United We Are Stronger: "The Akeida"

The one word that appears repeatedly in the story of the binding of Isaac is "together." 

The first two incidences are prior to the akeida: 

Breishit 22:6     "Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. He himself took the firestone and the knife; and the two walked off together."

Breishit 22:8 "And Abraham said, “It is God who will see to the sheep for this burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them walked on together."

And then, after the akeida, yet again, the same oneness of purpose: 

Breishit 22:19 "Abraham then returned to his servants, and they departed together for Beer-sheba; and Abraham stayed in Beer-sheba."

There are a number of things we can learn from this. For one, the oneness of purpose, the desire to perpetuate God's name in the world, the very reason that God chose Abraham - "For I have chosen him so that he can instruct his children and future generations to keep My ways by doing what is just and right, so that I can bestow upon him what I have promised him (Breishit 18:19)" - was with Abraham not only before the akeida, but also afterwards, and perhaps in a manner of speaking the akeida was equally a test for Abraham, as it was for Isaac. 

But even beyond that, I would like to suggest that that oneness of purpose, and ability on Issac's part to walk with Abraham was what distinguished Isaac from Ishmael. Ishmael could not have done that. 

My wife and I were once in a taxi, and the Arab driver had a broad smile on his face, and so I asked him, "Why are you so happy?" He answered, "We have the feast of the binding of Ishmael," to which I said in the meekest, least mocking voice I could summon, "For some reason, I thought it was Isaac," to which he responded with yet another smile, "Isaac, Ishmael, ahh, what's the difference?" 

There is a big difference though. I think that at the binding of Isaac Abraham understood that it was really Isaac who was meant to continue him; until then, he wasn't sure. God may have said so, but in his heart of hearts, he still called, ferally crying out, "If only Ishmael would walk before you." Then, at the akeida he knew. 

The Midrash is very clear about the love Abraham had for Ishmael. “Take your son," - I have two said Abraham, "your only (singular) one," - they are both the apple of my eye retorted, Abraham, "the one you love" - I love both cried Abraham, "Isaac," and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the heights that I will point out to you.”

The "only one in Hebrew" takes the form, yechidcha, from the same root of yachdav. 

And, at the very end of the akeida, after the trial by fire that Abraham - and Isaac - underwent, the angel calls out from Heaven for a second time, and says, "In the name of God Almighty, I swear forever more, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only one, I will bestow My blessing upon you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sands on the seashore; and your descendants shall seize the gates of their foes."

Based on this, I would like to posit that another underlying message of the akeida was Hashem's desire to teach Abraham that only Isaac, and nobody else could be the next progenitor of the Jewish people, that Sarah was right: "For it is through Isaac" - and no other, "that your offspring shall be continued."
"כי ביצחק, יקרא לך זרע"


 


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