Midrasch zu Bereschit 21:12

And these are the names of the Sons of Israel that came into Egypt with Yaakov, every man came with his household – There it is written (Mishlei 13, 24): “He who spares the rod hates his son; but he who loves him disciplines him in his youth.” Ordinarily in the world, if a person says to his friend: “So-and-so hit your son”, he would be ready to reduce his livelihood. And why is it taught “ He who spares the rod hates his son”?! In order to teach you, that anyone who refrains from disciplining his son in the end causes him to fall into evil ways and will hate him. This is what we have found with Yishmael, who behaved wickedly on Avraham his father but did not rebuke him, with the result that he fell into evil ways and he hated him and he left from his house with nothing. What did Yishmael do when he was fifteen years old? He started to bring idols from the market and he would play with them and worship them as he had seen others do, immediately (Bereishit 21, 9) “And Sarah saw the son of the Egyptian Hagar that she had given birth for Avraham was fooling around etc…” And there is no fooling except for idol worship, like that it says (Shemot 32,6): And they rose up to fool around. Immediately (Bereishit 21,10): And she said to Avraham , Send out this maid-servant and her son, perhaps my son will learn from him. Immediately, (Bereishit 21,11) And this thing was very bad in the eyes of Avraham etc...on account of his son because he had become evil. (Bereshit 21,12) And G-d said to Avraham, do not let it be evil in your eyes etc... From here you can learn, that Avraham was secondary to Sarah in prophecy, following on, (Bereishit 21,14): And Avraham got up in the morning and he took bread and a bottle of water, to teach you, that he hated Yishmael because of his evil ways, and sent him and his mother Hagar empty-handed and expelled them from his house because of this. Do you really think that Avraham, of whom it is written (Bereishit 13,2): And Avraham was very rich in cattle etc... that he would send his wife and his son from his house empty-handed, without clothes or means of a livelihood?! Rather, this is to teach you, since he turned evil, he stopped thinking about him. What was his end? After he had been expelled, he sat at the cross-roads and was a bandit, as it says (Bereishit 16,12): And he was a wild man. And similar to this (Bereishit 25,28): And Yitzchak loved Esav, therefore he turned to evil ways, because he was not rebuked, like we were taught: Five transgressions the evil Esav transgressed on that day: He seduced an engaged lady, and killed a man, denied resurrection, and rejected the fundamentals of religion and spurned his birthright, that he desired the death of his father, and sought to kill his brother, as it says (Bereishit 27,41):May the days of mourning for my father be brought close etc.. And he forced Ya'acov to flee from his father. And he even went with Yishmael, to learn from his evil ways and to add to his wives, as it says (Bereshit 28,9): And Esav went to Yishmael. Similarly with David, that he did not rebuke or chastise his son Avshalom, he turned to evil ways and sought to kill his father, and he lay with concubines, and becoming the cause if his wandering, bare-footed and crying, and many thousands and myriads of Israelites were slaughtered, and he caused much suffering upon them which did not end. As it is written (Psalms 3,1): A song of David, when he fled from Avshalom his son, just as it was written after (Psalms 3,2) How great in number have my enemies become etc. And cultural evil is harsher on one's home than the war of Gog and Magog, for regarding the war of Gog and Magog it says: (Tehilim 2:1) "Why do the nations stir?" and later it is written: (Tehilim 3:2) "God, how many my enemies are!" And similarly David behaved with Adoniyah, he did not beat him in punishment, and did not get angry at him, and therefore he left to cultural evil, as is written: (Kings 1 1:6) "And his father never scolded him...and she bore him after Avshalom." Wasn't Avshalom the son of Maacha, while Adoniyahu was the son of Chagit? What does it mean, "she bore him after Avshalom"? Instead- since he [Avshalom] left to cultural evil, and his father never beat him, and it is written about Adoniyahu "his father