What are the ten tests? The Mishna does not specify. Rashi provides one list, and the Rambam provides another. (There are a number of versions of the 10 Nisyonos of Avrohom brought down by the Rishonim. See two versions below. )
Version 1
1) Avrohom hid underground for thirteen years from King Nimrod, who wanted to kill him.
2) Nimrod flung Avrohom into a fiery furnace.
3) Avrohom was commanded to leave his family and homeland.
4) Almost as soon as he arrived in Canaan, he was forced to leave to escape a famine.
5) Sarah was kidnapped by Pharaoh's officials.
6) The kings captured Lot, and Avrohom went to war to rescue him.
7) Hashem told Avrohom that his offspring would suffer under four monarchies.
8) At an advanced age, he was commanded to circumcise himself and his son.
9) He was commanded to drive away Yishmael and Hagar.
10) He was commanded to sacrifice Yitzchok.
Version 2
1) Avrohom's exile from his family and homeland.
2) The hunger in Canaan after Hashem assured him that he would become a great nation there.
3) The corruption in Egypt that resulted in the abduction of Sarah.
4) The war with the four kings.
5) His marriage to Hagar after having despaired that Sarah would ever give birth.
6) The commandment of circumcision.
7) Avimelech's abduction of Sarah.
8) Driving away Hagar after she had given birth.
9) The very distasteful command to drive away Yishmael.
10) The binding of Yitzchok on the mizbei'ach.
)
However, despite Avraham's success in confronting all the 'nisionot' - tests, the final test, The Akeidah, could not be overcome by love alone.
The Test of Avraham
The most challenging test was the Akeidah. To overcome the test of the Akeidah, would also require 'yirah' - fear, as the verse states G-d tested Abraham. How is G-d represented? It says "וְהָאֱ-לֹקים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם", El-okim, the absolute judgement aspect of Hashem, the midah of 'yirah'. This test was a test of the level of 'yirah' - fear, that Avraham had internalized. We see this test is different from the other tests, whereas in the test of Lech Lecha, where Avrohom was commanded to leave his family and homeland, it only states
And Hashem said to Avram, "Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you."And Hashem said to Avram" using the friendly term associated with mercy - 'rachamim'.
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל אַבְרָם לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ
Breisheit 12:1
The Courage of Isaac
Ultimately this was the test put to Avraham, rather than Yitzhak, since Yitzhak already espouses the characteristic of fear 'yirah', The focus of this was to really put the 'loving' Avraham to the test, as we see in the verse at the end of the Akeidah narrative:
... for now I know that you are a G-d fearing man, and you did not withhold your son, your only one, from Me."
כִּי עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי יְרֵא אל-וקים אַתָּה וְלֹא חָשַׂכְתָּ אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידְךָ מִמֶּנִּי
Breisheit 22:12
Love and Courage
Why Rashi Brings Both Accounts? We see as Avraham embarks on the mission of Akeidah in the company of Yitzhak, as the verse states:
And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering, and he placed [it] upon his son Isaac, and he took into his hand the fire and the knife, and they both went together.This togetherness is embedded in the word Akeidah, which means bound, or tied. We see here on a spiritual level that the aspects of love (ahavah) and fear (yirah) are tied together to fulfill this mission.
וַיִּקַּח אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֲצֵי הָעֹלָה וַיָּשֶׂם עַל יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיִּקַּח בְּיָדוֹ אֶת הָאֵשׁ וְאֶת הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו
Breisheit 22:6
We see again as they reach the height of the Akeidah, and Avraham prepared the fire, and Yitzhak asked where the offering was.
And Abraham said, "Hashem will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And they both went together.Again love (ahavah) and fear (yirah) are tied together.
וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אל-וקים יִרְאֶה לּוֹ הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה בְּנִי וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו
Breisheit 22:8
Following the Akeidah, the Torah makes a third mention of Avraham and Yitzhak being together.
And Avraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer Sheba; and Avraham remained in Beer sheba.Says the Slonimer Rebbe, when the great test is behind us, and we have overcome all the obstacles that the satan puts in our way and we feel empowered and great, like we just finished a big race - then we face a further risk - pride. Having made a tremendous achievement, especially in overcoming temptation, can make us feel proud. So here at this point we need the power of ahavah and yirah to come together and make keep us strong against that temptation as well.
וַיָּשָׁב אַבְרָהָם אֶל נְעָרָיו וַיָּקֻמוּ וַיֵּלְכוּ יַחְדָּו אֶל בְּאֵר שָׁבַע וַיֵּשֶׁב אַבְרָהָם בִּבְאֵר שָׁבַע
Breisheit 22:19
The Cure Before the Pain
With a vaccination, how does it work? We take a little of sickness, so that when the actual sickness hit us, the body is strengthened already and to combat it. Avraham's life experiences were about preparing a vaccination, injecting into the Jewish DNA a fundamental preparation for the trials that lay before the Jewish people and each and every one of us in our everyday lives.
Once the Baal Shem Tov (Besht) stopped at the door of a synagogue saying he could not enter because it was so full of prayers. His astonished disciples asked him if that was not a preferred situation for a shul, but the Besht answered that ONLY when prayers are said with love and fear so they ascend to heaven. Here they did not ascend, rather they filled the shul.
So this is what Rashi is relating to us by bringing both of these midrashim together, to convey the fundamental importance the ahavah and yirah play together, both in Jewish history and as we struggle everyday through our lives, mitzvot, and tefilah to grow in our relationship with Hashem.
Ramban http://www.shemayisrael.com/parsha/bonchek/archives/vayera72.htm
http://textandcity.blogspot.co.il/2013/10/the-akeidah-in-context-after-what-events.html
