5 min read

Satan Fell, Abraham Burned, and Job Was Restored

Satan refused to bow before Adam and was cast down, Abraham survived the furnace because a child proclaimed God, and Job rose from the ash heap.

Curated by Arthur · Told by Maggid ·
Table of Contents
  1. Satan Had Twelve Wings and Could Not Bend
  2. Adam Rose With an Escort of Eagles
  3. Raziel's Book Traveled From Adam to Noah to Abraham
  4. A Baby Proclaimed God and the Furnace Failed
  5. Job Rose From the Ash Heap With His Daughters Named

Satan Had Twelve Wings and Could Not Bend

The newly made Adam stood in the garden with the smell of clay still on him, and God told the angels to bow. Most of them bent. Satan did not. He had twelve wings, more than the others, more glory and more rank, and he stood at full height before a creature made of dust and refused.

God did not argue. He gave Satan a task: name the animals. Satan looked at the creatures of earth and sky and sea and found no names in him. Then God asked Adam, and Adam named them all. The wisdom that appears in the dust-formed creature was the answer to the angel's contempt. Satan had misread what he was looking at. He saw clay and missed the image of God inside it. The fall came from that misreading.

Adam Rose With an Escort of Eagles

When Adam lay dying, he instructed Eve not to touch his body until an angel came and gave direction. She sat beside him and prayed as his breath left. Then the sky opened and a chariot of fire descended, drawn by four shining eagles. The ministering angels carried Adam's body upward. Eve watched the angels who had once argued about whether Adam deserved to live now carrying him with honor toward a light she could not follow.

The first funeral in the world was conducted under heaven's direct supervision. Adam's body, which Satan had called worthless dust, was carried by angels. The soul that the fallen angel had refused to honor was escorted by creatures of fire. The end of the first man was not a punishment. It was the closing act of the story that had begun with Satan's refusal, and the closing act reversed the opening judgment.

Raziel's Book Traveled From Adam to Noah to Abraham

Before Adam left the garden, the angel Raziel brought him a book made of sapphire stones, written with his own hand, containing the secrets of the upper and lower worlds. Adam studied it, kept it, passed it forward. The book moved through Seth, through Enoch, through Noah, and arrived at Abraham. Each generation that held it could read the stars and understand what was coming and speak directly to the divine without going through ordinary channels.

The holy book was not a reward for perfect behavior. It was a trust, something given to the first human and carried through the line of those willing to receive it. When it reached Abraham, it gave him the astronomical knowledge he used to read the signs of the heavens and the wisdom he needed to recognize God in a world that had largely forgotten how to look.

A Baby Proclaimed God and the Furnace Failed

Nimrod had thrown Abraham into the furnace. The fire burned for seven days and seven nights, and Abraham walked in it untouched. But there was a moment before the furnace when a child in arms, still nursing, turned its head and pointed at the sky and said: blessed be the one who saved Abraham from the fire.

The infant had not yet learned to speak. The words came through it rather than from it, the tradition says, a voice borrowed from necessity, from the moment's need for a witness. Nimrod's court stood around the child in silence. A baby had testified. The furnace was already going, and the testimony did not stop it, but it was preserved in the tradition as the moment when the generation of the dispersion heard what it had refused to acknowledge: that something older than empire had already decided how Abraham would walk out of the flames.

Job Rose From the Ash Heap With His Daughters Named

Job had been stripped of everything. Children dead, wealth gone, body covered in sores, three friends who explained his suffering with arguments that circled the truth without reaching it. He argued with God. He demanded an answer. He did not perform patience. He performed anguish.

God restored him. Twice as much as he had before. And then the text gave his new daughters names: Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren-happuch. His new sons were not named. Only the daughters. The rabbis noticed this and found in it a sign: Job's restoration included something new, a recognition that the children he had lost and the children he had been given were not interchangeable, that restoration does not erase grief, that the new life has its own names and its own distinctness. Job ended his story with daughters named after warmth and spice and color. The ash heap was behind him, but he kept the memory of it in the precision with which he named what came after.

