The Binding of Isaac as Angels Cry From Heaven

"And he bound Isaac his son" (Genesis 22:9). All the while that our father Abraham was binding Isaac his son below, the Holy One, blessed be He, was binding the princes of the nations of the world above. And it would have remained so, but when Israel cast themselves into idolatry in the days of Jeremiah, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "What do you suppose, that those bindings still stand?" as it is said, "For while they are like tangled thorns" (Nahum 1:10) [read as] "while the princes are entangled," their bindings were loosed, "they shall be devoured like dry stubble." "And he bound Isaac his son above [mima'al]" - what is "above"? This teaches that he made the altar aligned opposite the Throne of Glory, as you say, "seraphim standing above Him" (Isaiah 6:2). "And he saw the place from afar" - a mile, as you say, "yet there shall be a distance between you" (Joshua 3:4). Isaac said to him, "Father, bind me by my hands and my feet, for the soul is brazen; lest I see the knife and flinch and become unfit for the offering. I beg you, do not make a blemish in me." "And they came to the place" - both bringing the stones, both bringing the fire, both bringing the wood. Abraham was like one making a wedding feast for his son, and Isaac was like one making a wedding canopy for himself. Isaac said to him, "Father, hurry and do the will of your Maker, and burn me well, and take my ashes to my mother, and set them down; and whenever she sees them she will say, This is my son whom his father slaughtered." "Father, what will you do in your old age?" He said to him, "My son, we know our death is near. The One who has comforted us until now will comfort us until the day of our death." "And he laid him on the altar" - the eyes of Abraham on the eyes of Isaac, and the eyes of Isaac on the highest heavens, and tears were streaming and falling from Abraham's eyes until his whole stature was awash in tears. He said to him, "My son, since you have begun upon a quarter-measure of your blood, your Maker will provide for you another offering in your place." At that moment he opened his mouth in weeping and let out a great cry, and his eyes were trembling and gazing toward the Divine Presence, and he raised his voice and said, "I lift my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help is from the LORD, maker of heaven and earth" (Psalms 121:1-2). At that moment, "behold, the angels cried out in the street" (Isaiah 33:7) and so forth. The ministering angels stood in rows upon rows in the firmament, saying to one another, "See, a unique one slaughtering and a unique one being slaughtered." They said, "Who will say before You at the Sea, 'This is my God and I will glorify Him' (Exodus 15:2)? The oath, 'thus shall your seed be' - what will You do with it?" Immediately, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad" (Genesis 22:12).