## Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Vayera

###### Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Vayera 41:1
[Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Vayera 41:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Midrash%20Tanchuma%20Buber/s/Vayera/r/41:1)

ד"א ויהי אחר הדברים האלה [והאלהים נסה את אברהם]. זש"ה מצרף לכסף וכור לזהב ובוחן לבות ה' (משלי יז ג), ויאמר קח נא, מיד וישכם אברהם בוקר (בראשית כב ג), הלך ובנה את המזבח, ונתן [את] יצחק למעלה מן המזבח, שנאמר ויעקד את יצחק בנו [וישם אותו על המזבח ממעל לעצים] (שם שם ט), מהו ממעל, מלמד שעשה המזבח מכוון כנגד כסא הכבוד, כד"א שרפים עומדים ממעל לו (ישעיה ו ב).

**Midrash Tanhuma, S. Buber Recension; trans. by John T. Townsend, 1989.:**
Another interpretation (of Gen. 22:1): NOW IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS, [THAT GOD TESTED ABRAHAM]. This text is related (to Prov. 17:3): A CRUCIBLE IS FOR SILVER AND A FURNACE FOR GOLD, BUT THE LORD TESTS HEARTS. (Gen. 22:2:) AND HE SAID: PLEASE TAKE YOUR SON . Immediately (in vs. 3): SO ABRAHAM AROSE EARLY IN THE MORNING. He went and built the altar. Then he put Isaac up on top of the altar, as stated (in vs. 9): AND ABRAHAM BUILT AN ALTAR THERE … THEN HE BOUND HIS SON ISAAC [AND SET HIM ON THE ALTAR ABOVE THE WOOD]. What is the meaning of ABOVE? This teaches that he made the altar exactly under the throne of glory, just as one says (in Is. 6:2): ABOVE HIM STOOD THE SERAPHIM. ¹⁴⁴

footnotes:
¹⁴⁴ According to tradition Isaac was bound on the site where the Temple would be built.