Classical Commentators on the Akeidah Test

וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְהָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים נִסָּ֖ה אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ וַיֹּ֡אמֶר קַח־נָ֠א אֶת־בִּנְךָ֨ אֶת־יְחִֽידְךָ֤ אֲשֶׁר־אָהַ֙בְתָּ֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְלֶ֨ךְ־לְךָ֔ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּ֑ה וְהַעֲלֵ֤הוּ שָׁם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה עַ֚ל אַחַ֣ד הֶֽהָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַל־תִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָֽדְךָ֙ אֶל־הַנַּ֔עַר וְאַל־תַּ֥עַשׂ ל֖וֹ מְא֑וּמָה כִּ֣י ׀ עַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־יְרֵ֤א אֱלֹהִים֙ אַ֔תָּה וְלֹ֥א חָשַׂ֛כְתָּ אֶת־בִּנְךָ֥ אֶת־יְחִידְךָ֖ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

Some time afterward, God put Abraham to the test—saying to him, “Abraham.” He answered, “Here I am.” “Take your son, your favored one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the heights that I will point out to you.” “Do not raise your hand against the boy, or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your favored one, from Me.”

עֲשָׂרָה נִסְיוֹנוֹת נִתְנַסָּה אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם וְעָמַד בְּכֻלָּם, לְהוֹדִיעַ כַּמָּה חִבָּתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם:

With ten trials was Abraham, our father (may he rest in peace), tried, and he withstood them all; to make known how great was the love of Abraham, our father (peace be upon him).

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן זִימְרָא: אַחַר דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל שָׂטָן, דִּכְתִיב ״וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד וַיִּגָּמַל וְגוֹ׳״. אָמַר שָׂטָן לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, זָקֵן זֶה חֲנַנְתּוֹ לְמֵאָה שָׁנָה פְּרִי בֶטֶן, מִכׇּל סְעוּדָה שֶׁעָשָׂה לֹא הָיָה לוֹ תּוֹר אֶחָד אוֹ גּוֹזָל אֶחָד לְהַקְרִיב לְפָנֶיךָ? אָמַר לוֹ: כְּלוּם עָשָׂה אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל בְּנוֹ? אִם אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לוֹ ״זְבַח אֶת בִּנְךָ לְפָנַי״ מִיָּד זוֹבְחוֹ. מִיָּד ״וְהָאֱלֹהִים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם״. ״וַיֹּאמֶר קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ״. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר אַבָּא: אֵין ״נָא״ אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן בַּקָּשָׁה. מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם שֶׁעָמְדוּ עָלָיו מִלְחָמוֹת הַרְבֵּה, וְהָיָה לוֹ גִּבּוֹר אֶחָד וְנִצְּחָן. לְיָמִים עָמְדָה עָלָיו מִלְחָמָה חֲזָקָה. אָמַר לוֹ: בְּבַקָּשָׁה מִמְּךָ, עֲמוֹד לִי בְּמִלְחָמָה זוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת אֵין בָּהֶם מַמָּשׁ. אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם: נִיסֵּיתִיךָ בְּכַמָּה נִסְיוֹנוֹת וְעָמַדְתָּ בְּכֻלָּן. עַכְשָׁיו עֲמוֹד לִי בְּנִסָּיוֹן זֶה, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ אֵין מַמָּשׁ בָּרִאשׁוֹנִים. קְדָמוֹ שָׂטָן לַדֶּרֶךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: ״הֲנִסָּה דָבָר אֵלֶיךָ תִּלְאֶה... הִנֵּה יִסַּרְתָּ רַבִּים וְיָדַיִם רָפוֹת תְּחַזֵּק. כּוֹשֵׁל יְקִימוּן מִלֶּיךָ... כִּי עַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ וַתֵּלֶא״. אָמַר לוֹ: ״אֲנִי בְּתֻמִּי אֵלֵךְ״. אָמַר לוֹ: ״הֲלֹא יִרְאָתְךָ כִּסְלָתֶךָ״. אָמַר לוֹ: ״זְכׇר נָא מִי הוּא נָקִי אָבָד״. כֵּיוָן דַּחֲזָא דְּלָא קָא שָׁמַיע לֵיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״וְאֵלַי דָּבָר יְגֻנָּב״. כָּךְ שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הַפַּרְגּוֹד: ״הַשֶּׂה לְעוֹלָה״ וְאֵין יִצְחָק לְעוֹלָה. אָמַר לוֹ: כָּךְ עוֹנְשׁוֹ שֶׁל בַּדַּאי, שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ אָמַר אֱמֶת אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ.

Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: This means after the statement [devarav] of Satan, as it is written: “And the child grew, and was weaned, and Abraham prepared a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned” (Genesis 21:8). Satan said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, this old man, you favored him with a product of the womb, i.e., a child, at one hundred years of age. From the entire feast that he prepared, did he not have even one dove or one pigeon to sacrifice before You as a thanks-offering? God said to Satan: Did Abraham prepare the feast for any reason but for his son? If I say to him: Sacrifice your son before Me, he would immediately slaughter him. Immediately, after these matters, the verse states: “And God tried Abraham.” The Torah continues: “And He said: Take, please [na], your son” (Genesis 22:2). Rabbi Shimon bar Abba says: The word na is nothing other than an expression of entreaty. Why did God request rather than command that Abraham take his son? The Gemara cites a parable of a flesh-and-blood king who confronted many wars. And he had one warrior fighting for him, and he overcame his enemies. Over time, there was a fierce war confronting him. The king said to his warrior: I entreat you, stand firm for me in this war, so that others will not say: There is no substance in the first victories, and you are not a true warrior. Likewise, the Holy One, Blessed be He, also said to Abraham: I have tried you with several ordeals, and you have withstood them all. Now, stand firm in this ordeal for Me, so that others will not say: There is no substance in the first ordeals. Satan preceded Abraham to the path that he took to bind his son and said to him: “If one ventures a word to you, will you be weary…you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands. Your words have upheld him that was falling…but now it comes upon you, and you are weary” (Job 4:2–5). Do you now regret what you are doing? Abraham said to him in response: “And I will walk with my integrity” (Psalms 26:11). Satan said to Abraham: “Is not your fear of God your foolishness?” (Job 4:6). In other words, your fear will culminate in the slaughter of your son. Abraham said to him: “Remember, please, whoever perished, being innocent” (Job 4:7). God is righteous and His pronouncements are just. Once Satan saw that Abraham was not heeding him, he said to him: “Now a word was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper thereof” (Job 4:12). This is what I heard from behind the heavenly curtain [pargod], which demarcates between God and the ministering angels: The sheep is to be sacrificed as a burnt-offering, and Isaac is not to be sacrificed as a burnt-offering. Abraham said to him: Perhaps that is so. However, this is the punishment of the liar, that even if he speaks the truth, others do not listen to him. Therefore, I do not believe you and will fulfill that which I was commanded to perform.

"וְהָאֱלֹהִים נִסָּה אֶת־אַבְרָהָם" עַל נָכוֹן לְהוֹצִיא עֲבוֹדָתוֹ מִן הַכֹּח אֶל הַפֹּעַל לִהְיוֹת זֶה סִבָּת טוֹבָתוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר: "יַעַן אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה… כִּי בָרֵךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ".

For the knowledge of events to come is not the cause of their existence, just as is the case with the knowledge of things which have been. This is but a proof that the knowledge belongs to God, or to the angels, or the prophets, or the priests. If this knowledge were the cause of the existence of a thing, many people would be placed in paradise solely for the sake of the divine knowledge that they are pious, even if they have done no pious act.

וזהו הפירוש הנכון לזה הפרק לפי כוונתו ולשונו עם שהמבאר נטה מזה. וכבר כתבנו שם בביאור מה שישיגהו מהקושי בדבריו גם שלא יצא מידי ספקו לפי ביאורו.

