Torah and Jewish Idea > Torah and Jewish Idea

What made Avraham want to Sacrifice Yitzchak on the Altar with so much zeal

<< < (2/3) > >>

edu:
As an introduction to my second answer, why Avraham was willing to sacrifice Yitzchak with so much zeal, I have already mentioned, there are situations that for the sake of sanctifying the name of G-d one must sacrifice his life and there are also gray areas, where one has the option to sacrifice one's life, but can also find various ways to exempt himself from sacrificing himself or others for G-d.

Although both types of sacrifices for G-d are worthy in his eyes, (sometimes, given the situation) it is more praiseworthy to make the sacrifice, when one has an option to save himself and/or his family, rather than when he is forced to do so. So for example, during the period of the rule of the Greeks over Israel, there were a number of prominent Jews who gave their lives for Judaism, when they had no other way out, but their sanctification of G-d's name made much less of an impact than Mattityahu's optional choice to put himself and his family in great danger for the sake of Judaism.

As I pointed out previously, by sanctifying the name of G-d, we publicize in a powerful way the proper religious beliefs and attitudes towards the L-rd of our forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov.

I found in the responsa Mishna Halachot Volume 13, Siman 149 that indeed, because G-d had previously promised Avraham that his seed, and religious values would be continued through Yitzchak, he had the power to demand from G-d to rescind his request to sacrifice Yitzchak. Thus when he went ahead with G-d's request, he was sanctifying G-d's name at the higher level of personal choice rather than compulsion and therefore the spiritual impact on his descendants was also at a much higher level.
Here are the words of Mishna Halachot in the original Hebrew.
שו"ת משנה הלכות חלק יג סימן קמט

וכתב עוד וז"ל ואמנם יתאמת שמי שישען עליו באמת להיות נכנס בעובי הקורה בעבודתו וכל מה שיעשה המעשה יותר רחוק מהטבע יורה על היותו נשען על השם ית' באמת. והמעשה היותר גדול והיותר רחוק מהטבע הוא מעשה אברהם אבינו ע"ה בעקידת יצחק כי לא היה נמשך לו עונש כלל אם לא יעקדנו כי לא צוהו השי"ת בזה והנה הבטיחו כי ביצחק יקרא לך זרע וזהו לשון הכתוב קח נא את בנך וגו' וכבר נודע שזה הציווי (קח נא אינו שנצטוה ליקח) אלא לשון בקשה שהראה לו שייטב לו אם ימחול אברהם על הבטחתו ויעקוד את בנו ולו היה אברהם משיבו "הן לי לא נתתה זרע" כי אם זה והבטחתני בוואיך אעשה זה לא נחשב לו עון ולא ישגיהו עונש מזה ואעפ"כ לגודל אהבתו את השי"ת מצא את לבבו לעשות חפץ השי"ת אע"פ שאילו לא עשאו לא היה מגיעו עונש כלל וזה ענין העקדה וסודו.

ולזה הוכיחו בירושלמי (תענית פ"ב ה"ד) אמר רבי אבא בר אבין בשם ר' יוחנן אמר אברהם לפני הקב"ה רבש"ע גלוי וידוע לפניך שבשעה שאמרת לי להעלות את יצחק בני על גבי המזבח היה לי להשיב ולומר אמרתי לי כי ביצחק יקרא לך זרע עכשיו אתה אומר לי העלהו לעולה חס ושלום לא עשיתי כן אבל כבשתי את יצרי לעשות רצונך רבש"ע יה"ר מלפניך שבשעה שיהיו בניו של יצחק נכנסין לידי צרה ואין להם מי שילמד סניגוריא אתה תהא מלמד עליהם סנגוריא ה' יראה ויזכור להם עקדתו של יצחק אביהם ויתמלא עליהם רחמים. ע"ש אריכות דברים תורת אמת מפי מלאך ה'.

edu:
Being slightly afraid that some "hothead" reading this discussion might be tempted to do something radical once he learns there are even situations of optional sacrifice for G-d, I wish to add that I know of several cases where individual made tremendous sacrifices of themselves or others for a cause that really wasn't worth it.
It is very important for the "hotheads" to consult with Reliable Halachic Experts.

muman613:

--- Quote from: edu on November 27, 2011, 02:15:34 AM ---As an introduction to my second answer, why Avraham was willing to sacrifice Yitzchak with so much zeal, I have already mentioned, there are situations that for the sake of sanctifying the name of G-d one must sacrifice his life and there are also gray areas, where one has the option to sacrifice one's life, but can also find various ways to exempt himself from sacrificing himself or others for G-d.

Although both types of sacrifices for G-d are worthy in his eyes, (sometimes, given the situation) it is more praiseworthy to make the sacrifice, when one has an option to save himself and/or his family, rather than when he is forced to do so. So for example, during the period of the rule of the Greeks over Israel, there were a number of prominent Jews who gave their lives for Judaism, when they had no other way out, but their sanctification of G-d's name made much less of an impact than Mattityahu's optional choice to put himself and his family in great danger for the sake of Judaism.

