Parshat Vayera: Seeing the Vision God Has for Us

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The Lessons from the Akeda are mired in the cobwebs of old think, conjuring an Alfred Hitchcock movie, where Abraham eagerly proceeds on a mission to slaughter and roast his “only” son. His alacrity in performance (he can’t even wait for his servants to saddle his donkey) is  In response to his perceived understanding of a command received from God by vision or dream, one which contradicts the seven laws of Noah as well as seven specific injunctives in the Torah. The Ralbag disputes Abraham’s understanding, and Abraham’s failure to verify his understanding with Sarah, whom he knows has superior prophetic abilities, further calls into question the veracity of Abraham’s view.

Looking more deeply and holistically can elicit two deep lessons regarding what Gd expects from us.

We start with the Talmudic precept  Maaseh Avot Siman LeBanim  The acts of the Fathers are signs to the children- both for good and bad

The 1^st of the Avot is Abraham> To put Avraham’s life in context, we can examine it through Jos. Campbell’s story-arc of the prototypical great man: The Hero’s Journey who is on a quest, endures many tests, culminates in The Ordeal where the Hero is transformed.

Abraham’s physical journey occurs in Parshat Lech Licha where he proceeds from Ur Cassdim to Haran to the place Gd will show him (Canaan) to Egypt, Gerar, back to various places in the Holy Land), But what is his quest? This is discussed in Parshat vayera depicting Abraham’s efforts in forging a relationship with Gd.  Recall, he grows up in a house without no role models/no examples/making it up as he goes.  So, what do we, the heroes of our lives, learn from Abraham’s quest?

3. Start by  reviewing what we know about Abraham:

As for the Good: We know Abraham is a master of Chesed (kindness to others), a leader, a teacher, an independent thinker, who stands up for others and for what he thinks is right. He is a champion of justice, unafraid of confronting Gd to do “the right thing” on behalf of others. From a character perspective he is an evolutionarily ADVANCED NOAH

As to the Negatives, we don’t discuss them, but the Torah does not shy away from mentioning them. He is: insecure, fearful of losing his legacy (he suffers night terrors over this) and he is afraid for his physical safety. So fearful is he, that he lies, twice, once to Pharaoh, and once to the King of Gerar. He is also conflict averse not confrontation paralyzed > He sends Lot away and gives him the best land to avoid conflict, but goes to war hires and trains 319 soldiers, to rescue him and protect the family. He banishes Hagar and Yishmael (twice) to avoid confrontation with his wife.

With this in mind, we head to the Ordeal in ch 22. > Akeda, The Binding? Why do we call this 19-sentence vignette the binding- why not the sacrifice of Isaac, or the trial of Abraham? But binding? What is the Significance of Binding? We begin chapter 22 in order to find out, but before we get started, we are re-routed >. וַיְהִי, אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה  Rashi points out that this chapter is connected to the previous vignette in Ch. 21, and in order to understand ch. 22, we must revisit ch. 21’s last paragraphs – so off we head.

In Ch 21. we find Abraham living in Beer Sheva (per Netiziv, this is because Beer Sheva was a populous area, and allowed him to minister to others) [1]

There Abraham sits in his tent, minding his own business, when he is visited by Avimelech King of Gerar, (south Gaza today) accompanied by his General Phicol seeking a  peach treaty. Our conflict-averse Abraham desperately wants peace and instantly agrees. This treaty, however, is condemned by the Rashbam because  Abraham is showing (for the 3^rd time) that he doesn’t trust Gd, and would rather place his trust in flesh and blood. It also demonstrates arrogance with his own abilities. According to the Rashbam this rash act precipitates the Akeda; not as test, but as a reproof. In Ms. Daphna Fishman Secunda’s essay .The Personal and Collective Journey to Har haMoria she quotes Rashbam as if Gd says: “Bring Yitzchak as a whole burnt offering & see how your peace treaty will help you.“

But for lawyers reading this, there are actually three accords: The subjects aren’t specified (some say Abraham gave back land, although there are no indications of this textually or logically, Abraham has no land at this point to cede). In any event, the parties to the three accords are different.

The 1^st accord is an Oath (which is probably not legally enforceable) between Abraham and and Avimelech and his descendants seeking honest dealings.

Then Abraham directs the discussion to water rites. “And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of the well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.”

Presumably the second accord, which is an official treaty per the laws of the day, pertains to the use of three wells, This treaty is indeed enforceable, as it is memorialized according to the custom of the day–: And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and they made a covenant. This is a bilateral accord between Abraham and Avimelech.

The 3^rd Treaty is the one that irks the Rashbam. This is the  part that the Rashbam condemns. It is indeed enforceable, memorialized by consideration, a transfer of seven ewes. Even Avimelech is shocked: ‘What mean these seven ewe-lambs which thou hast set by themselves?’ It appears this agreement attests to proof Abraham and his men dug the 3 wells and hence owns them (establishing title). The seven  ewes exchanged for bilateral peace and designation of well-ownership

But this covenant is BINDING on Abraham & his Descendants>in a  peace treaty that transcends generations This is the part that irks the Rashbam, who asserts Abraham had no right to bind his descendants.

Abraham has now bound Isaac – legally (although with physical ramifications), even before Akeda. The significance of this is monumental and can be seen as early as ch. 26, even though the Talmud provides much later repercussions.