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The texts this telling draws on, in full. Open a card to read inline, or expand it for a wider, quieter read.

Legends of the Jews, II. Adam, The Fall Of SatanLegends of the Jews

It all starts, according to some traditions, with a clash of egos, a refusal to bow, and a trial of wit gone wrong.

The Legends of the Jews, as retold by Ginzberg, gives us a fascinating glimpse into this cosmic drama. Adam, newly formed and brimming with God-given qualities, stirred envy among the angels. They even tried to incinerate him! But God intervened, establishing peace. except for one very important angel.

Satan, the most glorious of the angels, adorned with twelve wings (twice the number of the others!), harbored a deep-seated jealousy. When God commanded all the angels to bow before Adam, Satan refused. "Why should we, created from the splendor of the Shekinah (the divine presence)," he argued, "bow down to a creature fashioned from mere dust?" It's a question of pride, of origins, of who deserves honor.

God, in his infinite wisdom, responded that this "dust" possessed more wisdom than Satan. A challenge was laid: a battle of wits. God would present animals to both Satan and Adam. If Satan could name them, Adam would bow to him. If not… well, Satan would have to acknowledge Adam's superiority.

The story goes that Satan faltered immediately. He couldn’t name the ox, the cow, the camel, or the donkey. Adam, however, with God's subtle prompting (the first letter of the animal's name was echoed in the question), succeeded.

But Satan, rather than gracefully accepting defeat, erupted in defiance. He refused to bow, declaring he would "exalt my throne above the stars of God." This act of rebellion, this ultimate act of pride, led to his expulsion from heaven. God cast Satan and his followers down to Earth, marking the beginning of the eternal conflict between Satan and humanity. Talk about a fall from grace!

Now, let's shift gears to the creation of woman. This part of the story is equally fascinating, filled with mythology and… well, some rather pointed opinions!

When Adam first opened his eyes, he was amazed by the world. But the creatures, in turn, were so awestruck by Adam that they mistook him for their creator! Adam quickly corrected them, directing their praise to God. Even the angels, for a moment, thought Adam was the lord of all, until God put him to sleep, revealing his mortality.

Why the sleep? To create Eve, of course! But the earth trembled at the prospect, fearing it couldn't sustain Adam's descendants. God reassured it, promising to share the burden. This is why, according to this tradition, God takes the night, and the earth takes the day – a partnership in sustaining life.

Before Eve, however, there was Lilith.

Lilith, created from the same dust as Adam, demanded equality. She wouldn’t accept a subservient role. When she pronounced the Ineffable Name (a secret name of God, possessing immense power), she flew away, abandoning Adam. Adam complained, and God sent angels to retrieve her. They found her by the Red Sea, threatening to kill a hundred of her demon children each day if she refused to return. But Lilith preferred the punishment to submission.

According to the lore, Lilith takes revenge by harming newborn babies, boys on their first night, girls for the first twenty days. The only protection? An amulet bearing the names of the angels who tried to capture her. It’s a chilling tale, a glimpse into ancient anxieties about childbirth and the power of female independence.

Finally, we arrive at Eve. God, mindful of Lilith's story, took Eve from Adam's rib. This, according to this tradition, ensured a more lasting bond – "only when like is joined unto like the union is indissoluble." Adam was originally created with two faces, which were then separated to create Eve.

Before creating Eve, God supposedly declared, "I will not make her from the head… not from the eye… not from the ear…" and so on, detailing all the potential flaws he wanted to avoid. Yet, despite his precautions, the story goes on to list examples of women exhibiting each of those very flaws! There’s a certain… shall we say… unevenness in the portrayal, reflecting perhaps the cultural biases of the time.

