Purpose of Akeidat Yitzchak/2/en

Purpose of Akeidat Yitzchak

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

For Hashem

Hashem tested Avraham in order to evaluate the extent of his faith. Before the trial, Hashem did not know whether or not Avraham would be willing to sacrifice his son for God.

Sources:RalbagBereshit Beur HaMilot 22:1Bereshit Beur HaParashah 22:1-5, 7-8, 10-13Bereshit Toalot 22About R. Levi b. Gershom

Meaning of "נִסָּה" – Ralbag understand the word to mean "test", a procedure established for purposes of evaluation.  Hashem was testing Avraham so as to discern his level of fear and obedience.

Hashem's knowledge – According to Ralbag, Hashem's knowledge is not complete.  While He knows all the choices open to a person, He does not know which path the individual will choose to follow.¹ As such, He did not know in advance whether or not Avraham would acquiesce to sacrifice his child upon Hashem's demand.

עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה – Ralbag is able to explain this verse according to its simple sense; only "now," after the trial, did Hashem know with certainty how God-fearing Avraham was.²

The test – Ralbag asserts that Hashem intentionally worded His demand ambiguously so that it could be understood in one of two ways: to sacrifice Yitzchak as an Olah offering, or to take Yitzchak in order to sacrifice an Olah and thereby be educated in the worship of Hashem.³ Since the second reading is one which a person would only hear if they found the first possibility objectionable, Hashem wanted to see if Avraham was so willing to abide by Hashem's word that he would not even seek out the alternative reading.⁴

Avraham's feelings – Ralbag presents an Avraham whose love for Hashem and desire to obey Him was so strong that all else paled in comparison, enabling him to go with ease to sacrifice even a beloved son.⁵  Avraham's eagerness to comply with Hashem's words is demonstrated by his early rising to do God's bidding and lack of questioning of the command.⁶ Ralbag further claims that the fact that Avraham achieved prophecy while awake proves that even in the moment of the actual slaughter he was neither worried nor sad about the act (as otherwise he would not have been in a state fit for prophecy).⁷

"אֱלֹהִים יִרְאֶה לּוֹ הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה בְּנִי" – Ralbag maintains that these words of Avraham constitute a prayer⁸ that Hashem's command to him actually turn out to mean⁹ that the sheep will be the Olah, and not Yitzchak.  Ralbag, thus, presents Avraham as recognizing that there was a second way to comprehend Hashem's words, but not being willing to act upon it without a direct clarification by Hashem.

How can Hashem command murder? According to Ralbag, Hashem had never intended for Avraham to actually sacrifice Yitzchak, which is why He worded the command in a way which allowed for the second (and ultimately correct) possibility that Yitzchak was brought to the mountain only to witness an Olah offering.  As such, Hashem had never commanded an immoral act.  Ralbag's reconstruction is nonetheless difficult since once Hashem intended that Avraham understand that he was to sacrifice his child, the morality of the command (and Avraham's ready agreement) is still in question.

Can Hashem change His word? According to Ralbag Hashem never changed His mind, nor went back on His word.  From the beginning it was neither His intention, nor His command to sacrifice Yitzchak.

Benefits for Yitzchak

For Avraham

Avraham, rather than Hashem, was supposed to learn something new from the experience. This position subdivides regarding whether it views the test as beneficial or punitive in nature:

Means to Reward Avraham

Acting on Hashem's directives brought Avraham to new levels of faith, and merited him rewards that he would never have received had Hashem not tested him.

Sources:R. Saadia GaonCommentary Bereshit 22:1-2About R. Saadia Gaon, Ibn EzraBereshit First Commentary 22:1About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RambanBereshit 22:1Bereshit 22:12Bereshit 22:16About R. Moshe b. Nachman, ?SefornoBereshit 22:1-12About R. Ovadyah Seforno

Means to Punish Avraham

The experience was meant to punish Avraham for having made a covenant with the Philistines.

