A thought on Parshas Va'Yera
A Thought on Parshas Va'Yera
"...va'yikach es ha'ayil va'ya'a'lehu..."
"...and he took to ram and offered it up..." (22:13)
The trial of Akeidas Yitzchak culminated in Avraham being ordered to end the sacrificial process. The Torah then relates how he saw a ram in the thicket, and proceeded to offer this animal as an offering "tachas bno" - in lieu of his son Yitzchak.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel poses a probing question. Avraham Avinu has been an obedient and unwavering servant of HaShem. He has done all that has been instructed him and has refrained from doing anything contrary to those subjective commandments. What made him decide on his own to offer a sacrifice now? Why did he suddenly act independently and on his own accord, rather than continue to adhere to the bidding of HaShem? Was his decision an innovation or an impulse? What drove him to take this step?
At first, he proposes that Avraham simply reasoned on his own that bringing a sacrifice at that time was "the right thing to do." But, he ponders, Avraham did what HaShem told him to do. He had not been told to do this! We find that he did not implement circumcision, for example, until instructed to do so. Saying that he brought the ram forth on his own logic does not really fit our understanding of this patriarch.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel adds that another reason that we would have predicted that Avraham would not act on his own is that he himself realized that the Akeida ordeal had been a test. His faith and obedience had been on trial, and he had passed that test! Why would he then take a step that demonstrated his autonomy, rather than reverting to his more attentive-receptive mode of serving HaShem?
The answer posed by Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel is illuminating. Avraham Avinu was a solitary figure who had cultivated a very personal and submissive relationship with HaShem. He followed the Sacred Word and did not deviate from it. However, he had also adopted a second role: Chazal tell us that he was the successor to Shem, son of Noach, as the Kohen Gadol figure for his generation. He had accepted the mantle of priesthood in displaying the rites of worship and modeling service of the Divine. He was the central figure for all of humanity in knowing how a person is expected to serve HaShem.
Thus, the concept of bringing forth an offering was known to Avraham. Demonstrating to others when and how one is meant to engage in such worship was his responsibility. As a private person, his connection to HaShem was one of submission and fealty. As a model for all of mankind, his connection with HaShem had to be illustrative to others.
To succeed in passing a challenge, a test, is an ascendant step up the ladder of piety and sanctity. This was a moment where a Jew is expected to display his or her growth and spiritual achievement by increasing their sense of connection with the Above. Emerging from a life challenge of such majesty and magnitude is, for the Jewish person, a time to bring forth an offering, a korban olah.
As High Priest for the lower world, Avraham Avinu embraced his role of being the model for how and when to serve HaShem. Whereas his personal experience was one which he embraced as a covert existential attainment, the public aspect of his encounter required an overt transitive act to perpetuate the meaning of that moment.
A Jew maintains a personal bond with HaShem which is often one of privacy and tznius. A Jew is also mindful that he has a role within and among his community. At times our inner avoda is manifest externally in a concurrent and opposite manner. Good Shabbos. D Fox
"...va'yikach es ha'ayil va'ya'a'lehu..."
"...and he took to ram and offered it up..." (22:13)
The trial of Akeidas Yitzchak culminated in Avraham being ordered to end the sacrificial process. The Torah then relates how he saw a ram in the thicket, and proceeded to offer this animal as an offering "tachas bno" - in lieu of his son Yitzchak.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel poses a probing question. Avraham Avinu has been an obedient and unwavering servant of HaShem. He has done all that has been instructed him and has refrained from doing anything contrary to those subjective commandments. What made him decide on his own to offer a sacrifice now? Why did he suddenly act independently and on his own accord, rather than continue to adhere to the bidding of HaShem? Was his decision an innovation or an impulse? What drove him to take this step?
At first, he proposes that Avraham simply reasoned on his own that bringing a sacrifice at that time was "the right thing to do." But, he ponders, Avraham did what HaShem told him to do. He had not been told to do this! We find that he did not implement circumcision, for example, until instructed to do so. Saying that he brought the ram forth on his own logic does not really fit our understanding of this patriarch.
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel adds that another reason that we would have predicted that Avraham would not act on his own is that he himself realized that the Akeida ordeal had been a test. His faith and obedience had been on trial, and he had passed that test! Why would he then take a step that demonstrated his autonomy, rather than reverting to his more attentive-receptive mode of serving HaShem?
The answer posed by Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel is illuminating. Avraham Avinu was a solitary figure who had cultivated a very personal and submissive relationship with HaShem. He followed the Sacred Word and did not deviate from it. However, he had also adopted a second role: Chazal tell us that he was the successor to Shem, son of Noach, as the Kohen Gadol figure for his generation. He had accepted the mantle of priesthood in displaying the rites of worship and modeling service of the Divine. He was the central figure for all of humanity in knowing how a person is expected to serve HaShem.
Thus, the concept of bringing forth an offering was known to Avraham. Demonstrating to others when and how one is meant to engage in such worship was his responsibility. As a private person, his connection to HaShem was one of submission and fealty. As a model for all of mankind, his connection with HaShem had to be illustrative to others.
To succeed in passing a challenge, a test, is an ascendant step up the ladder of piety and sanctity. This was a moment where a Jew is expected to display his or her growth and spiritual achievement by increasing their sense of connection with the Above. Emerging from a life challenge of such majesty and magnitude is, for the Jewish person, a time to bring forth an offering, a korban olah.
As High Priest for the lower world, Avraham Avinu embraced his role of being the model for how and when to serve HaShem. Whereas his personal experience was one which he embraced as a covert existential attainment, the public aspect of his encounter required an overt transitive act to perpetuate the meaning of that moment.
A Jew maintains a personal bond with HaShem which is often one of privacy and tznius. A Jew is also mindful that he has a role within and among his community. At times our inner avoda is manifest externally in a concurrent and opposite manner. Good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 8:43 PM
1 Comments:
Dr. Fox's commentary raises a point upon which I had never thought before...Abraham seemingly performs an "unauthorized" Sacred service.
Un-similarly, two sons of Aaron, Cohen Gadol for his generation, would be "removed" from this world because their service was "unauthorized". I don't quite understand from Dr. Fox's commentary how Abraham Avinu got away with it.
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