Consequently other
quotations will serve a purpose.
2. THE SACRIFICE OF ISAAC (Gen. xxii. 1)
1.
After these words]. Some of our teachers explain
the expression: "after the words of Satan," who said to God Of
all his meals Abraham sacrifices nothing to Thee, neithe a
bull nor a ram. He would sacrifice his son, replied God if I
told him to do it. Others say: "after the words of Ishmael,"
who boasted of having undergone circumcision when he was
thirteen years old, and to whom Isaac answered: If God
demanded of me the sacrifice of my entire being, I would do
what he demanded. Abraham said:
Behold, here I am].
Such is the humility of pious men; for this expression
indicates that one is humble, ready to obey.
2. God said:
Take now]. This is a formula of prayer;
God seems to say to Abraham: I pray thee, submit thyself to
this test, so that thy faith shall not be doubted.
Thy
son]. I have two sons, replied Abraham.
Thine only
son]. But each is the only son of his mother.
Whom
thou lovest]. I love them both.
Isaac]. Why did not
God name Isaac immediately? In order to trouble Abraham, and
also to reward him for each word, etc.
All these explanations are drawn from Talmudic (
Sanhedrim
89b) and Midrashic (
Bereshit Rabba and
Tanhuma)
sources.
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