The wedding of Adam and Eve was a grand affair. God himself adorned Eve as a bride, and the angels served as attendants. They danced and played music in ten bridal chambers made of gold, pearls, and precious stones! Adam renamed himself Ish (man) and called his wife Ishah (woman). The story says that God added His own name, Yah, to their names, Yod to Ish and He to Ishah, symbolizing divine protection as long as they followed God's commandments. Stray from the path, and God's name would be withdrawn, leaving only Esh, fire, consuming them.

These stories, though ancient, still resonate. They speak of pride, rebellion, the complexities of relationships, and the eternal struggle between good and evil. They invite us to ponder: what does it mean to be human? What are the consequences of our choices? And how do we work through the intricate dance between free will and divine will?

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Legends of the Jews, II. Adam, Adam Instructs Eve Before They Die TogetherLegends of the Jews

While the Torah itself offers a relatively concise account, Jewish tradition, as it often does, fills in the gaps with breathtaking detail.

In Legends of the Jews, a compilation of rabbinic lore by Louis Ginzberg, the day Adam knew his end was near, he spoke to Eve, his partner. She was heartbroken, wondering how she could go on without him. Adam reassured her she wouldn't be alone for long; they would die together and be buried together.

There was a condition. Adam instructed Eve not to touch his body after his death until an angel had provided instructions. Instead, she was to pray until his soul departed. Can you imagine the scene? Eve, kneeling in prayer, her heart heavy with grief, awaiting the inevitable.

Suddenly, an angel appeared, commanding Eve to rise from her penance. “Behold, thy husband hath left his mortal coil,” the angel declared. “Arise, and see his spirit go up to his Creator.” And what Eve saw was nothing short of astonishing.

A chariot of light, drawn by four shining eagles, descended from the heavens, escorted by angels. Within this celestial vehicle rested the soul of Adam, being carried towards the divine presence. When they arrived in heaven, incense was burned, filling the celestial realms with fragrant smoke. The angels pleaded with God to have mercy on His creation, on the very image He had fashioned with His own hands.

Overwhelmed by awe and perhaps a bit of terror, Eve summoned their son, Seth. She needed him to interpret the celestial spectacle unfolding before her eyes. "Who may the two Ethiopians be, who are adding their prayers to thy father's?" she asked. Seth explained that these figures were the sun and the moon, now darkened because they could not bear to shine in the face of the "Father of light."

Just then, a trumpet blast echoed through the heavens, and all the angels cried out in unison, "Blessed be the glory of the Lord by His creatures, for He has shown mercy unto Adam, the work of His hands!" Then, a seraph, a fiery angelic being, took Adam’s soul to the river Acheron – perhaps a celestial parallel to the river in ancient storytelling that separates the world of the living from the dead. There, Adam was washed three times, purified, and finally brought before the very throne of God.

God, in His infinite mercy, stretched out His hand, lifted Adam up, and entrusted him to the archangel Michael, commanding, "Raise him to the Paradise of the third heaven, and there thou shalt leave him until the great and fearful day ordained by Me." Michael obeyed, and as Adam was carried to his resting place, the angels sang songs of praise, extolling God for His pardon.

Michael then sought permission to prepare Adam's body for burial. Granted his request, Michael, accompanied by a host of angels, descended to Earth, specifically to the terrestrial Paradise, the Garden of Eden. Their arrival caused all the trees to blossom, and a sweet perfume lulled all humans into a deep slumber, except for Seth, who remained awake and watchful.

God then spoke to Adam’s lifeless body: "If thou hadst kept My commandment, they would not rejoice who brought thee hither. But I tell thee, I will turn the joy of Satan and his consorts into sorrow, and thy sorrow shall be turned into joy. I will restore thee to thy dominion, and thou shalt sit upon the throne of thy seducer, while he shall be damned, with those who hearken unto him." This is a powerful promise of eventual redemption, a reversal of the initial tragedy.