Sources:RashbamBereshit 22:1Bereshit 22:12About R. Shemuel b. Meir

"וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה" – Rashbam maintains that these words serve to connect our unit with the immediately preceding one, and are Tanakh's way of linking the two stories.¹⁰  The opening, thus, suggests that Avraham's making of a treaty with Avimelekh is what prompted Hashem's command to Avraham. Hashem was upset that Avraham made peace with the Philistines since their land was included in His promise to Avraham, and as such the prohibition "לֹא תְחַיֶּה כׇּל נְשָׁמָה" should have applied to them as well.

Meaning of "נִסָּה" – According to Rashbam, the word "נִסָּה" in our verse means to distress or provoke rather than to test.¹¹ Since Avraham's interactions with the Philistines went against Hashem's will, Hashem punished Avraham, distressing him by commanding that he sacrifice his son.  Rashbam presents the trial in measure for measure terms, having Hashem say: You were proud of your son, making a treaty between him and Avimelekh's descendants.  sacrifice him, and see what is to become of such a treaty.

Hashem's knowledge – Sine Rashbam does not understand the story as a test at all, he eliminates the question of why Hashem, in his omniscience, would need to test someone in order to know how they will act.

For Others

The trial was intended for outsiders so that they appreciate Hashem's choice of Avraham, and understand what is the correct and desired service of Hashem.

Sources:Jubilees17:19-2518About Jubilees, Bereshit Rabbah56:7About Bereshit Rabbah, R. Saadia GaonCommentary Bereshit 22:1-2About R. Saadia Gaon,¹² RashiBereshit 22:1-2, 6, 8, 12About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, Lekach TovBereshit 22:2Bereshit 22:12About R. Toviah b. Eliezer, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorBereshit 22:1-2, 12About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, Rambam3 24About Rambam Moreh Nevukhim, RadakBereshit 22:1Bereshit 22:12About R. David Kimchi, AbarbanelBereshit 22:3About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, Keli YekarBereshit 22:12About R. Shelomo Ephraim Luntschitz, ShadalBereshit 22:1About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto, R. David Zvi HoffmannBereshit 22 IntroductionAbout R. David Zvi Hoffmann

¹ For more about Ralbag's understanding of God's omniscience, see

² One might question how it is possible that Hashem gained new understanding; does that not mean that Hashem changed? Ralbag does not find this problematic. Since Hashem had always known that Avraham's choice was a possibility, this had always been a part of His knowledge.

³ The למ"ד of " לְעֹלָה" can be understood to mean "as" or "for the purpose of".

⁴ In other words, Hashem tested Avraham to see if he was willing to abide by the more obviously intended command, despite having an alternative, but poorer, reading to fall back upon as an excuse.

⁵ He points out that one who is able to cleave to Hashem in the manner of Avraham will never miss other goods, because the the good achieved through clinging to Hashem and following in His path so far surpasses all else.

⁶ He did not even question Hashem's previous promises that Yitzchak would carry on Avraham's line, knowing that Hashem's promises are always conditional on merit, and thus possible that they will no longer be deserved.

⁷ Ralbag points to Elisha's request, "וְעַתָּה קְחוּ לִי מְנַגֵּן וְהָיָה כְּנַגֵּן הַמְנַגֵּן וַתְּהִי עָלָיו יַד י"י" (Melakhim II 3:15) as proof that distress prevents one from receiving prophecy.

⁸ Thus, Avraham was not lying to or misleading Yitzchak.

⁹ Ralbag claims that the word  "יִרְאֶה" is related to understanding rather than showing, as in the verse "וְלִבִּי רָאָה הַרְבֵּה חׇכְמָה וָדָעַת" (Kohelet 1:16).

¹⁰ He claims that every time that the phrase appears it serves a similar purpose.  Thus, the opening in Bereshit 15 links Hashem reassurance to Avraham "" with his war against the four kings described in the previous chapter.

¹¹ As evidence of such a usage he points to Iyyov 4:2. "הֲנִסָּה דָבָר אֵלֶיךָ תִּלְאֶה", and Shemot 17:7, "עַל רִיב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל נַסֹּתָם אֶת י"י"  where the root is connected to weariness and strife.

¹² R. Saadia also claims that the trial was intended to increase the rewards designated to Avraham.