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

[edu]

The obvious question is that usually, human sacrifice is very much forbidden by the Torah, for several obvious reasons, so why didn't this disturb Avraham enough, at least to try to beg G-d for mercy as he tried to beg G-d to save Sodom or at least the righteous of Sodom. Not only that, Avraham even goes with zeal to Mount Moriah to attempt to sacrifice his son [in light of G-d's command]. And he only stopped, when an angel from G-d directly told him not to harm Yitzchak in any way, because now I know that you are G-d fearing.
Another, question is that G-d had previously stated to Avraham, that through Yitzchak will be the continuation of the seed of Avraham, spreading the religious beliefs of Avraham in the world. Why then didn't Avraham, demand that G-d keep his bargain. Another question that one can raise is why did Avraham, when he was ascending Mount Moriah with Yitzchak tell the others that were with him, that he and Yitzchak would go alone and that both of them would return, to them after they served G-d on the mountain. In other words, if Avraham was intending to sacrifice Yitzchak, why say we will both return?
I intend to offer at least 2 possible answers, G-d willing and Bli Neder. But before posting them, I would like to hear what you might have to offer as a solution to these questions.

[Yaakov Mendel]

My simple (simplistic ?) answer to your first question is that Avraham understood at once that G-d did not actually intend for Isaac to die. It would have been chillul hashem for Avraham to assume that G-d really intended Isaac to die since God had promised Avraham offspring through Isaac and it is forbidden to think that G-d might not honour His word.
Next, the reason why Avraham told the others that he AND his son would return was that Avraham was not sure that the others had enough faith in G-d to understand G-d's true intentions.

Avraham's faith, intelligence and self-control were truly impressive in that situation.

[muman613]

I would suggest that Abraham wanted to fulfill Hashems wishes regardless of his human understanding. Abrahams Emmunah was so strong that he knew that no matter what happened Hashem would ensure that it would turn out for the best in the end. This is the secret of true Faith/Belief/Trust in Hashem. This is one of the pillars of Emmunah that Hashem will resurrect the dead. The same Hashem which is capable of creating life from nothing is capable of returning that life if he so chooses.

Abraham also had a self-sacrificing nature to him. He wanted to fix the world and would do whatever Hashem told him to do in order to accomplish this goal...


I will add more to this response after Shabbat has concluded...

Shabbat Shalom!

[edu]

I think Muman613 was starting to hint at one of the 2 answers that I had for the list of questions that I posted.
But first an introduction.
In the haftora, of Parshat Vayera, (where the story of the binding of Yitzchak appears), we read the story of the prophet Elisha, who decrees that an old woman who was his host, would have a son.
She indeed has a son, but later the son becomes sick and dies.
The old woman demands that Elisha fix the situation because, she considered her blessing of having a son, as not a true blessing under the circumstances.
Elisha the prophet does certain actions to the body of the son and prays to G-d and G-d brings the son back to life.
With this in mind, this is one possibility to explain Avraham. Namely, that he was so sure that G-d would bring Yitzchak back to life after the sacrifice, he was willing to completely disregard all the temporary suffering that would take place before that point, because that he had perfect faith that G-d would make everything work out for the best. Avraham also sensed that there would be tremendous educational value in going ahead with the sacrifice with zeal, so he didn't even request that G-d change the test.

[edu]

A second possible explanation for the actions of Avraham is based on the following.

Jews have a commandment of Kiddush Hashem which in extreme situations even demands that Jews give up their lives for the sake of Hashem.

One of the more usual situations of Kiddush Hashem is explained by the Chafetz Chaim in Sefer Hamitzvot Hakatzar, mitzvah 5 and I will translate.

It is a positive precept to sanctify the name of G-d among the masses.
For it is stated and I will be sanctified among the children of Israel ( Vayikra/Leviticus 22:32). And this we have to do by giving over our lives to be put to death, and with all our might, in order to publicize the faith of the name of the Blessed {G-d} that if they seek to force us to remove us from our faith, that we should not consent and not listen and one should give himself over to die for this {end of quote}.