never scolded him," he too left to cultural evil, and therefore it is written: "and she bore him after Avshalom." (Proverbs 13:24) "But he who loves him disciplines him in his youth" refers to the Holy Blessed One, who loves Israel, as it is written (Malachi 1:2) "I have loved you, says God," who increases their suffering. One can find three good gifts that the Holy Blessed One gave to Israel, and they were each given only by means of suffering: the Torah, the Land of Israel, and life in the World to Come. The Torah, as it is written: (Psalms 94:12) "How lucky is the man who You discipline, God, and to whom You teach Your Torah." The Land of Israel, as it is written: (Deuteronomy 8:5) "Bear in mind that the LORD your God disciplines you just as a man disciplines his son." What is written next? (Deuteronomy 8:7) "For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land..." The World to Come, as it is written: (Proverbs 6:23) "For the commandment is a lamp, the teaching is a light, and the way to life is the rebuke that disciplines." And when anyone rebukes his son, the son increases his love for his father, and he honors him, as it is said: (Proverbs 29:17) "Discipline your son and he will give you peace." And it says: (Proverbs 19:18) "Discipline your son while there is still hope." And he increases his love for him, as it says: "But he who loves him disciplines him early," meaning because he disciplines him early, therefore he loves him. You find that Abraham disciplined Isaac his son and taught him Torah and guided him in his ways, as is written about Avraham: (Genesis 26:5) "In return for Avraham's obedience to my voice" and it is written: (Genesis 25:19) "These are the descendants of Isaac, son of Abraham," which teaches you that he was similar to his father in all ways- in beauty, in wisdom, in wealth, and in good deeds. You should know that he [Isaac] was thirty-seven years old when his he was bound by his father, and it is written: (Genesis 24:1) "And Abraham was old, advanced in age" and yet he bound him and positioned him like a lamb, and he did not refuse. Therefore: (Genesis 25:5) "Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac," Which is to say, "he who loves him disciplines him early." In the same manner, Isaac would discipline Jacob early, for Isaac taught him Torah and disciplined him in his house of study, as it says: (Genesis 25:27) "but Jacob was a mild man who stayed home." And he learned what his father taught him, and then he separated from his father and hid in the house of Ever to study Torah. Therefore he merited blessing and inherited the land, as it says: (Genesis 27:1) "Jacob lived in the land of his father's residence, in the land of Canaan." And even our Patriarch Jacob disciplined his sons, and beat them and taught them his ways, so that none of them would be disposable, as it is written: (Exodus 1:1) "These are the names of the sons of Israel who arrived to Egypt..." The verse equates them all to Jacob, for they were all righteous as he had been. This resolves: "But he who loves him disciplines him early."

(Gen. 25:19:) THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF ISAAC BEN ABRAHAM.¹Except for most of the last section (# 24), Toledot is not found in Buber’s Oxford MS. Buber has filled in the gap mostly from Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34. This text is related (to Prov. 17:6): GRANDCHILDREN ARE A CROWN FOR ELDERS, AND THE GLORY OF CHILDREN IS THEIR PARENTS.²Cf. Gen. R. 63:2; Tanh., Gen. 6:4. Who caused Abraham to be magnified? Jacob, as stated (in Is. 29:22): THUS SAYS THE LORD UNTO THE HOUSE OF JACOB, WHICH REDEEMED ABRAHAM. Why? Because, if one is meritorious as a Torah scholar together with his son and his grandson, it will never again be cut off from him. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 4:9f.): AND MAKE THEM (the statutes and ordinances) KNOWN TO YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AS ON THE DAY THAT YOU STOOD < BEFORE THE LORD YOUR GOD AT HOREB >. Just as the gift of < the > Torah did not become cease on the day it was given; so for one who teaches his son and his grandson Torah, it shall never again depart from him. And so it was when the Holy One saw Abraham was busy with the Torah. