Biblical Parallels Index – Bereshit 22/0

Biblical Parallels Index – Bereshit 22

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Adam and Avraham

There are many points of parallel between the stories of Adam and Avraham. Both are granted an ideal land on condition of living according to God’s will, and both stories center around themes of blessing and curse.

Tools

• Tanakh Lab – When comparing the two stories in the Tanakh Lab, it becomes evident that there are not many linguistic parallels between the two. Nonetheless, an interesting contrast can be found between Bereshit 22:17-18 and Bereshit 3:16-17.  While Avraham is told that his progeny will multiply due to his heeding Hashem's word, Chavvah is told that her pain will multiply while bearing children due to her disobedience. Adam, too, is punished for heeding her (and not Hashem's) voice.

Articles

• See פרשת העקידה בהשוואה לפרשת אדם הראשון בגן עדן by Nava Gutman for comparison of the story of Adam in Gan Eden to the story of Avraham at Akeidat Yitzchak.

Avraham and Iyyov

There are a number of parallels between the narratives of Avraham and of Iyyov. Both are exceptionally God-fearing individuals who endure difficult tests.

Tools

• Concordance – If one highlights the words "יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים" in Bereshit 22:12 and chooses the concordance from the drop-down menu, all appearances of the phrase in Tanakh will display. At a glance, it becomes evident that the only two named individuals who are so-called are Avraham and Iyyov. The shared description invites a comparison between the two figures.
• Similarly, the concordance highlights that the key phrase "אַל תִּשְׁלַח יָדְךָ" (see Bereshit 22:12, is unique to these two stories.
• Tanakh Lab – Compare Bereshit 22 and Iyyov 1 in the Tanakh Lab to see a few other more minor linguistic parallels.

Primary Sources

Several Rabbinic sources compare Avraham and Iyyov:

• R. Yehuda HaNasi in Tosefta Sotah 6:1Sotah 6:1About the Tosefta compares Avraham and Iyyov, noting that both characters are described as "יְרֵא אֱ-לֹהִים", but that just as Avraham acted out of a love of God (and not merely fear), so too did Iyyov.
• See Tosefta Bava Kamma 9:11Bava Kamma 9:11About the Tosefta, and Bereshit Rabbah 49:949:9About Bereshit Rabbah for other parallels, and Bavli Bava Batra 15bBava Batra 15bAbout the Bavli who notes that Tanakh's praise of Iyyov even surpasses that of Avraham.

Articles

• See Avraham and Iyyov for an exploration of the comparisons and contrasts between the two figures.  
• Rav Soloveitchik’s writing on Iyyov in Kol Dodi Dofek accentuates the aspects of Iyyov’s personality that are different from the legacy of Avraham.