Weekly Torah Portion

The last of Abraham’s ten tests was to take his son Isaac and offer him up on one of the mountains that God would show him. Similar to how the first test discussed above a number of times contains the words lech lecha, “to go,” so too does the last test: “and He said: Take your son, your only son, the one you love, Isaac, and (lech lecha) go to the land of Moriah…” (Genesis 22:2). An additional similarity is that in both cases Abraham is told to go to a place that will only later be shown him. The similarities in language of both Abraham’s first and concluding test creates a sense of completion, yet intrigue.

Significantly, along with the concept of God testing Abraham ten times, there appears in the book of Numbers a reference to Israel testing God ten times. That verse appears after the sin of the spies when they cast doubt in the eyes of the people as to their ability to conquer the land of Israel. God agrees to forgive the people but mentions that despite all the wonders He performed in Egypt still the people have tested him ten times (Numbers 14:22).

As part of Moses’ prayer on behalf of the people he appeals to God: “And now may the strength of my Lord be strengthened…”(Numbers 14:17). It could be said that God had the patience and compassion to endure being tested ten times by the people in the desert in the merit of Abraham passing his ten tests.

This idea is actually connected to another midrash which relates a certain heavenly debate as to should God create man or not. One group of angels claimed that God should not create man as he would be full of lies and deceit. The other band of angels felt that man was worth creating because despite his great flaws he would do acts of goodness and charity. God of course chose the reasoning of the second group of angels. But why? One possible answer is that God saw in the future there would be a man of loving-kindness named Abraham and for his sake it would be worth creating man.

This possible explanation can be seen in a verse relating to the creation of the world discussed in the previous portion: “These are the generations of the heaven and earth when they were created, in the day that Hashem God made earth and heaven” (Genesis 2:4). The sages, as we learned, draw attention to the fact that the Hebrew word “when they were created” contains the same letters as the word “in [or through] Abraham.” God knowing that there would be such a person as Abraham who would truly do acts of charity, go beyond his nature and pass ten God given tests and take responsibility for the entire world upon his shoulders, gave God strength, as it were, to go beyond the letter of the law and forgive the Jewish people despite their testing Him ten times.