At God's command, the three great archangels carefully covered Adam’s body with linen and anointed it with fragrant oil. But the story doesn't end there. With Adam, they also interred the body of Abel, who had remained unburied since Cain’s fratricide. According to the Legends of the Jews, all of Cain’s attempts to hide Abel’s body had failed. The earth repeatedly rejected it, and a voice proclaimed, "No creature shall rest in the earth until the first one of all has returned the dust to me of which it was formed."

The angels carried both bodies, Adam’s and Abel’s, to the very spot in Paradise from which God had taken the dust to create Adam. God called out to Adam’s body, "Adam! Adam!" And the body answered, "Lord, here am I!" Then God said: "I told thee once, Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Now I promise thee resurrection. I will awaken thee on the day of judgment, when all the generations of men that spring from thy loins, shall arise from the grave." Finally, God sealed the grave, protecting it from harm during the six days until Eve's death, when her "rib" – a reference to the creation narrative – would be "restored" to him.

So, what does this all mean? It's more than just a fantastical tale. It speaks to themes of divine mercy, redemption, and the promise of resurrection. Even in death, even after the mistakes made in the Garden of Eden, Adam is shown compassion, and a path to eventual restoration is assured. It's a reminder that even in our own imperfections and failings, there is always hope for forgiveness and renewal. And that, perhaps, is a message we can all take to heart.

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Legends of the Jews, IV. Noah, The Holy BookLegends of the Jews

It wasn’t just carpentry; it was cosmic-level engineering! Turns out, according to some fascinating legends, he had a little help… in the form of a very special book.

This wasn’t just any book,. This was the holy book, a repository of celestial and earthly knowledge, originally given to Adam himself by the angel Raziel. Ginzberg, in his Legends of the Jews, tells us that this book contained secrets so profound, so vast, that it was essential for navigating a world-altering event like the Flood. It's a wild idea. That the secrets of the universe were contained in a single volume!

Let's back up a bit. How did Adam even get his hands on this book? Well, the story gets even stranger. While Adam and Eve were still in Paradise, they had a rather unfortunate encounter with Samael (sometimes identified as an angel, sometimes as a more… sinister figure). Samael left his son in Eve's care, and, well, things went south. Adam, in a fit of frustration with the screaming child, accidentally killed him. And it gets worse! To dispose of the evidence, they… ate the remains. Seriously.

Of course, Samael returned, furious. And in a truly bizarre twist, the voice of the slain child spoke from within Adam and Eve, declaring that he would forever reside in their hearts and the hearts of their descendants.

Distraught, Adam repented. And God, in his infinite mercy, offered a remedy: the Torah. But since the Torah as we know it didn’t exist yet, God gave Adam the book of Raziel. He was instructed to study it day and night. According to this legend, this book predates the Torah we know, and contains the seeds of all wisdom.

The story continues with jealous angels trying to steal the book (they even bowed down to Adam in a false display of worship!), and the book ending up in the sea. Eventually, it was retrieved by Rahab, the Angel of the Sea, at God's command, and returned to Adam. It's a real rollercoaster!

After Adam’s death, the book disappeared, only to be rediscovered by Enoch in a dream. Enoch, who the Torah tells us "walked with God," became incredibly wise through its teachings. He memorized its contents and then hid it again.

So, how does this connect to Noah? Well, when God decided to bring the Flood, he sent the archangel Raphael to Noah with the very same holy book. "I give thee herewith the holy book," the message said, "that all the secrets and mysteries written therein may be made manifest unto thee… Thou wilt learn from it how to build an ark..."

Armed with this divine instruction manual – made of sapphires, no less, and kept in a golden casket! – Noah was able to build the ark. The book even served as a timepiece during their long voyage!

According to the legends, Noah eventually passed the book down through the generations, to Shem, then to Abraham, and eventually to Moses and Joshua. And finally, it reached Solomon, who used its wisdom for healing, and even for controlling demons!

It’s a pretty wild ride, isn't it? This idea of a single source of all knowledge, passed down through the ages, shaping the course of history.

