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Avraham Avraham, Yaakov Yaakov, Moshe Moshe, Shmuel Shmuel - why not Yitzchok Yitzchok?

Related to Hashem calls people twice and Hinneni

We find in Tanach that Hashem called Avraham Avraham, Yaakov Yaakov, Moshe Moshe, Shmuel Shmuel. Why if this is a language of affection (ילקוט שמעוני - שמואל א - פרק ג - רמז צז), and showing that the person remained the same even after Hashem spoke to them and even after they were elevated to their positions - why do we not find the same by Yitzchok?

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  • I'd love an answer along the lines of Yitzhak as din / gevurah here. I wonder if anyone speaks to/can speak to that. Oct 14, 2014 at 16:24

1 Answer 1

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Midrash Mishlei (26:24):

אמר ר' סימון בשעה שהיה עשו הרשע מתחנן לפני אביו, ואומר ברכני גם אני אבי, היה בדעתו לברכו יותר מיעקב אחיו, מיד הפליגתו רוח הקודש, אמרה לו, יצחק יצחק אל תאמין בחנוניו של רשע, שנאמר כי יחנן קולו אל תאמן בו כי שבע תועבות בלבו

or, in loose translation:

Rabbi Simon said: When Esau, the evil one, was begging his father [Genesis 27:38] "bless me, too, my father", Isaac's intent was to bless Esau more than he had blessed Esau's brother, Jacob. Immediately, God's immanence traveled to him and said "Isaac! Isaac! Don't believe an evil person's begging", as it says [Proverbs 26:25] "When his voice begs, do not believe him, for his heart contains seven abhorrent things".

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  • Beautiful. However this is not in Tanach, this is a Midrash. So the question remains. Dec 21, 2011 at 1:36
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    Not every conversation between man and G-d was recorded in Tanach. Since according to Midrash, the addressing of Yitzchak by repeating his name did in fact occur, there isn't much of a question left.
    – Barry
    Dec 21, 2011 at 18:01
  • what is midrash?
    – user4951
    Dec 19, 2014 at 13:42

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