“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.26Since Abraham was so enthused to fulfill God’s wishes, he did everything himself, including saddling the donkeys, though this was not ordinarily his 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.27It was in the merit of Abraham’s actions that Bilam’s curses were negated.
Let the harnessing that Joseph harnessed to greet his father come and counteract the harnessing of Pharaoh to go and pursue Israel.28It was in the merit of Joseph’s actions that Pharaoh’s attack on the Israelites ended in failure. 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,29It is proper for a man of stature to take two attendants along on a journey. 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 wood30The Hebrew atzei 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.31The derivations regarding saddling and harnessing are valid, but your comparison of chopping wood to the splitting of the sea goes too far. Rather, Abraham [acted] according to his ability, and the Holy One blessed be He [acted] according to his ability.32It is improper to draw a comparison between man’s actions and God’s actions. “[He] arose, and went to the place” – he was given reward for rising up, and [further] reward for walking.