What does it all mean? Perhaps it's a reminder that wisdom, whether divine or human, is a precious gift, and that even in the face of overwhelming challenges – like, say, a global flood – knowledge and understanding can be our most powerful tools. And maybe, just maybe, there's a little bit of that ancient wisdom still accessible to us today, if we know where to look.

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Legends of the Jews, V. Abraham, The Babe Proclaims GodLegends of the Jews

The stories are… well, let's just say they’re anything but ordinary.

In Legends of the Jews, Louis Ginzberg tells how Abraham's birth was shrouded in secrecy, hidden in a cave to protect him from a king's decree to kill newborn males. Abandoned and alone, the infant Abraham began to cry. God sent the angel Gabriel, not with a bottle, but with a truly divine source of nourishment: milk flowed from the baby's little finger! For ten days, that’s how he survived.

Can you imagine? A baby, sustained by a miracle, growing stronger day by day. And then, something incredible happens. At just ten days old, Abraham gets up and walks. He leaves the cave and begins to explore the world.

As night falls, he sees the stars. "These are the gods!" he proclaims. But when dawn arrives, the stars fade away. "I will not pay worship to these, for they are no gods," he declares. Then the sun appears, and he cries, "This is my god, him will I extol." But the sun, too, sets, and Abraham realizes, "He is no god!" Finally, he sees the moon and initially calls her his god. But when the moon is obscured, he cries out in frustration: "This, too, is no god! There is One who sets them all in motion."

This moment of realization, this innate understanding that there must be something beyond the celestial bodies, is profound. It speaks to a deep, inherent yearning for something greater.

At this point, Gabriel reappears, greeting him with "Peace be with thee" (Shalom aleichem). Abraham returns the greeting, "With thee be peace" (Aleichem shalom), and asks, "Who art thou?" Gabriel identifies himself as a messenger of God and leads Abraham to a spring, where he washes and prays, bowing down in reverence.

Meanwhile, Abraham's mother, filled with regret, returns to the cave. She doesn't recognize her son, who has grown so much in such a short time. She asks him if he's seen her lost child. Abraham, in a fascinating exchange, questions her motives, pointing out the implausibility of a mother abandoning her newborn for twenty days. Finally, he reveals himself: "I am the son whom thou hast come to seek in this valley!"

Her reaction is priceless: "My son, how thou art grown! But twenty days old, and thou canst already walk, and talk with thy mouth!" Abraham then proclaims the existence of God, "a great, terrible, living, and ever-existing God, who doth see, but who cannot be seen. He is in the heavens above, and the whole earth is full of His glory."

He even instructs his mother to take this message to Nimrod, the king!

The story continues with Terah, Abraham's father, relaying the events to a terrified Nimrod. Nimrod consults his advisors, and even Satan appears in disguise, offering advice. The king sends an army to capture Abraham, but God sends Gabriel to protect him, creating a thick fog that sends the army fleeing in terror. This event scares Nimrod so badly he leaves the realm and moves to Babylon.

What can we take away from this incredible story? It's more than just a fantastical tale of a miraculous baby. It's about the innate human desire to understand the divine, the courage to question the world around us, and the power of faith, even in the face of overwhelming odds. It's the story of how even a baby, nurtured by angels, can proclaim the existence of God. As we see in Midrash Rabbah, these stories are not just historical accounts, but reflections of our own spiritual journeys. What "gods" do we create in our own lives, and what will it take for us to see beyond them to the one true God?

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Legends of the Jews, V. Abraham, In The Fiery FurnaceLegends of the Jews

The story goes that Nimrod, a powerful and wicked king, grew furious with Abraham (who was, of course, not called Abraham yet at this point in the narrative. But we'll call him that for clarity's sake). Nimrod threw him into prison, ordering the guards to deny him food and water. A death sentence. But as Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) tells us, God heard Abraham's prayers and sent the angel Gabriel to keep him company in the dungeon.

