THAT GOD DID PROVE ABRAHAM. Some say that the word nissah (did prove, tested) is a variation of nissa (lifted up),¹ as prove is that it seemed to imply that God did not know what Abraham’s response to his request would be. They thus interpreted nissa as coming from nun, sin, alef, meaning lifted up; i.e., God exalted Abraham by showing him to be a paragon of absolute obedience to the Lord’s will. Cf. Bereshit Rabbah 80:55. with the sin replacing the samekh² is spelled nun, samekh, heh ; nassah is spelled nun, sin, alef. and the heh replacing the alef.³ in nissah, like the alef in nasa, is silent. However, the plain meaning of the entire chapter contradicts this interpretation.⁴ means proved, tested, not exalted. The word nissah is thus to be taken literally. The philosophers teach that there are two kinds of knowledge, knowledge of events prior to their occurrence, and knowledge of what is presently in existence. The latter is the meaning of God did prove, and for now I know (v. 12).⁵ Saadiah Gaon says that did prove means that God tested Abraham in order to demonstrate his piety to mankind; furthermore, he interprets for now I know that thou art a God-fearing man (v. 12) to mean that now I have made known to all that thou art a God-fearing man. But didn’t Saadiah know that even Abraham’s young men were not present when he bound Isaac and placed him on the altar?⁶ Others say that and offer him there for a burnt offering is to be interpreted as: bring him up to the mountain; this will be considered as if you brought him up as a burnt offering.⁷) literally means bring him up. However, Abraham did not understand his prophetic vision⁸ and hurried to sacrifice Isaac. God then told him, “I did not ask you to slay Isaac.”Still others say that God told Abraham: act as if you were bringing him up as a burnt offering. We find a similar occurrence in connection with the prophet Jeremiah, who was commanded to Go unto the house of the Rechabites…and give them wine to drink (Jer. 35:2).⁹ he did not intend that Jeremiah actually make them drink. Similarly God’s intention was not that Abraham actually sacrifice Isaac. He wanted Abraham to make all the preparations necessary for the sacrifice, i.e., to bind Isaac, lay him on the altar, etc. He was to do everything as if he were offering him as a sacrifice. Now these geonim offered the above interpretations because they held that it is not possible that God would issue a command and then take it back.¹⁰ However, they overlooked the fact that God took the firstborn to serve Him and after a year replaced them with the Levites.¹¹ In reality all questions are removed by Scripture’s first stating that God did prove Abraham.¹² The reason God tested Abraham was in order to reward him.¹³.

footnotes: ¹ The problem which some commentators found in a literal translation of nissah ² Nissah ³ The heh ⁴ The chapter deals with a test, a trial. Hence nissah ⁵ God knew (now I know) what Abraham would do if tested. However, until Abraham offered Isaac, God’s knowledge was knowledge of the potential or possible. He tested Abraham (did prove) to actualize His knowledge (Krinsky). He now knew what Abraham did, not only what Abraham would do. ⁶ Cf. verse 5. In other words, no one was there to witness his act. ⁷ The word translated as offer him { ve-ha’alehu ⁸ He thought that God actually wanted him to offer his son as a burnt offering. ⁹ The Rechabites were foresworn by Rechab from drinking wine (Jer., Chap. 35). When God told Jeremiah, and give them wine to drink ¹⁰ God is unchangeable; hence his mind, too, is unchangeable. Therefore they offered the latter two interpretations. ¹¹ The first-born were at first sanctified to God to minister before him (Ex. 13:2). However, the next year the Levites took their place. Cf. Num. 3:40-44. ¹² God did not change His mind. He never intended for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. ¹³ For his willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to His will. I.E. now backsteps and explains why God, who is all-knowing, tested Abraham. He had earlier insisted that “prove” is to be taken literally. He now explains why. He similarly alludes to the meaning of for now I know

The meaning of for now I know that (v. 12) is the same as and if not, I will know (Gen. 18:21).¹⁴ I will also explain, if God who knows all hidden things will help me, the secret meaning of this term in my comments on I know thee by name (Ex. 33:12).

footnotes: ¹⁴ See I.E.’s comments on Gen. 18:21.

UPON ONE OF THE MOUNTAINS. The temple was later built on this mountain. This is explicitly stated in Scripture: So Solomon built the house on Mount Moriah.¹⁵ It was not a very tall mountain. The threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite was on it.

footnotes: ¹⁵ Cf. I Kings 6:14 and II Chron. 3:1. The verse quoted by I.E. does not appear anywhere in the Bible. It is a composite of these two verses.

AND HE CLEAVED THE WOOD FOR THE BURNT-OFFERING. And placed them on his ass.¹⁶

footnotes: ¹⁶ I.E. derives this from Scripture’s stating that after Abraham left his young men with the ass (v. 5), he placed the wood on Isaac (v. 6). This implies that until then the wood was on the ass (Weiser).

ON THE THIRD DAY. That he set out from Beersheba.

