Kabbalah zu Bereschit 22:1

Hashem behaved similarly toward Abraham, as it is written, "that the Elohim did test Abraham" (Gen. 22:1). What is meant by "test (Heb. נִסָּה)?" It means the raising of the banner (Heb. נֵס), as it is written, "lift up a standard" (Isaiah 62:10), and "set up the standard" (Jer. 4:6). He raised his standard over the whole world. And for this, the Holy One, blessed be He, raised the banner of Abraham before everybody's eyes, as it is written, "Did test Abraham." Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, in order to lift the standard of the righteous, tries them, so they will lift up their heads throughout the world.

And after this introduction, here I am going to explain. You should know that the name YHV"H, may the One be blessed, dresses itself and beautifies itself in holy names, and every holy name seizes itself [or. Hebrew is מתאחזין] in the truth of this Name, may it be blessed, and each name teaches a specific issue individually. How? When the Holy Name wants to have compassion on God's world and have pity on them, then God clothes Godself in the clothing of Compassion [Hesed] and Mercy [Hemlah] and then the High Name, which is YHV"V brings out the banner of compassion and mercy, and in that same banner is carved the name E"l, and the sign is "each on its banner by signs" (Bamidbar 2:2). And when the Blessed Name brings this banner out, then God does good and has compassion and bestows grace on human beings and is happy with them, and this is the secret of "May the glory of YHV"H be forever, YHV"H will be happy in His works" (Psalms 104:31), and the secret of "and he [Avraham] called the name YHV"H E-l Olam" (Genesis 21:33), and the secret of "E-l King that sits on the throne of Mercy", and the secret of "Y'Y Y'Y E-l Rahum veHanun (Shemot 34:6) and the secret of "because E-l Rahum Y'Y your God" (Deut. 4:31), and the sign is "because E-l, great, Y'Y and a great king over all E-lohim" (Psalms 95:3) - E-lohim, the aspect of judgment, that is to say that the aspect of Mercy is greater than the aspect of judgment. And from this you will understand "And E-lohim tested Avraham" (Genesis 22:1) - E-lohim, that is, the aspect of Judgment, gave the miracle/nes and the banner in the hands of Avraham, who is the secret of the aspect of E-l, who is the secret of the aspect of Hesed, and this is the expression "tested/nisah Avraham", from the expression "raise a banner/nes over the peoples" (Isaiah 62:10). And this is the secret of "God of Abraham, God of Isaac" (E-lohei Avraham, E-lohei Yitzchak) and we don't say "and God of Yitzchak", since the aspect of Judgment is conquered under the aspect of Compassion, since the banner of Yitzchak, which is the aspect of E-lohim is given over to the hand of Avraham, who is the secret of the aspect of E-l.

Rabbi Eleazar said: On that day Yitzchak [gevurah/din] surrounded Avraham [gedulah/hesed] as it is written "And El-him tested Avraham" (Gen. 22:1). What is "nissah/tested"? As you say "and I will raise my banner/nissi to the peoples" (Isaiah 49:22). "And he called His name Ad-nai Nissi" (Exodus 17:15). What does this teach us? So that he would encompass the right and make himself complete. One [proof] is that it is written "And El-him tested Avraham". El-him, specifically, and this is "and the Fear of Isaac [Pachad Yitzchak]" (Genesis 31:42)