Parasha: VaYera – and He appeared
Torah: BeReishit 18:1 – 22:24
The Akidah (binding, stripe)
22:1 Avinu “tests” Avraham;
2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Yitzaak, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Avraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Yitzaak his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which Avinu had told him. (Ge 22:2-3 )
“…and he saddled his donkey..” Some teach that this is an idiom describing that Avraham had to first overcome his carnal nature and his negative emotional responses before he could continue the preparations for his trip.
22:4 Three days later, Avraham sees the mountain; probably the Temple Mount.
Then they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ‘The LORD Avinu of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our Avinu.’” (Ex 3:18 )
22:5 You wait here, Yitzak and I will go and worship;
22:6 He loaded the wood on Yitzak, took the fire and the knife and they went to the mountain together;
22:7 Yitzak asks, “…where is the lamb?..”
22:8 Avraham says, Elohim will provide Himself for a burnt offering.” So they went both of them together;
22:9 They came to the place; Avraham built the altar, laid on the wood and bound Yitzaak.
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one Avinu. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Avraham our father justified by works when he offered Yitzaak his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Avraham believed Avinu, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of Avinu. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. (Jas 2:14-24 )
22:11-12 “..do not lay your hand on the child. Now I know that you fear Elohim seeing that you have not withheld your only son from Me..”
22:14 Avraham called the place, Avinu Erei – Avinu sees, provides;
Do you believe only when you can see with your eyes? When your prayers are answered and miracles carry you on their wings? Or do you also believe when circumstances fly in your face?
If it touches you to the core, if it is a belief you truly own, if it is as real to you as life itself, then it does not change.
And if it does not change, then you are bound up with the true essence of the One who does not change.
There are questions to which Avinu says to be quiet, to be still, to cease to ask. The quietness, the stillness, the abandonment of being, that itself is an answer. (Chabad.org)
And he believed in Avinu; and he counted it to him for righteousness. (Ge 15:6 )
As he spoke to our fathers, to Avraham, and to his seed for ever. (Lu 1:55 )
The oath which he swore to our father Avraham, (Lu 1:73 )
By faith Avraham, when he was called to move into a place which he should later receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. (Heb 11:8 )
9 And they came to the place which Avinu had told him of; and Avraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Yitzaak his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10 And Avraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11 And the angel of Avinu called to him from heaven, and said, Avraham, Avraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing to him: for now I know that thou fearest Avinu, seeing thou hast not withheld from me thy son, thy only son. (Ge 22:9-12 )
By faith Avraham, when he was tried, offered up Yitzaak: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, (Heb 11:17 )
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Avraham believed Avinu, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of Avinu. (Jas 2:23 )
22:16-18 And said, By myself have I sworn, said Avinu, for because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is on the sea shore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because you have obeyed my voice.
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