The Halacha gives limitations under what situations one must give up his life, and under what situations one does not give up his life in order to publicize the faith of the name of the Blessed {G-d} and there are certain gray areas, where one has the option of giving up his life for the mitzvah, but one can also avoid giving up his life, for example, by hiding yourself until the danger has past.
Since it is not necessary for me to go into too much detail for now when one must give up his life and when not, so I won't do it.
Two very well known examples of Kiddush Hashem  (sanctification of G-d's name) that I wish to bring up for now are the stories of Mattityahu and Rabbi Akiva.
Mattityahu started the rebellion against the Greeks, who had made decrees against Judaism, despite the huge physical risks to himself, his family, and his fellow Jews.

It is well known, that Mattityahu started the revolt against Greek rule, by killing the Hellenist Jew Collaborator who was about to sacrifice to an idol on an altar and then he killed the local Greek forces. It is less known, that most of his children, the Macabees, although being highly successful fighters, were eventually killed by the Greeks and it took 20 years of warfare and suffering even after the miracle of Chanuka for Judea to regain complete Independence from the Greek empire.
Mattityahu was fully aware of these risks that he took for the sake of Kiddush Hashem, to save Judaism and the Jewish people, yet he nevertheless went ahead with his actions, because, the Torah has revealed to us that there are some ideals that are more precious than life itself.
The second example of Kiddush Hashem that I wish to bring up is the story of Rabbi Akiva. The Romans had made a ban on teaching Torah and he publicly defied them and taught Torah despite the danger.
He was eventually taken by the Romans for execution by slow torture.
Tractate Brachot page 61a, goes into detail about how Rabbi Akiva met his death (translation based primarily on Soncino)..
When R. Akiva was taken out for execution, it was the hour for the recital of the Shema’, and while they combed his flesh with iron combs, he was accepting upon himself the kingship of heaven.
His disciples said to him: Our teacher, even to this point? He said to them: All my days I have been troubled by this verse, ‘with all thy soul’, [which I interpret,] ‘even if He takes thy soul’. I said, "When shall I have the opportunity of fulfilling this?"  Now that I have the opportunity shall I not fulfill it? He prolonged the word Echad {Hebrew for the word, one} until he expired while saying it.
A Bath Kol went forth and proclaimed: Happy art thou, Akiva, that thy soul has departed with the word Echad!

With this in all mind, it is possible that Avraham thought that Yitzchak's mission in life is to teach his other descendants, both present and future about what extent of sacrifice one should make for the religion of Hashem, when needed.
In other words, Avraham knew that the followers of Hashem, would at times be put to the most severe tests of faith, in which the only way out, would be to have someone make the type of sacrifices that Mattityahu and Rabbi Akiva made. He thought that Hashem wanted him to be the role model for such heroes, that sanctify the name of G-d to the highest decree.
According to this, it was Avraham's Love for Defending the Kingdom of Hashem in this world above all other ideals that made his go with zeal, to try to sacrifice Yitzchak on the altar.

I have not yet answered, according to this viewpoint, the other questions that I raised concerning the binding of Yitzchak. But I will leave over these questions for another time, G-d willing.

[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]

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,

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:

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.

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:

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]

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.

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.

[edu]

I wish to provide a precedent to show the impact of optional Kiddush Hashem is stronger than mandatory Kiddush Hashem.
In midrash shir sharim Rabba, Parsha 7, we are informed by the sages of some of the background to what took place in the Book of Daniel, chapter 3.
Chananiah, Mishael, and Azarya, went to the prophet Yechezkel asking him, what should they do about Nevuchadnetzar's demand that they together with others bow down to a statue. He told them to hide until the moment of fury has passed.
They said if we do this, people will at least have the impression that we complied and we don't want to give that impression, we want to publicly defy Nevuchadnetzar.
Yechezkel, said if you take that option, don't expect that G-d will do a miracle for you, in fact G-d told me, he won't.
They said, even so, we intend to sacrifice ourselves to sanctify G-d's name.
When they left Yechezkel, G-d revealed to the prophet that of course, he will do tremendous miracles, to save them, but they should not be informed of G-d's intention.
The Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin page 92b informs us that 6 miracles were performed that day. Some of them related to the furnace of fire, from which, Chananiah, Mishael, and Azarya were saved and one of them, was that Yechezkel started to revive the dead, in the valley of Dura.