For a whole year, Gabriel provided Abraham with food and water. A spring of fresh water even welled up right there in the prison.

Eventually, Nimrod's advisors suggested an even more dramatic way to deal with Abraham: throw him into a giant furnace. They figured this would scare everyone into believing in Nimrod forever. So, the king ordered everyone in his kingdom – men, women, children – to bring wood for a massive fire. The flames, we are told, shot up to the sky!

The prison warden was ordered to cast Abraham into the flames. But the warden, probably thinking Abraham was long dead from starvation, hesitantly asked the king, "Shouldn't we check if he's even alive?" Nimrod agreed and told the warden to call out Abraham's name.

To the warden's astonishment, Abraham answered! "I am living," he declared. The warden, bewildered, asked how he had survived. Abraham replied with unwavering faith: "Food and drink have been bestowed upon me by Him who is over all things, the God of all gods and the Lord of all lords… He dispenseth food and drink unto all beings. He sees, but He cannot be seen… He is present in all places."

This miraculous survival convinced the prison-keeper of the truth of God and Abraham's prophecy. He declared his belief publicly, and when threatened with death if he didn't recant, he refused. As the executioner raised his sword, the warden exclaimed, "The Eternal He is God!" The sword, however, couldn't cut him; it shattered into pieces!

Nimrod, still determined to kill Abraham, sent princes to throw him into the fire. But every time someone approached Abraham, the flames leapt out and consumed them instead. It was a deadly, fiery deterrent.

Then, Satan, disguised as a man, suggested a solution: a catapult. That way, no one had to get close to the flames. Satan even built the catapult himself.

As they were about to launch Abraham into the fire, Satan whispered to him, tempting him to bow down to Nimrod to save himself. But Abraham rebuked him, saying, "May the Eternal rebuke thee, thou vile, contemptible, accursed blasphemer!" Even Abraham's own mother pleaded with him to feign loyalty to Nimrod. Abraham's response, was: “O mother, water can extinguish Nimrod’s fire, but the fire of God will not die out for evermore. Water cannot quench it.”

Finally, as Abraham was placed in the catapult, he cried out, "O Lord my God, Thou seest what this sinner purposes to do unto me!" His faith was absolute.

The angels, having received divine permission to intervene, watched as Gabriel approached Abraham. “Abraham, shall I save thee from the fire?” he asked. Abraham replied, "God in whom I trust, the God of heaven and earth, will rescue me."

And God did. Seeing Abraham's unwavering faith, God commanded the fire, "Cool off and bring tranquillity to my servant Abraham."

And what happened? The fire didn't just go out. in the story in Legends of the Jews, the logs burst into buds, blossoming into fruit-bearing trees. The furnace transformed into a beautiful garden, where angels sat with Abraham.

Nimrod, witnessing this, accused Abraham of witchcraft. But his princes protested, declaring that it was the power of Abraham's God, "beside whom there is no other god." The princes and the people then proclaimed, "The Lord He is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath; there is none else."

Abraham, the text emphasizes, was even greater than righteous men of his time like Noah, Shem, Eber, and Asshur because he did not compromise his faith in the face of persecution.

The story doesn't end there. It goes on to explain how this miraculous deliverance fulfilled a prophecy that Abraham's father, Terah, had seen in the stars. Terah had seen the star of Haran consumed by fire, and at the same time fill and rule the whole world. Haran, Abraham’s brother, was killed by the fire because he was undecided in his faith. The fire represented the trial of faith, and Haran's death, marked the first time in history that a son died before his father.

The people, witnessing these wonders, prostrated themselves before Abraham. But Abraham directed their worship to God. Nimrod, humbled, showered Abraham with gifts, including two slaves named Ogi and Eliezer. But what pleased Abraham most was that three hundred people joined him, embracing his faith.

