VA-YEIRA – QUESTIONING ABRAHAM
What is your view of our first patriarch, Abraham? Va-yeira presents him in many different ways: He is the epitome of hospitality (Ch. 18); he is the proud father (Ch. 21); the anguished father (ibid.); the unconsciously abusive father (Ch. 22); he is the pretend ‘brother’ (Ch. 20) and the compliant husband (Ch. 21); he is the defiant challenger, questioning God’s justice (Ch. 18) – and also God’s most obedient servant (Ch. 22).
Abraham was a complex character – even contradictory when it comes to the way he responded to God. How can it be that the man who challenged God’s justice so insistently over the fate of the ‘righteous’ among the wicked inhabitants of the city of S’dom, remained silent when the Eternal One told him to sacrifice his son, Isaac? If Abraham cared so much about God’s justice why didn’t he argue with God to save his son? The Torah tells us that Abraham was very distressed at the prospect of expelling his eldest son, Ishmael, from the household (Gen. 21:11). So, why the absolute acquiescence, when it came to Isaac?
Before God even told Abraham what he wanted him to do, his response was hinneini – ‘here I am’ (22:1). Rashi tells us that this is how the ‘righteous’ answer; Abraham’s hinneini expressed both ‘humility’ and ‘readiness’ to do God’s will. So, what did he do after he had heard the details of his mission? ‘Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his ass’ (:3) – another sign, Rashi explains, of Abraham’s ‘readiness’. What was Abraham thinking: that God would not actually demand such a sacrifice? Or, perhaps, that he must be ready to offer up his son? – who was a gift from God, after all. And why did the messenger of God have to call out Abraham’s name twice, before Abraham put down the knife? (:11)
Abraham is known as ‘the man of faith’. Indeed, ‘tested’ (:1); he demonstrated his faith. But did his ‘faith’ justify the trauma he inflicted on Isaac? And on Sarah? (who died shortly afterwards) (Chayyey Sarah, Gen. 23). What do you think?
Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah