Satan At Mount Moriah

"And it came to pass after these things, that God tested Abraham" (Genesis 22:1). After what? Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Yose ben Zimra: After the words of Satan, as it is written, "And the child grew, and was weaned" (Genesis 21:8). Satan said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, this old man, whom You graced with a child of the womb at a hundred years old, from all the feast that he made, did he not have a single turtledove or a single young pigeon to offer before You? He said to him: Did he do anything except for the sake of his son? If I say to him, "Sacrifice your son before Me," he would slaughter him at once. Immediately, "And God tested Abraham." "And He said: Take now (na) your son" (Genesis 22:2). Rabbi Shimon bar Abba said: The word "na" means nothing other than a term of entreaty. This may be compared to a king of flesh and blood against whom many wars arose, and he had one mighty warrior who defeated them. In time, a fierce war arose against him. He said to him: I beg of you, stand firm for me in this war, so that they will not say that the earlier ones had no substance to them. So too the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham: I have tested you with many trials and you have withstood them all. Now stand firm for Me in this trial, so that they will not say there was no substance in the earlier ones. "Your son" (Genesis 22:2). Abraham said: I have two sons. "Your only one." This one is the only one to his mother and that one is the only one to his mother. "Whom you love." I love them both. "Isaac." And why all this? So that his mind would not become confused over him. Satan went ahead of him on the road. He said to him: "If one ventures a word to you, will you be weary?... Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened weak hands. Your words have upheld him who was stumbling... but now it has come upon you, and you are weary" (Job 4:2-5). He said to him: "I will walk in my integrity" (Psalms 26:11). He said to him: "Is not your fear of God your foolish confidence?" (Job 4:6). He said to him: "Remember, I pray you, who that was innocent ever perished?" (Job 4:7). Since Satan saw that he was not listening to him, he said to him: "Now a word was stolen to me" (Job 4:12). Thus I have heard from behind the heavenly curtain: "The lamb for the burnt offering" (Genesis 22:7), and Isaac is not for the burnt offering. He said to him: Such is the punishment of a liar, that even when he speaks the truth, none listen to him. Rabbi Levi said: After the words of Ishmael to Isaac. Ishmael said to Isaac: I am greater than you in commandments, for you were circumcised at eight days old, while I was circumcised at thirteen years old. He said to him: And with one limb you provoke me? If the Holy One, blessed be He, were to say to me, "Slaughter yourself before Me," I would slaughter myself. Immediately, "And God tested Abraham."