Some ask, how could Abraham say, and (we will) come back to you (v. 5)?¹⁷ Others answer them by saying that Abraham intended to return with Isaac’s bones, and he disguised his intentions so that his young men would wait for him till he returned and Isaac would not know what was about to happen and flee.¹⁸ Our sages, of blessed memory, say that Isaac was thirty-seven years old at the time of his binding.¹⁹ 56:11. If this be a tradition, we will accept it. However, from a strictly logical point of view it is unacceptable. If Isaac was an adult at this time, then his piety should have been revealed in Scripture and his reward should be double that of his father for willingly having submitted himself to be sacrificed. Yet Scripture says nothing concerning Isaac’s great self-sacrifice. Others say that Isaac was five years old at the time of his binding. This, too, is unacceptable, since Isaac carried the wood for the sacrificial pyre.²⁰ It thus appears logical to assume that Isaac was close to thirteen years old and that Abraham overpowered him and bound him against his will. Proof of this can be seen from the fact that Abraham hid his intention from Isaac and told him, God will provide Himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son (v. 8). Abraham knew that if he said, “You are to be the burnt-offering,” Isaac would quite possibly have fled.

footnotes: ¹⁷ When he knew that only he would return. He should have said, “and I will return.” ¹⁸ A prophet may tell an untruth if necessary. See I.E.’s comments on Gen. 20:12; 27:19. ¹⁹ Bereshit Rabbah ²⁰ A child of five would be unable to carry that much wood.

ABRAHAM, ABRAHAM. The repetition of the name expresses urgency.

BEHIND HIM A RAM CAUGHT IN THE THICKET. Abraham beheld a ram after (achar) it had been caught in the thicket by its horns.²¹. This is ungrammatical. I.E. suggests that it be interpreted as if written, achar she-ne’echaz (after it had been caught). J.P.S. renders achar (after) as behind him. If the chet of ne’echaz (caught) is vocalized with a kamatz, then the word “was” is missing from the text and the meaning of the phrase is, after it was yet caught in the thicket.²² (caught) is vocalized with a pattach. When ne’echaz is so vocalized it is a third person perfect, meaning it was caught. However, there are texts in which ne’echaz is vocalized with a kamatz. In this instance ne’echaz is a participle, meaning it is caught. If this be the case, then the word “was” has to be inserted in the text to make sense out of the verse, as “was” followed by a participle is proper Hebrew. There are many other similar instances.²³ { Aboth 1:2), literally translated, he was saying; i.e., he used to say. Others say that achar is connected to And Abraham lifted up his eyes.²⁴ (after) as being connected to caught. This new interpretation suggests that achar concludes the first clause in our verse. This is the opinion of Rashi and Onkelos. According to them our verse reads: And Abraham lifted up his eyes after this. But if this were so, the word achar would have been followed by ken or zot,²⁵. 38 and Filwarg. Our text is probably corrupt. The word achar is always in the construct. When achar is not in the construct it is written, achar ken or achar zot. Hence our verse should read achar ken. Since it does not, achar cannot be connected to the preceding clause but rather to what follows. as is the case whenever the word achar (after) indicates a pause.

footnotes: ²¹ Scripture reads: achar ne’achaz ²² In our texts the word ne’echaz ²³ “Was” followed by a participle indicates a continuous action. Compare, in Rabbinic literature, hu hayah omer ²⁴ The meaning of our verse being: and Abraham lifted up his eyes after this and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. Until now I.E. explains achar ²⁵ Cf. Vat. Ebr

[IN THE MOUNT WHERE THE LORD IS SEEN.] The meaning of this clause can be ascertained in my comments on These are the words (Deut. 1:1).²⁶

footnotes: ²⁶ I.E. implies in his commentary on Deut. 1:1 that certain phrases in the Pentateuch, among them this phrase, were added later.

BY MYSELF HAVE I SWORN. By Myself indicates a great and eternal oath.²⁷

footnotes: ²⁷ An irrevocable oath.

BECAUSE. Ya’an (because) is similar in meaning to anah (testify or bear witness).²⁸ is spelled yod, ayin, nun ; anah is spelled alef, nun, heh. Anah means to respond, answer, bear witness. The meaning of the term is: this act will testify and bear witness.²⁹ is, what is going to happen will bear witness that, etc. Cf. I.E.’s comments on Is. 7:15 and Friedlander’s comment thereto.

footnotes: ²⁸ Ya’an ²⁹ The primary meaning of ya’an

THE GATE OF HIS ENEMIES. Cities surrounded by walls having gates.

BECAUSE. Ekev (because) means a reward that is granted at the end.³⁰ means heel. The heel is the bottom of a person; hence it means the reward ultimately given (at the end) for a deed (Krinsky, Weiser, Cherez). Thus the clause should be rendered: as a reward for thou hast harkened to my voice.

footnotes: ³⁰ Ekev

SO ABRAHAM RETURNED. Isaac is not mentioned because he was under Abraham’s care. Those who say that Abraham slaughtered Isaac and left him on the altar and following this Isaac came to life are contradicting Scripture.³¹

footnotes: ³¹ Scripture explicitly tells us that God told Abraham not to slay Isaac (v. 12).

BEHOLD, MILKAH, SHE ALSO HATH BORNE. This is stated to inform us of Rebekah’s pedigree.³²

footnotes: ³² The purpose of verses 20-23 is to inform us of Rebekah’s pedigree.