Midrash Tanchuma Reader

Another interpretation: "Now it came to pass after these things" (Genesis 22:1). This is what Scripture says: "I will not profane My covenant, and I will not alter what has gone forth from My lips" (Psalms 89:35). Rabbi Aha said: "I will not profane My covenant" — for I made a condition with Abraham and said to him, "for in Isaac shall offspring be called yours" (Genesis 21:12). "And I will not alter what has gone forth from My lips" — for I said to him, "Take, please" (Genesis 22:2). A parable. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who said to the one who loved him, "I desire to see a small child upon my table." At once the one who loved him went and brought his son and set him upon the table before the king, and he went and brought the sword to slaughter him. At once the king commanded and said to him, "What are you doing?" He said to him, "Did you not say to me, 'I desire to see a small child upon my table'?" He said to him, "I said to you a living child — did I perhaps say a dead one?" So too the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham, "Take, please, your son" (Genesis 22:2). At once "Abraham built the altar there" etc., "and Abraham stretched out his hand" (Genesis 22:9–10). The angel commanded him, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad" (Genesis 22:12). Abraham said to Him, "Did You not say to me, 'Take, please'?" He said to him, "Did I perhaps say to him to slaughter him?" This is "I will not profane My covenant, and I will not alter what has gone forth from My lips."

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).

Another interpretation of (Gen. 22:1): "And it came to pass after these things, [that God tested Abraham]." This is what Scripture says (Prov. 17:3): "A crucible is for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD tests hearts." (Gen. 22:2:) "And He said: Take now <your son>" — immediately (Gen. 22:3): "And Abraham rose early in the morning." He went and built the altar, and he placed Isaac up on top of the altar, as it is said (ibid. 22:9): "And he bound Isaac his son [and placed him on the altar above the wood]." What is the meaning of "above"? This teaches that he made the altar aligned directly opposite the Throne of Glory, as Scripture says (Isa. 6:2): "Seraphim stood above Him."

Another interpretation: "And it came to pass after these things" (Genesis 22:1). What reflection was there? Isaac was reflecting on how he had contended with Ishmael, [for Ishmael was complaining,] saying: I am greater than you. I shall inherit the world, for I am the firstborn of my father, and the firstborn always inherits a double portion. Isaac said to him: Tell me, what does the Holy One, blessed be He, have from you? Ishmael said to him: I will tell you what I have done. Even if I had done nothing else but this — that I was thirteen years old when my father circumcised me, I could have said to him, "I do not wish to be circumcised"; but instead I gave my life and accepted it upon myself. Isaac said to him: Behold, all that you lent to the Holy One, blessed be He, were three drops of blood. But I know that when the Holy One, blessed be He, asks me to be slaughtered — now, when I am thirty-seven years old — and the Holy One, blessed be He, tells my father to offer me up, I will not hinder it. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the angels: Behold, the hour has come. Immediately He sprang upon Abraham, as it is said, "And it came to pass after these things." From here you learn that there were reflections over things there.

"And God tested Abraham" (Genesis 22:1). This is what Scripture says: "You have given those who fear You a banner to be displayed (nes lehitnoses)" (Psalms 60:6) — a refuge (manos) through which Israel was rescued from the judgment of Gehinnom. (Another interpretation: "a banner to be displayed") "because of truth, Selah" — in order to give their reward in truth, as it is said, "And I will give their recompense in truth" (Isaiah 61:8). But the wicked have no refuge, as it is said, "But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and refuge shall be lost to them" (Job 11:20). "You have given those who fear You a banner." Come and see the difference between the first ones and the last ones, for the first ones were tested by the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "And God tested Abraham," and likewise the people of the wilderness generation, as it is said, "that I may test them, whether they will walk in My Torah or not" (Exodus 16:4), and likewise it says, "in order to afflict you [and in order] to test you" (Deuteronomy 8:16). But the last ones were tested by the nations, as it is said, "Now these are the nations that the LORD left, to test Israel by them" (Judges 3:1). Thus, "You have given those who fear You a banner to be displayed because of truth, Selah." What is "because of truth, Selah"? Whoever was tested and stood firm in the trials. And so you find with Daniel and his companions: when they were exiled, the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed upon them that they would eat unclean bread, as it is said, "Thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean among the nations where I will drive them" (Ezekiel 4:13). Nebuchadnezzar arose and carried out the matter; he began and said: I decree that they shall eat of my food, as it is said, "And the king appointed for them" (Daniel 1:5). Daniel did not accept it upon himself, but said: Even though the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed upon us that we should eat unclean bread, He sought to test us — rather, let us do our part, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will do His part. He began to say to the chief of the guards: "I beseech you, please test your servants ten days, [and let them give us legumes to eat and water to drink, and let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food, and as you see, deal with your servants]" (Daniel 1:12-13). He said to them: Are you able to be tested ten days, not to eat bread and not to drink wine? They said to him: Yes, for we are of the children's children of that man who was tested with ten trials by God; may his merit stand for us, as it is said, "please test your servants" (Daniel 1:12). Have you not already found us ten times better (than the magicians)? By whose merit? By the merit of Abraham, who was tested with ten trials. Since they stood firm in their trial, what is written? "And God gave Daniel [favor and compassion before the chief of the eunuchs (Daniel 1:9), and he heeded them in this matter and tested them ten days, and at the end of ten days their appearance was seen to be better and fatter of flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food (Daniel 1:14-15)]." Thus, "You have given those who fear You a banner to be displayed." What is "a banner"? You make them great, as it is said, "and like a banner on a hill" (Isaiah 30:17). And why did the Holy One, blessed be He, test them? In order to make them great, so as not to give an opening for the nations of the world to say: He makes them great, yet He did not test them and they did not stand firm in their trial. Therefore, "after these things, [and God tested Abraham]" (Genesis 22:1).

Another interpretation of "Moriah": [Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said:] It is the place from which the righteous give instruction (morin) before the Holy One, blessed be He, and He acts, as it is said (in 1 Chronicles 24:5): "And they divided them by lots." Rabbi Samuel bar Nahman said: What is "Moriah"? The place where the Holy One, blessed be He, gives instruction (moreh) to the wicked and brings them down to Gehinnom, as it is said (in Psalms 49:15): "Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; [death shall shepherd them, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning, and their form shall waste away in Sheol, far from its lofty dwelling]." Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai says: What is "Moriah"? A place of instruction (moreh), set directly opposite the Temple that is above, as it is said (in Exodus 15:17): "A place (makhon) for You to dwell in [that You made, O Lord, the sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands established]." Rabbi Judah ben Palma says: What is "Moriah"? Abraham said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the worlds, to which place shall we go? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: To the place where I adorn (koshet) you. And this expression means nothing other than an expression of adornment (kishut), as it is said (in Exodus 19:13): "No hand shall touch it, but it shall surely be stoned or shot through (yaroh yiyareh)." Rabbi Pinhas the Priest ben Hama says: What is "Moriah"? The place of authority (maruteh) of the world. Rabbi Judah the Levite son of Rabbi Shallum said: Whence is this known? As it is said (in 1 Chronicles 13:6): "And David [and all Israel] went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim."