The 10th test, or How I learned to use it or lose it

It was after these words that G-d tested Abraham, and He said to him, “Abraham!” and he replied, “Here I am.” [Genesis 22:1]

Toward the end of this week’s Torah portion, Vayera, comes the most difficult episode in Scriptures — the near slaughter, literally “the binding,” of Isaac by his father Abraham. Abraham had already undergone nine tests and G-d makes it clear that this would be the most important and determine whether he was really a servant of the Almighty.

From here on, the story becomes fuzzy. The Talmud relates that G-d made Himself understood through what resembled a long volley of ping pong.

“Please take your son,” G-d said.

“I have two sons,” Abraham replied.

Your only one,” G-d said.

“This one is his mother’s only son, and this one is his mother’s only one.,” Abraham countered.

G-d remained patient. “The one you love,” He said.

“I love them both,” Abraham responded.

Finally, G-d said, “Isaac.”

“Take him and go away to the land of Moriah. Take him up there and prepare him as an ascent-offering on one of the mountains that I will designate to you.” [Genesis 22:2]

G-d did not tell Abraham to slaughter Isaac, merely that father was to take his son up the mountain, interpreted as Jerusalem, and present him as an offering. That was it.

Still, the episode raises numerous questions, most of them left unanswered by the commentators. First, where is the test? Did Abraham, who argued long and hard over the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, actually think that G-d would set the bar by ordering the execution of Isaac? In the previous Torah portion of Lech Lecha, G-d said Isaac would mark a covenant that would lead to a nation. That would require a living being. Alternatively, if G-d wanted Abraham to simply take a hike up the mountain with his son — where’s the test in that?

Moses Ben Nachman, or the Ramban, begins to unravel the knot by redefining the Hebrew word nisah. This is not a test, the Ramban asserts, rather the presentation of a free choice. Indeed, Abraham wasn’t even informed of his divine mission. He would have to employ his faith in the Almighty and simply keep walking. This marked the key element in the previous nine tests of Abraham, whether the command to leave his land, descend to Egypt, the repeated abductions of Sarah, his war with the four kings, the decades of being childless, or circumcision at age 86.

But the final challenge was unlike the others. Here, Abraham would have to look beyond G-d’s command to understand what was demanded of him. His latest mission was not so much to act rather than accept G-d’s plan. That plan was no longer about Abraham, rather his descendants.

For Abraham, the distinction would not come easily. In Lech Lecha, he responds to the divine message that a son would arrive that would spawn a great nation by mentioning Ishmael, the son of Hagar. Would Ishmael, his first son, prove redundant and die? In that case, G-d could take back the miracle of Isaac.

G-d had to remind Abraham that Isaac would be the key to the eternal nation. Ishmael would be blessed as well, but the patriarch’s focus had to be the development of the son of his wife Sarah rather than that of his concubine Hagar.

But that wasn’t exactly what happened. In our Torah portion, Abraham spends precious time playing the diplomat with Avimelech, including signing a treaty. What about G-d’s treaty with Abraham and Isaac? Years and decades would pass, and Abraham would forget that a nation requires children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Isaac is already 37 years old, and father forgets to provide him with the first ingredient — a bride.

And that became the tenth and final choice for Abraham. G-d promised you a great nation: Use it or lose it. It won’t happen by itself. Moreover, if Isaac has no future, then why keep Sarah around?

The Torah does not portray G-d as Santa Claus. He doesn’t hand out presents outside Macy’s and roar “Ho, ho, ho.” G-d’s miracles are meant to advance His agenda of a chosen people — Israel. More than 75 years ago, He provided us with the first taste of Jewish sovereignty in more than 2,000 years. The idea was not to develop another Singapore, Wall Street or Disneyland. It was to enable Jews to observe the Torah and focus on G-d, rather than the gentiles. The proviso was the same as that for Abraham — use it or lose it. That more than anything else explains the tragedy of the last 13 months.

In the end, G-d stopped Abraham from killing Isaac. The Midrash says Abraham pleaded with G-d to at least be allowed to nick his son to mark a symbolic slaughter. G-d said no — not a scratch. That is not My plan.

It was only after Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael and Eliezer began walking back home that the patriarch was struck by a revelation: “If my son had been slaughtered, then I would be back to Square One. I should have married Isaac to one of the daughters of Aner, Eshkol or Mamre. I should have ensured a line of succession, because without that, there will be no nation.

Immediately, G-d replied, “Yes, there is already a girl waiting for Isaac, the daughter of your brother Nachor. Do not delay.”

And suddenly, this became the most important mission in Abraham’s life and saved the Jewish people from a still birth. The elderly father finally decided to use it rather than lose it.