By chapter 26 Abraham has died, leaving his property to Isaac who is living in Gerar), including inheriting the valuable wells; Isaac is fat, happy, & wealthy, he is 100x richer than his immensely rich father; so rich that he isn’t even using these wells.

One day Avimelech, General. Phichol and a buddy named Ahuza come avisitin’ with the news: Avimelecnh’s men have stuffed up the three wells. (There are reports at least one well was five stories deep). Now Isaac has no idea this has been going on . The parsha goes on to discuss what Isaac now does, but full stop: How did this happen: How long does it take to stop up three wells? Weeks? Months? . How could this be? Isaac has placed noo guards, no sentries, no intelligence service to monitor his property. The wells are stuffed over a process of weeks or months, right under Isaac’s nose, and he has no idea. We might not believe that the enemy could do so much damage right under our own noses, rejecting this possibility out of hand, that is, until October 7.

This seems so incredulous and the only explanation can be that Isaac has relied on the treaty his father forged; I’m keeping my end and living peacefully and he expects the other side to keep theirs. What folly.

Getting back to Abraham, it seems he has learned his lesson: He let Gd down. Either this comes from reflection or perhaps, as the tradition teaches, Abraham, who knows the whole Torah goes back to check his actions and finds in Exodus ch 34 v. 12 יב  הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ, פֶּן-תִּכְרֹת בְּרִית לְיוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ “Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest,  lest they be for a snare in the midst of thee.”

With the error of his ways firmly in his mind, now Abraham is ready for his next test.

We return to ch. 22  After these things (i.e., the treaty), we return to Akeda where Abraham is is ready to prove himself. The stage is set: We start with Gd calling to him, Abraham, Abraham,- as if making sure he is testing the right person, as if to say,  “Remember, Abraham that you are Abraham.”

And he answers “here I am” But this is NOT the Abraham we knew. This is a warped zealot, who thinks his Gd wants him sacrifice his kid. ((again the Ralbag says this wasn’t the test, and seven times the Torah tells us child sacrifice is forbidden, and of course this is after the NOahide laws forbidding murder have been given.) Where is our Abraham? Where is the person who confronts Gd, speaks up for the weak? champions Justice?

Abraham has lost the true Abraham. He is caught up in his ego, in  proving himself. He thinks (and many believe) the objective is to show complete unquestioning submission to what Abraham thinks is Gd’s will (i.e., to tie up kid, slaugher and then roast him). In his defense, some commentators opine that Abraham is demonstrating  complete trust – that Gd will fix it and it won’t come to actual sacrifice. (This view is contradicted by the fact that Abraham doesn’t stop the slaughtering act until the angel calls him twice, seeking, per Rashi, to inflict a small wound, so the trip won’t be for naught).  In any event, Abraham does NOTHING to stop the sacrifice.

However this is not Judaism; this is Islam, Inshallah, Kismet (fate) sit back, do nothing, whatever Gd wills, is truth – negates free will. Even in 1722 when Daniel Defoe writes A Journal of the Plague Year, he recounts that everyone trying to escape or protect themselves, except “the Mohametans with their predestination.”

Eventually, Abraham realizes the error of his ways: light bulb, H’ YAYREH I understand,  Gd is seen, understood: I must not sacrifice children in my worship of Gd, but  I must not sacrifice myself — the Abraham — in my worship of Gd either.

Now we can reformulate the  Lesson of the Akeda:

We are partners in this universe with Gd. //We are expected to act/to struggle/ to wrestle with Gd — as Jacob wrestled with the angels/as Moses confronts Gd,  to act on behalf of others and in pursuit of Torah’s objectives, We have the power to affect Gd’s decisions. (To wit, Moses, and Hezekiah) Only after we’ve exhausted our resources, only then,can we expect and rely on Gd to redeem us.

But there is a third element. We must recognize our limitations. The clue comes from the objectionable accord (another dvar Torah). He is not punished for the ceasefire, the truce the temporary objective/ Shvitat Neshek: Abraham was condemned for arrogantly thinking he could arrange a permanent solution peace, binding his descendants, only to learn that complete victory and permanent peach is an illusion, folly.

I conclude with a story about R’ Zushia of Hanipol, the beloved Chasid. The scene is the second of Shevat 1800 – We find Reb Zushia on his death bed, surrounded by students:  R’Zushia is weeping, fearful of his imminent demise. This surprises his students since sages generally look forward to meeting their maker. Trying to console him, they tell him he has nothing to worry about; he was almost as wise as Moses and as kind as Abraham. R’ Zushia replies through his tears:

“You don’t understand. When I meet the Holy One, He will not ask me why wasn’t I Moses, or why wasn’t I like Abraham. He will say to me Zushia, Zushia, why weren’t you Zushia?”

We can almost hear Gd saying “Abraham, Abraham, why weren’t you Abraham?”

Now we can extract the message of the Akeda: Each of us has our own unique Gd given magic// Our challenge is to use these gifts to our fullest to further Torah’s objectives // to struggle . But we must recognize our powers are limited, we are to do as much as we can// only then, can we rely on Gd.

May we all be worthy of actualizing our gifts for good, of being the best we can be, of doing all we can according to the Torah’s direction, to have the courage to recognize our limitations, and the fortitude to trust Gd when our efforts are insufficient.

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[1] Thank you to Rabbi Chaim Fachler for bringing down this insight.