A Test of Your Faith

How much do you love your wife or husband? Or your children or grandchildren? Is there any thing that you would trade for any of them?

Suppose you were offered $10 Million in cold cash? Make it $100 Million! Still no takers?? How about $1 Billion? Think of what you could do with $1 Billion in cash – no taxes to on gifts! Still in doubt, make it a Trillion Dollars – that’s 1000 x $1 Billion! You would be the richest person on Earth. Starting to weaken? No? What would it take? Would anything substitute for a loved one?

That is just the dilemma Abraham faced when, after 99 years of trying, he finally had a Jewish son with his beloved wife, Sarah.

What a mean test to give a father! Sacrifice your only son to me! If you believe I am the Creator of the Universe, the Creator of all humans – prove it to Me! Show Me the depth of your faith! Show Me why you are qualified to be the progenitor of My Holy People, My Treasure, My Kingdom of Priests!”

Abraham had no one to ask for advice. He had no Rabbi nor counselor to advise him. Even if he had, it would have been sacrilegious to ask advice when you are being commanded by the Creator of Life, of all things living. That respect was due to the Command of the Creator was undoubted!

Suppose it was only a test? Suppose he would be called off at the last moment. Suppose the sacrificial knife would stop despite his effort? Suppose it was a bad dream? Suppose, suppose, suppose???

But if it was a test, it could only be valid if his resolve to sacrifice Isaac was determined, truthful and unconditional. The test had to be as rigorous as his resolve to make the sacrifice – otherwise, it would not deceive the Creator, who knows the actual genuine thought of all Humans!

The test was literally at a sharp knife edge of sincere resolve. Only if the knife were irretrievably descending to Isaac’s throat could the Creator be sure that Abraham had borne the test and had passed with blind faith.

There can be no doubt of Abraham’s resolve in this matter. Gen. 22, part of this week’s Torah reading makes that quite clear.

It states that because Abraham “did not withhold” his only son – one he had waited a life time to have – G-d believed that Abraham was fit to be the Father of the Jewish People.

He was to save Isaac, who was to beget Jacob – who wrestled with an Angel to obtain his credentials – and became known as Israel.

Israel – the People who were designed to be G-d Holy Treasurer – a Kingdom of Priests. How do we fit into this Divine Pattern?

Do we fit the mould?

Do we merit the name?

Do we shun quarrels – do we let our protagonist choose his way – left or right – as Abraham did, and peacefully go the other way?

In other words, do we believe? Do we believe that, as the Torah tells us – that G-d proclaims to all: “Vengeance is mine,” not ours.

Be patient – you will see in good time.

© 2007 L.N.S.