Genesis Rabbah 55

¹“It was after these matters , God tested Abraham and said to him: Abraham, and he said: Here I am” (Genesis 22:1). “He said: Please take your son, your only one, whom you love, Isaac, and go you to the land of Moriah, and offer him up there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains that I will tell you” (Genesis 22:2). “It was after these matters, God tested Abraham.” It is written: “You have given those who fear You a banner [ nes ] to wave [ lehitnoses ], because of truth [ koshet ], Selah” (Psalms 60:6) – test [ nisayon ] after test, . Abraham, alluded to here as “those who fear You,” was subjected to test after test. elevation after elevation, in order to test them in [the eyes of] the world, and in order to exalt them in [the eyes of] the world, like an ensign [ nes ] on a ship. Why to such an extent? It is because of truth [ koshet ] – so that God’s attribute of justice would be proven true in the world. If a person says to you: ‘He [God] makes wealthy whom He wishes to make wealthy, he makes poor whom he wishes, and he crowns as king whom he wishes, [all arbitrarily]; when He wished, He crowned Abraham king, when He wished, He made him wealthy,’ you can respond and say to him: ‘Are you able to do what Abraham our patriarch did?’ And when he says: ‘What did he do?’ You tell him: ‘“Abraham was one hundred years old when [his son Isaac] was born to him” (Genesis 21:5), and after all that suffering, it was said to him: “Take now your son, your only one,” yet he did not hesitate.’ That is, “You have given those who fear You a banner to wave.” ²“The Lord tests the righteous, but He hates the wicked and the lover of injustice” (Psalms 11:5) – Rabbi Yonatan said: A linen producer, when his flax is inferior, he does not beat it extensively because it would break, but when his flax is of high quality, he beats it exceedingly, because it continually improves [through this process]. So, the Holy One blessed be He does not test the wicked. Why? Because they would be unable to withstand it, as it is written: “But the wicked are like the stormy sea” (Isaiah 57:20). Whom does He test? It is the righteous, as it is stated: “The Lord tests the righteous,” [such as in this incident:] “It was after these matters that his master's wife [cast her eyes upon Joseph]” (Genesis 39:7). “It was after these matters” – Rabbi Yonatan said: A potter, when he wants to evaluate [the products of] his kiln, he does not test the fragile vessels. Why? It is because he would not be able to knock on one of them even once without breaking it. What does he test? The sturdy vessels, as even if he knocks on one of them several times, he will not break it. So, the Holy One blessed be He does not test the wicked, but rather, the righteous, as it is stated: “The Lord tests the righteous.” Rabbi Elazar said: This is analogous to a homeowner who had two cows, one strong and one feeble. Upon which one does he place the yoke? Is it not upon the one that is strong? So, the Holy One blessed be He tests only the righteous, as it is stated: “The Lord tests the righteous.” ³Another matter, “the Lord tests the righteous” – this refers to Abraham. “It was after these matters, God tested Abraham.” Rabbi Avun began: “Since governance is by the king’s word, and who can say to him: What are you doing?” (Ecclesiastes 8:4). Rabbi Avin said: This is analogous to a master who commands his disciple and says to him: “You shall not distort judgment” (Deuteronomy 16:19), but he himself distorts judgment; “you shall not show preference” (Deuteronomy 16:19), but he himself shows preference; “you shall not take a bribe” (Deuteronomy 16:19), but he himself takes a bribe; do not lend with usury, but he himself lends with usury. His disciple said to him: ‘My master, you say to me: Do not lend with usury, yet you lend with usury. Is it permitted for you and prohibited for me?’ He said to him: ‘I am telling you: Do not lend with usury to an Israelite, but you may lend with usury to an idolater, as it is written: “To a stranger you may lend with interest but to your brother do not lend with interest”’ (Deuteronomy 23:21). So, Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, You wrote in Your Torah: “You shall not take revenge and you shall not bear a grudge” (Leviticus 19:18), yet You take revenge and You bear a grudge, as it is stated: “The Lord is vengeful and full of wrath; the Lord is vengeful to His foes, and bears a grudge against His enemies”’ (Nahum 1:2). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘I wrote in the Torah: “You shall not take revenge and you shall not bear a grudge against the members of your people” (Leviticus 19:18), but I take revenge and I bear a grudge against idolaters: “Take the vengeance of the children of Israel [upon the Midyanites]” (Numbers 31:2). [Similarly, it is stated:] “You shall not test the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 6:16) – yet “God tested Abraham.” ⁴“After these matters [ devarim ]” – after the words [ devarim ] that were being contemplated there. Who contemplated [these words]? Abraham contemplated and said: ‘I rejoiced and caused everyone else to rejoice, but I did not set aside anything [from my feast] for the Holy One blessed be He, neither a bull nor a ram.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘[I do not require your gifts. I know that] even if I would make a condition with you requiring that you sacrifice your son you would not refuse.’ According to the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, 51:2. who said: [When, instead of] “God,” [it is written] “and God” – it refers to Him and His court, the ministering angels had said: ‘This Abraham rejoiced and caused everyone else to rejoice, but he did not set aside anything for the Holy One blessed be He, neither a bull nor a ram.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘[I do not require his gifts. I know that] even if I would make a condition with him requiring that he sacrifice his son, he would not refuse.’ [Another interpretation,] Isaac and Ishmael were arguing with one another. This one [Yishmael] was saying: ‘I am more beloved [to God] than you are, as I was circumcised at the age of thirteen years.’ And the other one [Isaac] was saying: ‘I am more beloved [to God] than you are, as I was circumcised at eight days.’ Ishmael said to him: ‘I am more beloved because I had the ability to protest, but I did not protest.’ At that moment, Isaac said: ‘If only the Holy One blessed be He would appear to me and say to me that I should sever one of my limbs, I would not refuse.’ After this, “God tested Abraham.” <variant reading: ishmael said to him: ‘i am more beloved than you, as i was circumcised at age thirteen years, but you were circumcised when you were little, when it was impossible to protest.’ isaac said to him: ‘everything that you gave over to the Holy One blessed be He amounted to three drops of blood. I, though, am thirty-seven years old now, and if He were to ask me to be slaughtered, I would not refuse.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘The hour has come.’ After this, “God tested Abraham.”> ⁵“With what shall I approach the Lord, and bow to God on High? […Shall I offer up my firstborn son for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?]” (Micah 6:6). Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Although these words are [apparently] alluding to Meisha king of Moav, who took action and actually offered his son up as a burnt offering, in fact it is alluding only to Isaac, as it is stated: “With what shall I approach the Lord, and bow to God on High? …Does the Lord desire thousands of rams, with tens thousands streams of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression? (Micah 6:6–7). Regarding Isaac, even though no action was actually performed, He accepted it as though the deed were completed. Regarding Meisha, [though he actually performed the act,] it was not accepted before Him. ⁶God tested [ nisa ] Abraham” – Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: He exalted him like the ensign [ nes ] on a ship. Rabbi Akiva says: He tested him in the literal sense, so that people should not say: He stunned him and confused him and he did not know what to do. “He said: Here I am” – Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa said: In two places Moses likened himself to Abraham. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not glorify yourself before a king, and in the place of the great do not stand” (Proverbs 25:6). Abraham said: “Here I am” – here I am [ready] for priesthood, here I am [ready] for kingship. And he in fact merited priesthood and merited kingship. He merited priesthood, [as it is stated regarding Abraham] – “The Lord has sworn, and He will not renounce it; you are a priest forever (Psalms 110:4); [and] kingship [as the Hittites said to Abraham] – “you are a prince of God in our midst” (Genesis 23:6). Moses [also] said: “Here I am” (Exodus 3:4) – here I am [ready] for priesthood, here I am [ready] for kingship. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not approach [ tikrav ] here [ halom ]” (Exodus 3:5). Kerav is specifically a reference to the priesthood, just as it says: “The stranger who approaches [ karev ] shall be put to death” (Numbers 1:51). Halom is specifically a reference to kingship, just as it is stated [that David said]: “That You have brought me to here [ halom ]” (II Samuel 7:18). 2:7. ⁷“He said: Please take your son…” – He said to him: ‘I plead with you, “please take your son.”’ He said to Him: ‘I have two sons, which son?’ He said to him: “Your only one.” He said to him: ‘This one is the only one to his mother, and the other one is the only one to his mother.’ He said to him: “Whom you love” (Genesis 22:2). He said to him: ‘Are there partitions in one’s innards?’ He said to him: “Isaac” (Genesis 22:2). Why did He not reveal it [His intention] to him immediately? It was to endear it [God’s command] in his eyes, and [also] to give him reward for each and every statement. This is like the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Go you [from your land]” (Genesis 12:1) – meaning your district; “from your birthplace” (Genesis 12:1) – meaning your neighborhood; “from your father’s house” (Genesis 12:1) – meaning your father’s house; “to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). Why did He not reveal it [His intention] to him immediately? It was to endear it [God’s command] in his eyes and to give him reward for each and every statement and for each and every step. Rabbi Levi bar Ḥaita said: “Go you” is written twice, but we do not know which was more beloved [to God], the first or the second. From what is written [here]: “Go you to the land of Moriah,” we see that the second was more beloved than the first. “Go you to the land of Moriah” – Rabbi Ḥiyya Rabba and Rabbi Yanai, one said: To the place from which instruction [ horaa ] emerges to the world, and the other said: To the place from which fear [ yira ] emerges to the world. Similarly, the Holy of Holies [ devir ] – Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yanai, one said: The place from which commandments [ diberot ] emerge to the world, and one said: The place from which domination [ dibur ] emerges to the world. Similarly, the Ark [ aron ], Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yanai, one said: [This refers] to the place from which light [ ora ] emerges to the world, and one said: [It refers] to the place from which fear [ yira ] emerges to the world. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: [It is called Moriah] because it is from there that the Holy One blessed be He shoots [ moreh ] at the nations of the world and dispatches them down to Gehenna. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: [God was telling Abraham to go] to the place that is aligned [ ra’ui ] corresponding to the heavenly Temple. Rabbi Pinḥas said: To the place of dominion [ maruta ] over the world. The Rabbis say: To the place where incense is offered, just as it says: “I will go to the mountain of myrrh [ mor ], and to the hill of frankincense” (Song of Songs 4:6). “Offer him up there as a burnt offering” – Rabbi Yudan bar Simon said: He [Abraham] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, can there be an offering without a priest?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I have already appointed you a priest.’ That is what is written [regarding Abraham]: “You are a priest forever” (Psalms 110:4). “Upon one of the mountains that I will tell you” – Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: The Holy One blessed be He [at first] causes the righteous to be perplexed, and to direct their eyes toward Him [for clarification], and only then does he reveal to them the upshot of the matter. “To the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1) – “upon one of the mountains…” Similarly, “And proclaim to it the proclamation that [I speak to you]” (Jonah 3:2). Similarly, “Arise, go out to the valley, and there I will speak to you” (Ezekiel 3:22). ⁸“Abraham awoke early in the morning and saddled his donkey; he took his two young men with him, and Isaac his son; he chopped wood for the burnt offering, arose, and went to the place that God told him” (Genesis 22:3). “Abraham awoke early in the morning and saddled his donkey” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: Love upsets one’s usual practice and hatred upsets one’s usual practice. Love upsets one’s usual practice, as it is written: “Abraham awoke early in the morning [and saddled his donkey]…” Did he not have several slaves [who could do this for him]? The explanation is that love upsets one’s usual practice. Hatred upsets the natural order, as it is written: “Bilam arose in the morning, and saddled his donkey” (Numbers 22:21). Did he not have several slaves? The explanation is that hatred upsets one’s usual practice. Love upsets the natural order, as it is written: “Joseph harnessed his chariot, and went up toward Israel his father” (Genesis 46:29). Did Joseph not have several slaves? The explanation is that love upsets one’s usual practice. Hatred upsets the natural order, as it is written: “He [Pharaoh] harnessed his chariot” (Exodus 14:6). Did he not have several slaves? The explanation is that hatred upsets one’s usual practice. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: [God said:] ‘Let one saddling come and counteract the other saddling.’ Let the saddling that Abraham our patriarch saddled in order to go and perform the will of the Omnipresent, of Him who spoke and brought the world into being, as it is stated: “Abraham extended his hand [and took the knife to slaughter his son]” (Genesis 22:10), counteract the saddling that Bilam saddled in order to go and curse Israel. Let the harnessing that Joseph harnessed to greet his father come and counteract the harnessing of Pharaoh to go and pursue Israel. Rabbi Yishmael taught: Let the drawn sword that Abraham our patriarch wielded, as it is stated: “Abraham extended his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son” (Genesis 22:10), counteract the drawn sword regarding which Pharaoh said: “I will draw my sword [and my hand will destroy them]” (Exodus 15:9). “He took his two young men with him” – Rabbi Abahu said: Two people acted with propriety, Abraham and Saul. Abraham, as it is stated: “He took his two young men with him”; Saul, “he went, and two men with him” (I Samuel 28:8). “He chopped wood is in plural, indicating that two logs of wood were split. for the burnt offering” – Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Yosei in the name of Rabbi Meyasha, and some teach it in the name of Rabbi Benaya: In reward for the two choppings [ beki’ot ] with which Abraham chopped the wood for the burnt offering, he was privileged to have the sea split before the children of Israel, as it is stated: “He chopped [ vayvaka ] wood for the burnt offering” and it is stated elsewhere: “The water was split [ vayibaku ]” (Exodus 14:21). Rabbi Levi said [to him]: Enough. Until here. Rather, Abraham [acted] according to his ability, and the Holy One blessed be He [acted] according to his ability. “[He] arose, and went to the place” – he was given reward for rising up, and [further] reward for walking.