As I pointed out previously, by sanctifying the name of G-d, we publicize in a powerful way the proper religious beliefs and attitudes towards the L-rd of our forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov.

I found in the responsa Mishna Halachot Volume 13, Siman 149 that indeed, because G-d had previously promised Avraham that his seed, and religious values would be continued through Yitzchak, he had the power to demand from G-d to rescind his request to sacrifice Yitzchak. Thus when he went ahead with G-d's request, he was sanctifying G-d's name at the higher level of personal choice rather than compulsion and therefore the spiritual impact on his descendants was also at a much higher level.
Here are the words of Mishna Halachot in the original Hebrew.
שו"ת משנה הלכות חלק יג סימן קמט

וכתב עוד וז"ל ואמנם יתאמת שמי שישען עליו באמת להיות נכנס בעובי הקורה בעבודתו וכל מה שיעשה המעשה יותר רחוק מהטבע יורה על היותו נשען על השם ית' באמת. והמעשה היותר גדול והיותר רחוק מהטבע הוא מעשה אברהם אבינו ע"ה בעקידת יצחק כי לא היה נמשך לו עונש כלל אם לא יעקדנו כי לא צוהו השי"ת בזה והנה הבטיחו כי ביצחק יקרא לך זרע וזהו לשון הכתוב קח נא את בנך וגו' וכבר נודע שזה הציווי (קח נא אינו שנצטוה ליקח) אלא לשון בקשה שהראה לו שייטב לו אם ימחול אברהם על הבטחתו ויעקוד את בנו ולו היה אברהם משיבו "הן לי לא נתתה זרע" כי אם זה והבטחתני בוואיך אעשה זה לא נחשב לו עון ולא ישגיהו עונש מזה ואעפ"כ לגודל אהבתו את השי"ת מצא את לבבו לעשות חפץ השי"ת אע"פ שאילו לא עשאו לא היה מגיעו עונש כלל וזה ענין העקדה וסודו.

ולזה הוכיחו בירושלמי (תענית פ"ב ה"ד) אמר רבי אבא בר אבין בשם ר' יוחנן אמר אברהם לפני הקב"ה רבש"ע גלוי וידוע לפניך שבשעה שאמרת לי להעלות את יצחק בני על גבי המזבח היה לי להשיב ולומר אמרתי לי כי ביצחק יקרא לך זרע עכשיו אתה אומר לי העלהו לעולה חס ושלום לא עשיתי כן אבל כבשתי את יצרי לעשות רצונך רבש"ע יה"ר מלפניך שבשעה שיהיו בניו של יצחק נכנסין לידי צרה ואין להם מי שילמד סניגוריא אתה תהא מלמד עליהם סנגוריא ה' יראה ויזכור להם עקדתו של יצחק אביהם ויתמלא עליהם רחמים. ע"ש אריכות דברים תורת אמת מפי מלאך ה'.
--- End quote ---


edu,

I hear what you are saying here but there is an issue which I don't quite understand...

I have heard from several sources that it is more meritorious to do something which you are commanded to do, than to do something in service of Hashem because you want to do it. This is one reason why we believe it is more meritorious for a Jew to obey a commandment of Hashem than for a non-Jew to do the same thing when he is not commanded to do it.

Here are some references to this idea:


--- Quote ---http://www.mechon-mamre.org/jewfaq/prayer.htm

Berakhot recited before performing a mitzvah (commandment), such as washing hands or lighting candles, praise G-d as the one "who sanctified us with his commandments and commanded us" to do whatever it is we are about to do.  Reciting such a blessing is an essential element of the performance of a mitzvah. In Jewish tradition, a person who performs a mitzvah with a sense of obligation is considered more meritorious than a person who performs the same mitzvah because he feels like it.  Recitation of the berakhah focuses our attention on the idea that we are performing a religious duty with a sense of obligation.  It is worth noting that we recite such berakhot over both biblical and rabbinical commandments.  In the latter case, the berakhah can be understood as "who sanctified us with his commandments and commanded us to obey the rabbis, who commanded us to" do whatever it is we are about to do.  See Halakhah:  Jewish Law for an explanation of the distinction between biblical and rabbinical commandments.
--- End quote ---


--- Quote ---http://wap.torah.org/learning/perceptions/5757/behaaloscha.html

On the contrary, lighting the menorah indeed was Aharon's consolation. For, through it, Aharon taught the most powerful lesson of all: Free Will offerings are nice, but greater is the gift of the heart given THROUGH the command of G-d. This is what the Talmud says:

Greater is the one who is commanded than the one who is not commanded. (Kiddushin 32a)

Why is this so? Because the point of doing mitzvos is not merely to prove our loyalty to G-d, but to make us into "messengers" of G-d. However, when I do an act because it is what I want to do and feel like doing, then I am acting on my own behalf, not necessarily on behalf of G-D-I am my own messenger, not G-d's.

