Avraham and Yitzchak/0

Avraham and Yitzchak

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Introduction

The dictum, מעשה אבות סימן לבנים (the deeds of the fathers are a sign for the sons), is particularly apt when speaking of the lives of Avraham and Yitzchak.  The stories of father and son are surprisingly similar, and many of the episodes that define the Avraham narrative find their echo in the life of Yitzchak.  In several of these cases, linguistic parallels strengthen the comparison.

Content Parallels and Contrasts

	Parallels	Contrasts
I. Family Life
a. Barren wife	Despite blessings of progeny, both Sarah and Rivka are initially unable to have children.	While Sarah gives Hagar to Avraham in order to raise an heir, Hashem opens Rivkah's womb after prayer.
b. Two children	Each of Avraham and Yitzchak bear two children, one of which is favored by the mother, while the other is (also) loved by the father.1	In Avraham's case, each child is born of a different mother. In contrast, Yitzchak's sons are twins, both born to Rivka.
c. Younger son  chosen	In both stories the mother (Sarah/Rivka) ensures that it is the younger child who inherits or is blessed.	Avraham knowingly banishes Yishmael due to Sarah's demand and Hashem's sanction thereof, whereas Yitzchak is duped by Rivka into blessing Yaakov..
d. Son marries non-Canaanite	Both Avraham and Yitzchak ensure that their chosen son does not marry a Canaanite, but rather a woman from the family in Charan.	While Avraham sends his servant to fetch the wife, Yitzchak sends Yaakov himself. Moreover, Yaakov has an additional purpose in leaving, his flight from Esav
e. Rejected son leaves & thrives	Both Yishmael and Esav leave their homeland, but grow to be great nations and fathers of 12 princes or chieftains.	---
II. Wife-sister
a. Famine	A famine leads both Avraham and Yitzchak to uproot.2	Though both patriarchs head to Egypt, Yitzchak is told to remain in Canaan.3
b. Fear	Recognition of their wives' beauty causes both husbands to fear that the women will be taken by the locals, while they are killed.	---
c. Pretense	Sarah and Rivka are passed off as Avraham and Yitzchak's sisters.	By Avraham, the pretense is believed, but Sarah is nonetheless taken by Paroh. In contrast, Rivka's true status is found out and the king calls for her protection.
d. Great wealth	The story ends with a description of the wealth of Avraham/Yitzchak	In contrast to Avraham who is enriched by the many gifts of the king, Yitzchak earns his own wealth through his successful sowing.
III. Life in Gerar
a. Digging wells	Avraham and Yitzchak both dig wells in Gerar which are a source of dispute with the Philistines.	Avraham's accusations focus on one stolen well, while Yitzchak deals with multiple squabbles.
b. Visit of Avimelekh	Avimelekh and his general Fikhol visit, stating their recognition that Hashem is with Avraham/ Yitzchak.	---
c. Oath	The two sides make a covenant and swear not to harm the other.	---
d. Beer Sheva	Beer Sheva is named.	By Avraham the name refers to the oath (שבועה) taken by Avraham and Avimelekh, while by Yitzchak it refers to the well named "שבע".
IV. Death
a. Old age	Both patriarchs die at a "ripe old age".	---
b. Burial	Despite the earlier conflicts and potential for enmity, Yishmael and Yitzchak together bury Avraham and Yaakov and Esav join to bury Yitzchak.	---

Literary Allusions

EN/HEע/E

סיפורי אברהם	סיפורי יצחק
(כב:יז) כִּי בָרֵךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ וְהַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה אֶת זַרְעֲךָ... וְיִרַשׁ זַרְעֲךָ אֵת שַׁעַר אֹיְבָיו.	(כד:ס) וַיְבָרְכוּ אֶת רִבְקָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהּ... אַתְּ הֲיִי לְאַלְפֵי רְבָבָה וְיִירַשׁ זַרְעֵךְ אֵת שַׁעַר שֹׂנְאָיו.
(יא:ל) וַתְּהִי שָׂרַי עֲקָרָה אֵין לָהּ וָלָד.	(כה:כא) וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק לַי"י לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ כִּי עֲקָרָה הִוא.
(כד:ג) וְאַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ בַּי"י אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וֵאלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִקַּח אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי מִבְּנוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִי.	(כח:א) וַיִּקְרָא יִצְחָק אֶל יַעֲקֹב וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתוֹ וַיְצַוֵּהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ לֹא תִקַּח אִשָּׁה מִבְּנוֹת כְּנָעַן.
(יב:י) וַיְהִי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ וַיֵּרֶד אַבְרָם מִצְרַיְמָה לָגוּר שָׁם כִּי כָבֵד הָרָעָב בָּאָרֶץ	(א) וַיְהִי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ... וַיֵּלֶךְ יִצְחָק... גְּרָרָה.. וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו י"י וַיֹּאמֶר אַל תֵּרֵד מִצְרָיְמָה

Analysis

• Degree of similarity – 
• Distinctive phrases – 

Conclusions

¹ By Yitzchak, the verse explicitly contrasts the loves of mother and father: וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת עֵשָׂו כִּי צַיִד בְּפִיו וְרִבְקָה אֹהֶבֶת אֶת יַעֲקֹב.  It should be noted, though, that not everyone assumes that Yitzchak preferred Esav.  Radak, for example, suggests that the verse is saying that the only reason Yitzchak liked Esav was that he brought him food.  For other understandings of the verse, see Why Bless Esav?.
By Avraham, too, although it is clear that Sarah favors Yitzchak, Avraham might love both sons equally.  It is pretty clear, though, that he does not share Sarah's negative feelings towards Yishmael.  Thus, when Hashem tells him that Sarah will bear a son, his initial reaction is, "לוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל יִחְיֶה לְפָנֶיךָ", and when Sarah demands that Yishmael is banished, the text states, "וַיֵּרַע הַדָּבָר מְאֹד בְּעֵינֵי אַבְרָהָם עַל אוֹדֹת בְּנוֹ".  For more on the attitudes of Sarah and Avraham towards Yishmael see Banishment of Hagar and Yishmael and A Portrait of Yishmael.

² There are two stories in which Avraham passes Sarah off as his sister, when he moves to both Egypt and Gerar.  Only the first of these move is due to famine.

³ This contrast relates only to the first wife-sister story in the Avraham narratives.  The second story takes place in Gerar, just like the incident with Yitzchak.