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Vayeira the binding of Isaac
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One of the more difficult passages in the Torah to understand is the ‘binding of Isaac.’ Each morning we repeat this passage as a part of the liturgy emphasizing its significance as a reminder of the deep meanings it offers to us.
Gen: 22: 2. And He said, "Please take your son, your only one, whom you love, yea, Isaac, and go away to the land of Moriah and bring him up there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains, of which I will tell you."
This seems clear enough that Abraham is to take Yitzhak for a burnt offering on a mountain that Hashem will reveal when the time comes. On the surface this is terrible. Is Hashem asking Abraham to sacrifice his only son? Most would agree yes but consider that this is circumstantial evidence. Previously when Abraham sacrificed or worshipped Hashem the following has happened.
Gen 12; 7. And the Lord appeared to Abram, and He said, "To your seed I will give this land," and there he built an altar to the Lord, Who had appeared to him.
Gen: 12; 8. And he moved from there to the mountain, east of Beth el, and he pitched his tent; Beth el was to the west and Ai was to the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord, and he called in the name of the Lord.
Gen 13: 4. To the place of the altar that he had made at first, and Abram called there in the name of the Lord.
Gen: 13 18. And Abram pitched his tents, and he came, and he dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.
Gen 15: 9. And He said to him, "Take for Me three heifers and three goats and three rams, and a turtle dove and a young bird."
So five times previously Abraham built an altar to Hashem but no specific sacrifices are offered. The sixth time Hashem calls for what is to be sacrificed saying “take for me…”
Hashem says “take your son…” but Hashem does not specifically say “take for me.” This is a distinction that is worth noting. Abraham carries out everything Hashem says assuming as we do that Isaac is meant for sacrifice and yet when Isaac asks Gen 22:8 “where is the lamb for the burnt offering,” Abraham replies:
Gen 22: 8. And Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And they both went together.
When they reach the altar Abraham binds Isaac and prepares to sacrifice him but not at the direct behest of Hashem. In fact as Abraham raises the knife the angel calls out:
Gen 22:12. And he said, "Do not stretch forth your hand to the lad, nor do the slightest thing to him, for now I know that you are a God fearing man, and you did not withhold your son, your only one, from Me."
Abraham never had any intention of sacrificing Isaac even though he raised his hand. After Abraham left his father’s house and way of life he also left the idea of human sacrifice behind. This particular incident shows his complete faith that Hashem would provide for him. It also cements for Isaac the trust in Hashem that he witnesses first hand being the recipient of the blessing of the ram that miraculously appears.
Isaac learns a very important lesson. He learns that by letting go and trusting in Hashem the miraculous appears. When Abraham raises that knife he is listening for Hashem. This is symbolic of cutting our ties to the material and being open to the spiritual. His knife it turns out was destined for the ram all along.
Parsha summary: In order to transform the material and our lower natures we must take our higher nature and descend with our shield of holiness and let the higher vibrations work as they will.
Every problem or seeming obstacle is an opportunity to let go of our egos i.e. our animal nature and trust that Hashem will be there in all ways.
In short here we see examples of Revelation, Trust, Transformation, Victory, Gratitude and Settling in the land or circumstances that we have been promised.
In terms of Consciousness it works like this. The idea of connection – Abraham comes to recognize Hashem. We have a thought on high and go with it. It keeps coming back and expanding through our Trust.
Then when this higher thought encounters for example negativity it transforms that negativity. Next once we see this transformation we are exhilarated by our Victory over negativity. This leads to a sense of making a habit of making this higher connection by giving thanks.
Following this there is peace that comes surpassing even our understanding of the why. We accept Hashem in our lives then as a matter of course.
Previously....Vayeira Part One
Vayeira Part Two
Vayeira Part Three