What do we take away from this incredible story? It's a evidence of unwavering faith, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. It's about trusting in something bigger than yourself, even when everyone around you doubts. And maybe, just maybe, it's a reminder that even in the darkest of times, miracles can happen. What "furnace" are you facing in your life right now, and how can Abraham's story give you the strength to face it?

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Legends of the Jews, V. Abraham, The 'akedahLegends of the Jews

The story, as we find it elaborated upon in Legends of the Jews by Ginzberg, takes us far beyond the spare verses of Genesis. It paints a vivid picture, filled with dialogue and emotion, giving us a deeper understanding of the figures involved.

As Abraham and Isaac journeyed together, Isaac, ever observant, asks a poignant question: "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where then is the lamb for a burnt offering before the Lord?" Can you imagine the weight of that question hanging in the air? Abraham's response, in this version, is direct and startling: "The Lord hath chosen thee, my son, for a perfect burnt offering, instead of the lamb."

Isaac's reaction is equally striking. He accepts his fate with joy and cheerfulness, declaring his willingness to fulfill God's command. “I will do all that the Lord hath spoken to thee with joy and cheerfulness of heart.” He even urges his father to bind him tightly, fearing that in a moment of weakness, his youthful desire for life might cause him to resist, potentially invalidating the sacrifice. He asks that after the slaughter, his ashes be given to his mother Sarah, to remind her always of her son.

There’s a raw, almost unbearable, tenderness in this exchange. The narrative dwells on the physical realities of the impending act. Abraham builds the altar, Isaac hands him stones, and the scene is set for a father to sacrifice his beloved son.

As Abraham prepares to carry out God's command, the text emphasizes the unity of purpose between father and son. God, from His heavenly throne, witnesses their unwavering devotion. Tears stream down Abraham's face onto Isaac, and from Isaac onto the wood of the altar, a veritable flood of sorrow and faith.

But the angels are in turmoil. They cry out, questioning the apparent breaking of God's covenant with Abraham. "Where is the reward of Abraham," they ask, "he who took the wayfarers into his house, gave them food and drink.?" Their tears, even fall upon the knife, preventing it from cutting.

Then comes the pivotal moment: the archangel Michael's cry, "Abraham! Abraham! Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him!"

Abraham, caught between divine command and angelic intervention, hesitates. He questions whose voice he should obey. Only then does God Himself intervene, reaffirming the promise and rewarding Abraham’s unwavering faith. "By Myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee."

Isaac, miraculously spared, blesses God for bringing the dead back to life. Abraham, not wanting to leave without offering a sacrifice, finds a ram caught in a thicket, provided by God as a substitute.

The narrative doesn't end there. It goes on to describe the extraordinary destiny of this ram. Nothing went to waste: its ashes became the foundation of the inner altar in the Temple, its sinews were used for David's harp, and its horns would one day herald both the revelation at Sinai and the final redemption.

The story concludes with a conversation between Abraham and God, exploring the reasons behind this profound test. God explains that it was to demonstrate to the world Abraham's unwavering fear of God. Abraham, in turn, pleads for God to remember the Akedah when his descendants sin, that the merit of Isaac's near-sacrifice may atone for their transgressions.

And God promises that on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, the blowing of the shofar (ram's horn) will serve as a reminder of this event, prompting divine forgiveness.

The text even connects the site of the Akedah to the future Temple in Jerusalem, acknowledging the contributions of both Abraham (who called it Yireh, "He will see") and Shem (who called it Shalem, "Peace"). God, not wanting to offend either, combined the names into Yerushalayim, Jerusalem.

Finally, we learn that after the Akedah, Isaac spent three years in Paradise, while Abraham returned home to find Sarah dead from grief, believing her son had been sacrificed.

So, what are we to make of this complex and challenging story? It’s a tale of faith tested to its absolute limit, of obedience and divine intervention, and of the enduring covenant between God and the Jewish people. It’s a story that continues to provoke discussion and inspire awe, reminding us of the profound depths of human faith and the mysteries of the divine will. And perhaps most importantly, it serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of compassion and the sanctity of human life. It makes you wonder: what "knife" is being held over you right now? What are you willing to sacrifice for your faith, your family, your beliefs? And what are you praying will be spared?