Where is the concept of freedom of will and choice, then, and what sense would reward and punishment make if all our deeds are more or less preconditioned? The answer is, of course,

וְהָאֱלֹקִים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם עִנְיַן הַנִּסָּיוֹן הוּא לְדַעְתִּי בַּעֲבוּר הֱיוֹת מַעֲשֵׂה הָאָדָם רְשׁוּת מֻחְלֶטֶת בְּיָדוֹ, אִם יִרְצֶה יַעֲשֶׂה וְאִם לֹא יִרְצֶה לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה, יִקָּרֵא "נִסָּיוֹן" מִצַּד הַמְּנֻסֶּה, אֲבָל הַמְּנַסֶּה יִתְבָּרַךְ יְצַוֶּה בּוֹ לְהוֹצִיא הַדָּבָר מִן הַכֹּחַ אֶל הַפֹּעַל, לִהְיוֹת לוֹ שְׂכַר מַעֲשֶׂה טוֹב, לֹא שְׂכַר לֵב טוֹב בִּלְבַד. דַּע כִּי הַשֵּׁם צַדִּיק יִבְחָן (תהלים י"א:ה'), כְּשֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ בְּצַדִּיק שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה רְצוֹנוֹ וְחָפֵץ לְהַצְדִּיקוֹ יְצַוֶּה אוֹתוֹ בְּנִסָּיוֹן, וְלֹא יִבְחַן אֶת הָרְשָׁעִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ. וְהִנֵּה כָּל הַנִּסְיוֹנוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה לְטוֹבַת הַמְּנֻסֶּה:

The matter of “trial,” in my opinion, is as follows: Since a man’s deeds are at his absolute free command, to perform them or not to perform them at his will, on the part of one who is tried it is called “a trial.” But on the part of the One, blessed be He, who tries the person it is a command that the one being tested should bring forth the matter from the potential into actuality so that he may be rewarded for a good deed, not for a good thought alone. Know further that G-d trieth the righteous, for knowing that the righteous will do His will, He desires to make him even more upright, and so He commands him to undertake a test, but He does not try the wicked, who would not obey. Thus all trials in the Torah are for the good of the one who is being tried.

א. שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִבּוֹ יָשָׁר שֶׁבַּלְּבָבוֹת שֶׁלֹּא תִּהְיֶה פְּנִיָּתוֹ אֶלָּא לַעֲשׂוֹת הַנַּחַת רוּחַ לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְלֹא זוּלַת זֶה כְּלָל. ג. וְאַחַר כָּל זֹאת יִהְיֶה מַשְׁלִיךְ יְהָבוֹ עַל ה', שֶׁאָז יֵאָמֵר בּוֹ (תהלים פ"ד:ו,יב) אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם עוֹז לוֹ בָךְ וְגוֹ' לֹא יִמְנַע טוֹב לַהֹלְכִים בְּתָמִים. אַךְ אִם שְׁלָשְׁתָּם יִשְׁמֹר כָּרָאוּי, תְּמִימוּת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה, עִיּוּן, וּבִטָּחוֹן, אָז יֵלֵךְ בֶּטַח בֶּאֱמֶת וְלֹא יְאֻנֶּה לוֹ כָּל רַע. הוּא הַדָּבָר שֶׁאָמְרָה חַנָּה בִּנְבוּאָתָהּ (שמואל א' ב:ט): רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו יִשְׁמֹר, וְדָוִד כְּמוֹ כֵן אָמַר (תהלים לז:כח): וְלֹא יַעֲזֹב אֶת חֲסִידָיו לְעוֹלָם נִשְׁמָרוּ.

He must possess a most pure heart, having no other motive than to bring gratification to the blessed G-d, and nothing else besides this whatsoever. And after all this, he must cast his burden on G-d. For then, it will be said of him: "fortunate is the man whose strength is in You... G-d will not withhold good from those who walk perfectly (b'tamim)"(Tehilim 84:6-12). But if he guards all three properly, namely, purity (temimut) of thought, examination, and trust - then he will walk securely in truth and no evil will befall him, as Chana said in her prophecy: "He will guard the feet of His pious ones" (Shmuel 2:9), and likewise David said: "He shall not forsake His pious ones; they will be guarded forever" (Tehilim 37:28).