God Never Intended Abraham to Slaughter Isaac at the Akedah

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Vayera 40:2

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

Thus our Rabbis taught: "which I did not command, and did not speak, and which did not arise upon My heart" (Jeremiah 19:5) — I did not command Jephthah to offer up his daughter, and I did not speak to the king of Moab that he should offer up his son, and it did not arise upon My heart to say to Abraham that he should slaughter his son. Why was "commanding" attached to Jephthah? Rabbi Mayasha said: "which I did not command" — to Jephthah; yet I did command him many positive commandments and negative commandments, for he was of Israel; but that he should offer up his daughter I did not command him. "And I did not speak" — to the king of Moab. Our Rabbis said: Why was "speaking" attached to the king of Moab? Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Did I ever speak with him? Is it not a disgrace? Rather, I never spoke with him in all his days — how much more so that he should offer up his son! "And it did not arise upon My heart" — to say to Abraham that he should slaughter his son. Even though I said to him, "Take, please, your son" (Genesis 22:2), it did not arise upon My heart that he should slaughter his son. Therefore it is said: "I will not profane My covenant" (Psalms 89:35).

Themes

CovenantAbrahamAdam EveHumorPatriarchs

Biblical References

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Targum JonathanWhy Abraham Fell on His Face Before CircumcisionGenesis 17 records the moment God commands Abraham to circumcise himself at ninety-nine years old. The Hebrew text says Abraham "fell on his face" when God spokYalkut ShimoniWhen God Appeared to Abram and Commanded Him to Circumcise HimselfWhen God appeared to Abram and commanded him to circumcise himself, the patriarch was already ninety-nine years old. According to the Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 80Midrash TanchumaWhat Secret Did He Reveal to Those Who Feared HimAnd I will make my covenant between Me and thee (Gen. 17:2). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The secret of the Lord is with them that fear HMidrash TanchumaConversely, One Who Reads the Torah Is Forbidden to Turn AwayAnd the Lord said: “Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing?” (Gen. 18:17). May it please our master to teach us whether one may recite the Aramaic tranMidrash TanchumaIt Came to Pass After These Words That God Did Prove AbrahamAnd it came to pass after these words that God did prove Abraham (Gen. 22:1). What words were spoken? Ishmael had said to Isaac: I am superior to you, for I undBook of JubileesAbraham Chooses God and Prays in HebrewThat feeling is powerfully captured in the Book of Jubilees, specifically in a poignant moment of Abraham's life. Abraham, not yet the towering figure we know,