The Midrash is a method of interpreting biblical stories that goes beyond their simple meaning. It fills in the gaps in the biblical narrative that are only hinted at in relation to an event. The purpose is to understand difficult passages, such as the story of the sacrifice of Isaac, recounted in Genesis 22 and which leaves many questions. The Midrash explains Akedat Yitzchak thus:

“God said to Abraham: Take now your son. Abraham replies: I have two sons, which one do you mean?” God says: Your only son. Abraham replies: They are both only sons, Isaac is the only son I have with his mother, and Ishmael is the only son I have with her who is his mother. God says: The son whom you love. Abraham replies: I love them both. God says: Very well, then Isaac. Why all this argument? So that Abraham’s mind would not be confused by what she was going to ask him: And offer him there as a sacrifice on one of the mountains.

Abraham pondered in his heart, saying, What shall I do? How shall I tell Sarah? And Abraham said to him: Prepare food and drink. And during the meal, he said to him: When I was three years old, I became conscious of the Creator, but this boy has not yet been taught about the Creator. Now, there is a place far away where young men are taught about Him. Sarah said, «Take him in peace.»

And Abraham got up very early in the morning. Why early in the morning? Because Sarah might reconsider what she said yesterday and refuse to let Isaac go. We will leave while she is still asleep. And he saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him… On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. And Abraham asked Isaac, «Do you see what I see?» Isaac replied, «I see a mountain, radiant and majestic, with a mysterious cloud hanging over it.» Then Abraham took the wood of the sacrifice and laid it on Isaac his son. And they both went together: one to bind, one to be bound, one to sacrifice, and one to be sacrificed.

And fear and terror fell upon Isaac, when he saw nothing suitable for a sacrifice. Then Isaac spoke… and said, «Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?» Abraham said, «God has chosen you.» Isaac said, «If He has chosen me, my life is His, but I grieve for my mother.» And he laid him on the altar. And Abraham’s eyes looked at Isaac’s, and Isaac looked up to heaven. Tears flowed from Abraham’s eyes. He took the knife to cut his throat as deep as possible. At that, God opened the firmament and said to the angel, «Why are you standing here? Go and stop Abraham.»

Then the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, «Abraham, Abraham, what terrible deed are you about to commit?» Abraham asked him, «Who are you?» He replied, «An angel.» Abraham said, «When God told me to sacrifice my son, He Himself spoke to me. If He wants something else now, He Himself must speak to me.» Then God opened the firmament and said, «By Me I swear.» And Abraham said, «I will not come down from this altar until I have said all that I want to say. Did you not say to me, ‘Count the stars, and so shall your seed be?’ And where will they come from?» God: They will come from Isaac. Abraham: When you commanded me to sacrifice Isaac, I should have answered you: Yesterday you told me: In Isaac your seed will be called, and now you tell me: Offer him now as a sacrifice. Even so, I restrained my impulse and did not respond as I should have. Now I tell you: When Isaac’s children sin and fall into disgrace, you must act with compassion and remember that you were going to sacrifice Isaac.

By Marcos Gojman

Bibliography: Sefer Ha Agadah, edited by Chaim Nachman Bialik and Yehoshua Hana Ravnitzky.