However, when the thought to do something originates from elsewhere, in this case the Torah, and I fulfill that intention, then I constitute a shaliach of G-d, and as we learn from Pinchas later on, that is the highest level one can attain, a level specifically associated with kohanim:


--- End quote ---


So I don't understand how this fits in with the idea "Thus when he went ahead with G-d's request, he was sanctifying G-d's name at the higher level of personal choice rather than compulsion and therefore the spiritual impact on his descendants was also at a much higher level."...

edu:
Muman raised the issue how to understand the statement of the sages
Greater is the one who is commanded than the one who is not commanded. (Kiddushin 32a)

Ramchal (Moshe Chayim Luzzatto) in Daat Tevunote Moshe translated into English by Feldheim Publishers under the title The Knowing Heart, explains the intention of the Sages in the following way.
He says that not all people are equal, in the sense, that 2 people can do the same act, where in the case of the first individual because he his very holy, it will have a tremendous impact on the world, while the second individual who is not that holy will not have much of an impact on the world when he does the act or it might even be a sin for him.
He gives the example that Yonatan Ben Uziel was so holy that when he learned Torah, a bird that flew over his head was burnt up, due to the tremendous spiritual energy, coming out of his learning. While thousands of others who are not so holy, will not cause this. A second example, he brings is the eating of kodshim, holy foods, such as certain parts of the body of sacrificed animals. If a cohen, a descendant of Aharon, who has been properly prepared, eats them he performs a commandment. If a non-cohen eats them he does a sin.
He then continues to explain, so too, at Sinai, when the Jews were commanded to perform the Torah, they were also imbued with a greater holiness, so that their performance of the commandments would have a greater spiritual impact on the world, than those who do the commandments out of choice.
It is probably a good idea to elaborate, but I'll wait for feedback in order to get a better idea how to phrase my response.

muman613:

--- Quote from: edu on November 28, 2011, 12:53:31 AM ---Muman raised the issue how to understand the statement of the sages
Greater is the one who is commanded than the one who is not commanded. (Kiddushin 32a)

Ramchal (Moshe Chayim Luzzatto) in Daat Tevunote Moshe translated into English by Feldheim Publishers under the title The Knowing Heart, explains the intention of the Sages in the following way.
He says that not all people are equal, in the sense, that 2 people can do the same act, where in the case of the first individual because he his very holy, it will have a tremendous impact on the world, while the second individual who is not that holy will not have much of an impact on the world when he does the act or it might even be a sin for him.
He gives the example that Yonatan Ben Uziel was so holy that when he learned Torah, a bird that flew over his head was burnt up, due to the tremendous spiritual energy, coming out of his learning. While thousands of others who are not so holy, will not cause this. A second example, he brings is the eating of kodshim, holy foods, such as certain parts of the body of sacrificed animals. If a cohen, a descendant of Aharon, who has been properly prepared, eats them he performs a commandment. If a non-cohen eats them he does a sin.
He then continues to explain, so too, at Sinai, when the Jews were commanded to perform the Torah, they were also imbued with a greater holiness, so that their performance of the commandments would have a greater spiritual impact on the world, than those who do the commandments out of choice.
It is probably a good idea to elaborate, but I'll wait for feedback in order to get a better idea how to phrase my response.

--- End quote ---

I do not have the book 'The knowing heart' but I do have the Artscroll classic 'Lights Along the Way' which discusses Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto's 'Mesillas Yesharim/Path of the Just'... I have read this many times and find it great for working on my own middot...

http://www.artscroll.com/Books/ligh.html




Description:

Few books have been classics for scholars and laymen alike. Mesillas Yesharim/Path of the Just is at the top of that select list. In crisp, flowing language, in a step-by-step presentation that combines keen insights into human nature with goals that inspire, encourage, and challenge, this masterpiece presents answers to the age old question, “What is man’s obligation in his world? ”

The author of this primer for life is Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, the Ramchal, who was a phenomenal sage, philosopher, ethicist, saint, and Kabbalist. The Gaon of Vilna said that if Ramchal were alive, he, the Gaon himself, would have traveled to study mussar under him.

But Ramchal was just as much the guide for simple shoemakers and wagon drivers, then as now. For nearly three centuries, his Mesillas Yesharim has been the indispensable, well-thumbed road map to fulfillment for the full gamut of serious and intelligent people.

This work gives Mesillas Yesharim a new dimension for modern times. In it, Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski M.D. pours a lifetime of knowledge and experience. A master of the spirit and the mind, Rabbi Twerski applies the timeless to the timely.

The author quotes and translates key passages from Mesillas Yesharim and applies them to the problems and hurdles of modern life. In the process, the reader sees a vintage classic with fresh eyes, and appreciates Ramchal with unexpected clarity.

Rabbi Twerski’s previous books, such as Living Each Day, Smiling Each Day, Living Each Week, and his brilliant commentary to the Pesach Haggadah have endeared him to countless readers. This volume raises his work to a new plateau of value and insight.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page