Akeidas Yitzchok was the hardest test that Hashem gave to Avraham. Yet Yitzchok knew and also agreed to go along with it. Then why is it considered a bigger test for Avraham than for Yitzchok?
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This is discussed by Abarbanel (Bereshis 22). He explains previous commentators as understanding that Avraham's pain in killing his own son, although less than Yitzchak's pain of actually being killed, would last throughout the rest of his life, and thus would have been much worse than Yitzchak's pain. In his words:
[I myself, however, disagree with the assumption that Avraham's pain would have been less than Yitzchak's at all. It makes more sense to me, as @zaq wrote in the comments, that it is harder to kill one's "only" son than to be killed himself.] Abarbanel, however, feels that although the above may be true, Yitzchak should have at least been given some credit while we don't really find that he is given much at all. Therefore, he disagrees with your basic assumption: |
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The Tzemach Tzedek, in Derech Mitzvosecha 186b brings this same question in the name of R' Menachem Mendel of Horodok. He asks it much the same as you did, but he adds that Yitzchak was 37, and if he had wanted to.....:
R' Menachem Mendel answers that the main point of this story is not "mesirus nefesh" (self-sacrifice) at all. The Patriarchs were all "chariots" (completely subservient, as a chariot to the rider) to the Divine Will. Any one of them could, and would (and did), lay down their life for G-d. So the fact that Yitzchak did that is not so amazing. (Plus, as @Menachem says in his answer, Yitzchak may have even asked for this test). (Jews of all levels have done that throughout our history, including Jews who, up until that moment, hadn't considered themselves Jewish at all. While self-sacrifice is a tremendous thing for us, for a Tzaddik its practically peanuts. Being willing to sacrifice one's son, their only son, whom they love - that's different. Especially for Avraham, who was the embodiment of the attribute of Chesed (kindness), this was in direct conflict with his essence). R' Menachem Mendel actually adds, that despite that Avraham was willing to sacrifice his son for G-d, the most amazing thing about this story is that Avraham wasn't flustered or confused at all. After all, G-d had previously promised that He would make Yitzchak into a great nation, and now He was asking Avraham to sacrifice him!
Avraham might have thought that this was a change in G-d's Will (and G-d has said "I haven't changed"), but nevertheless his faith was strong, and he had no doubts in G-d at all. |
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In a note to the Rada"l's commentary on the Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer (Chapter 31), the Rada"l addresses this issue. He points out the Midrash that Rashi (Bereshit 22:1) quotes:
G-d heard this and said, "Since Yitzchok had already agreed to sacrifice himself, this would be a good opportunity to test Avraham through Yitzchok." This wasn't Yitzchok's test, since he had already verbally requested it (as it says in the Agadah Bereshit). [I'm not quite sure which sefer the Agadah Bereshit is] |
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My Rebbe said that It's harder to live al kiddush Hashem than to die al kidush hashem. |
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