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Legends of the Jews, II. The Sons Of Jacob, Job RestoredLegends of the Jews

Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) turns to Job Restored.

As Job continues to proclaim his innocence, his friends grow increasingly convinced that he's being punished for some hidden sin. They're ready to abandon him to his suffering. Elihu, particularly, stirred up by Satan himself, hurls insults at Job, criticizing his unwavering faith in God.

Then, the tables turn. God appears! First, to Job, revealing that Elihu was wrong, that his words were indeed inspired by Satan. Then, God addresses Eliphaz and delivers a strong rebuke: "Thou and thy friends Bildad and Zophar have committed a sin, for ye did not speak the truth concerning my servant Job… Only for his sake do I refrain from destroying you." God instructs them to have Job offer a sin offering on their behalf. And here's the amazing part: God accepts the sacrifice! Eliphaz, overwhelmed with gratitude, sings a hymn of thanksgiving, praising God for pardoning them and condemning Elihu, whom he now recognizes as Satan's instrument.

Then, God appears to Job again, bestowing upon him a special gift: a girdle made of three ribbons. As soon as Job puts it on, all his pain vanishes, even the memory of it! But that's not all. God grants him the ability to see everything that ever was and everything that ever will be. After suffering sevenfold for seven years, Job is finally restored to his former strength.

Job returns to the city with his three friends, and the people celebrate his return with a grand festival, all in honor of God. Even his former friends rejoin him, and he resumes his work of caring for the poor, gathering resources from the community. He asks them to give generously, providing sheep for clothing and silver or gold coins for their other needs.

And God, in turn, blesses Job abundantly. His wealth doubles in a matter of days. His wife, Zitidos, having passed away during his trials, he marries again, this time to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. She bears him seven sons and three daughters. Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) emphasizes that Job never had more than one wife at a time, reasoning that if God intended Adam to have multiple wives, He would have given them to him.

When Job feels his end approaching, he gathers his ten children and recounts the story of his life. He then imparts some final wisdom: "Forsake not the Lord, be generous toward the poor, treat the feeble with consideration, and do not marry with the women of the Gentiles." He divides his possessions among his sons, but to his daughters, he gives something far more precious: each receives one of the ribbons from the celestial girdle.

According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, these ribbons possess a magical virtue. As soon as the daughters tie them around their waists, they are transformed into higher beings and begin to sing hymns like angels.

For three days, Job lies in bed, sick but without pain, thanks to the girdle. On the fourth day, he sees angels descending to take his soul. He rises, hands a cithern (a type of stringed instrument) to his eldest daughter, Jemimah ("Day"); a censer (a container for burning incense) to his second, Keziah ("Perfume"); and a cymbal to his third, Amaltheas ("Horn"). He asks them to welcome the angels with music. They play and sing praises to God in the holy tongue. Then, He who sits in the great chariot (a reference to God) appears, kisses Job, and departs, carrying his soul eastward. Only Job’s daughters witness this event.

The people, especially the poor, widows, and orphans, are overwhelmed with grief. They leave Job's body unburied for three days, unable to bear the thought of separation.

Job's name, because of his piety, will be remembered forever, and his friends are rewarded for their sympathy. Their names are preserved, they are spared from hell, and the holy spirit is poured out upon them. But Satan, the cause of Job's suffering, is cast down from heaven, defeated by Job's unwavering faith and praise of God even in the midst of his agony.

The Zohar tells us that even in the darkest moments, even when we feel abandoned and misunderstood, there's always the possibility of restoration, of forgiveness, and of a deeper connection with the Divine. Job's story reminds us that even after immense suffering, there can be joy, abundance, and a transformation beyond our wildest dreams.

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