The passage comes from Bereshit Rabbah 55, a treasure trove of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Genesis. It all starts with a verse from the prophet Micah (6:6): “With what shall I approach the Lord, and bow to God on High? […Shall I offer up my firstborn son for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?]”
Now, on the surface, this verse seems to be about Meisha, the king of Moab. As we read in II Kings 3:27, Meisha, facing defeat in battle, took his own son and offered him as a burnt offering to his god. A horrifying act, right?
But here's where it gets interesting. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin, quoting Rabbi Levi, offers a completely different take. He says that while the verse appears to be about Meisha, it's really about Isaac. Yes, Isaac, of the Akeidah – the Binding of Isaac.
Wait, what? How can that be? Isaac wasn't actually sacrificed! That's the whole point! God stopped Abraham at the last second!
Exactly. And that's precisely the point the Rabbis are making. The Midrash continues by quoting more of Micah (6:6-7): “With what shall I approach the Lord, and bow to God on High? …Does the Lord desire thousands of rams, with tens thousands streams of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression?"
The Rabbis are highlighting a crucial distinction: with Isaac, God accepted the intention, the willingness, the near-sacrifice, as if it were the real thing. But with Meisha, even though he actually went through with the act, it was not accepted.
Why? What makes the difference?
The key isn’t simply the act itself, but the heart behind it. Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac was a demonstration of his complete and utter devotion to God. It was a test of faith, and Abraham passed with flying colors. God knew Abraham's heart.
Meisha’s sacrifice, on the other hand? It was an act of desperation, a last-ditch attempt to appease his deity and win a battle. It was a transaction, not an act of love or faith. It lacked the crucial element of pure, unadulterated intention.
So, what can we learn from this?
Perhaps it’s a reminder that God looks beyond our actions to the motivations behind them. It's about the kavanah (intention) we bring to our deeds. Are we acting out of love, faith, and a genuine desire to connect with the Divine? Or are we simply going through the motions, hoping to get something in return?
This Midrash invites us to examine our own intentions. Are we living a life of genuine meaning, driven by a sincere desire to connect with something greater than ourselves? Or are we just going through the motions, hoping to get by? The answer, as always, lies within our hearts.