Love Disrupts the Order When Abraham Saddles His Donkey

"And Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey" (Genesis 22:3). Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: Love disrupts the normal order, and hatred disrupts the normal order. Love disrupts the order, as it is said, "And Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey." Did he not have servants? Rather, love disrupts the order. "And Joseph harnessed his chariot" (Genesis 46:29): did he not have servants? Rather, love disrupts the order. "And he harnessed his chariot and took his people with him" (Exodus 14:6): did Pharaoh not have servants? Rather, hatred disrupts the order. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: Let the saddling that Abraham our father saddled in order to do the will of the One who spoke and the world came into being come and stand against the saddling that the wicked Balaam saddled to go and curse Israel. Let the harnessing that Joseph harnessed to go up toward Israel his father come and stand against the harnessing that Pharaoh harnessed to pursue the children of Israel. Rabbi Yishmael taught: Let the sword in the hand that Abraham our father made, as it is said, "And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife" (Genesis 22:10, below), come and stand against the sword in the hand of Pharaoh, who said, "I will draw my sword, my hand will dispossess them" (Exodus 15:9). "And he took his two lads with him." Rabbi Abbahu said: Two people conducted themselves with proper courtesy, Abraham and Saul. Abraham: "And he took his two lads with him." Saul: "And he went, he and two men with him" (1 Samuel 28:8).