Spiritual and
Ethical Issues in the Historical Books of Tanach;
SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN THE BEREISHIT STORIES These four books ostensibly are merely the history of Israel from the entry into the Promised Land until the destruction of the Temple and the temporary loss of independent statehood. In fact they are actually, in a specifically Jewish sense, the most deeply religious and spiritual books of the Bible. One does not have to be specifically Jewish to see or feel the religion and spirituality in the revelations of the prophetic writings or in the words of the Tehillim. They speak to all people, as evidenced by the fact that the Bible is still the world's bestseller and there are millions of non-Jews who regularly recite the Psalms. However, it is specifically and intrinsically Jewish to understand that G-d is revealed in the prosaic material, in the political, social and military events in the lives of ordinary men and women, kings and leaders that are described in the Nevim Rishonim. Here are described the ideology and religious thoughts in Judaism, while in Chronicles we have the purely historical. "To Sacrifice Your Son" [3] There are some commentators who teach us that it was not a test for G-d to know and to recognize the qualities of Avraham; for G-d Who is All Knowing, the outcome is a foreknown. "Rather, since Man has full charge over his own actions, the concept of test refers to the perspective of the individual who is being tested and for their benefit. So this was to enable Avraham to translate into practice the potential he possessed for devotion and fear of G-d. Thereby, in addition to the reward for what he possessed in potential, he would be rewarded also for the actual deed, not only for the good intention" (Ramban; also Rabbi Yonah of Gerondi, Hasdai ibn Shaprut, and Sforno]. Basically, all the mitzvot are geared to translate our spiritual potential and intentions into the reality of our everyday mundane actions and deeds. Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim, III, 24) sees two purposes in the Akeida, both of which are major principles of Judaism: 1. Just how far the YIR'AT SHAMAIM that is contained in Man's duty to love and fear G-d extends. Despite his old age and his great love for Yitschak who was the promised heir that came to him at long last, Avraham immediately sets aside all these considerations and obeys Hashem's commandment. This was done not out of fear of punishment but solely because it is Man's duty to love and fear Him. This, despite being commanded to perform an act that surpasses any sacrifice of property or life and that furthermore belongs to actions which are universally believed to be contrary to human feelings and morality. Therefore, the 'now I know' that the angel said, mean's that now all the people on earth will learn from Avraham what fear of G-d is. [Far from being opposing concepts, the two mitzvot of YIR'A and AHAVA are examples of Judaism's balance between religious concepts each of which are positive but also may have negative effects if observed by themselves as for instance, ritual and spirituality or halakha and aggada, law and morality or ecstasy and habit]. 2. To serve as an example of how a prophet has to subscribe without question to the truth of his prophecy. Avraham would never have been able to accept the command to offer Yitschak as a sacrifice despite his great love for his son, would he not have believed implicitly in the truth of that commandment. "The Akeida comes to teach us, in addition to the wise words of the Rambam, of Avraham's faith in the spiritual reward and the eternity of the soul. If Avraham would not have believed in these teachings he would never have set out to slaughter his only son [Yishmael having been sent away], since he did not do so out of fear of G-d's punishment either of death nor of impoverishment as these would have been immaterial to him if he would have been left childless and without an heir. However, he believed in the reward to his soul after his death" (Abarbanel). The test of Yitschak in the Akeida has received the attention of the commentators no less than that of Avraham. All note the fact that, unlike the portrayal commonly shown in world art down the centuries, Yitschak was not a little boy but rather a man of 37 years of age, quite capable of resisting his old father and equally able to run away. In the Musaf of Rosh HaShana at the conclusion of Zichronot, we say 'remember Akeidat Yitschak this day to his seed' thus denoting the important role that Yitschak played in the Akeida. Nevertheless, there are those who, even while recognizing the greatness of the simple faith of Yitschak in submitting to the Akeida, see the trial of Avraham the father in sacrificing his son, as a greater test and therefore of greater significance. The Netziv sees the message of Akeidat Yitschak as that of 'Kibud Av'. "Yitschak was not commanded about the Akeida; that was given only to Avraham. Why then did he go if he was under no such obligation? [We cannot argue that therefore his merit was greater, since Chazal taught that he is more meritorious who performs that which he is commanded to, than one who does the same deed without being commanded to do so]. Yitschak acted solely out the Kibud Av that lies in obeying the wishes of one's father or mother" (Emek Davar). Radak stresses the many faceted, albeit often overlooked, influence that Torah has had and continues to have on world culture and civilization. "It is difficult to under- stand how we can explain the 'now I know' as meaning that all the world will know about the Akeida, as there was nobody present except Avraham and Yitschak. So nobody could report the great sacrifice except Avraham and nobody would believe him. However, the Akeida was not meant for that generation nor was it to be known before the Torah was written down. Then once idolatry had been defeated and most of the world has read and believes in Torat Moshe, they know, believe and learn from the Akeida" (Radak). The Jewish People has shown that it has absorbed all the lessons of the Akeida. Chana said at the time of Chanuka, "Tell Avraham Avinu that I've sacrificed seven while he only offered up one son". The martyrs of York and the Crusades, and our Kiddush Hashem throughout history, are ample evidence of just how well this lesson was learned. This is the 111th installment in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times” [The
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