← All Texts Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 20

Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 20

Midrash Aggadah Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 20 Vayera 20

Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team · Published March 15, 2026

<b>And God did prove Abraham (Gen. 22:1).</b> Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: <i>The Lord trieth the righteous</i> (Ps. 11:5). R. Jonah maintained: If you pound a good-quality flax, its quality will improve, but if you pound a poor-quality flax, it will crumble. So the Holy One, blessed be He, tests only the righteous.

R. Judah the son of Shalum said: A potter never tests a defective vessel for fear that it might break while being tested, but he always tests a perfect one. Likewise, the Holy One, blessed be He, tests the righteous but not the wicked, as it is said: <i>The Lord trieth the righteous</i>.

R. Eleazar declared: If a householder has two cows, one of which is strong while the other is weak, he places the yoke on the stronger cow and not on the weaker one. Hence, Scripture says: <i>The Lord trieth the righteous</i> and <i>God did prove Abraham</i>.

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Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 20

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