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 26:5): BECAUSE ABRAHAM HEEDED MY VOICE < AND KEPT MY CHARGE: MY COMMANDMENTS, MY STATUTES, AND MY LAWS >. It is also written (above, in 18:19): FOR I HAVE KNOWN HIM. Then Jacob arose up and did not move from the Torah, as stated (in Gen. 25:27): BUT JACOB WAS A PERFECT MAN WHO SAT IN THE TENTS (i.e., in the academies).³For this interpretation, see Gen. R. 63:10; Targum Onqelos, Gen. 25:27; PRK 5:7. What stipulation did the Holy One make with them? (According to Josh. 1:8:) < THIS > BOOK OF THE LAW SHALL NOT DEPART < FROM YOUR MOUTH >…. It is also written (in Prov. 10:1): A WISE SON SHALL MAKE A FATHER GLAD. This is Isaac, since it is stated (in Gen. 21:12): FOR IN ISAAC SHALL YOUR SEED BE NAMED. (Prov. 10:1, cont.:) BUT A FOOLISH SON. This is Ishmael. Thus it is written (in Gen. 25:12): NOW THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF ISHMAEL BEN ABRAHAM. There are children who suffer disgrace through their parents. Josiah suffered disgrace through his father, as stated (in II Chron. 33:23): FOR AMON INCURRED A LOT OF GUILT. Hezekiah suffered disgrace through < his father > Ahaz, as stated (in Is. 8:16): BIND UP THE TESTIMONY.⁴According to Gen. R. 42:3; Lev. R. 11:7; Ruth R., proem 7; and Esther R., proem 11, this verse alludes to Ahaz, who had seized (ahaz) the synagogues and the academies. There are also parents who suffer disgrace through their children. Eli suffered disgrace through his sons, [as stated (in I Sam. 2:12): NOW ELI'S SONS WERE SCOUNDRELS. And Samuel also suffered disgrace through his sons], as stated (in I Sam. 8:3): BUT HIS SONS DID NOT WALK IN HIS WAYS. It did not, however, turn out in this way for Abraham. Instead he was magnified through Isaac, as stated (in Gen. 25:19, cont.): ABRAHAM SIRED ISAAC. Did he sire no one but Isaac? Now look, it is written {(in Gen. 25:19): THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF ISHMAEL.} [(in Gen. 16:15): SO HAGAR BORE A SON TO ABRAM.] And in addition < there are > the sons of Keturah: Zimran and Jokshan, < etc. > (cf. Gen. 25:2). But it does not say that Abraham sired anyone but Isaac, simply because Isaac was righteous. It is therefore stated (in Gen. 25:19): ABRAHAM SIRED ISAAC.

R. Hunya said: It is written: And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised (Lev. 12:3). This indicates that a man should even go into debt in order to make the circumcision a day of rejoicing. Hence it says: And will praise Thee, yet more and more (Ps. 71:14). The rabbis maintained that this verse speaks of Abraham. He said to the Holy One, blessed be He: “You told me: For in Isaac shall seed be called unto thee (Gen. 21:12). You have multiplied Your blessings upon me, and I have borne many sons.” Hence it is said: And Abraham took another wife.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 28:12): THEN HE DREAMED THAT HERE WAS A LADDER PLACED ON EARTH. R. Eleazar ben Azariah said: He showed him Jonah, as stated (in Jonah 2:7 [6]): I WENT DOWN TO THE ROOTS OF THE MOUNTAINS…. (Gen. 28:12, cont.:) WITH ITS TOP REACHING TO THE HEAVENS. He showed him Elijah, as stated (in II Kings 2:11): AND ELIJAH WENT UP IN A WHIRLWIND INTO THE HEAVENS. Another interpretation (of Gen. 28:12): THEN HE DREAMED. R. Simeon ben Johay said: He showed him Sinai (SYNY). This is a symbol. S = sixty, Y = ten, N = fifty, Y = ten. The sum is one hundred and thirty. LADDER also is a hundred and thirty.²¹In the MT LADDER is SLM (S = 60, L = 30, M = 40, for a total of 130); but the Buber text spells LADDER SWLM for a total of 136. It is stated here (in Gen. 21:12, cont.): PLACED ON EARTH WITH ITS TOP REACHING TO THE HEAVENS. It is also said of Sinai (in Deut. 4:11): {AND BEHOLD, IT WAS} [AND THE MOUNTAIN WAS] BURNING WITH FIRE UP TO THE HEART OF THE HEAVENS.

It is written (in Job 41:4 [12]): I WILL NOT KEEP SILENT ABOUT HIS BOASTINGS, HAUGHTY TALK, AND HIS FAIR ARRAY OF WORDS. The Holy One said: Lest the children of Adam say: We also speak with the Holy One just as Abraham spoke, and he is keeping silent for us, the Holy One said: No, I WILL NOT KEEP SILENT ABOUT HIS BOASTINGS. Only for Abraham alone do I keep silent. Why? Because he kept silent for me, I also keep silent for him. When did Abraham keep silent? When I said to him (in Gen. 21:12): FOR IN ISAAC SHALL YOUR SEED BE NAMED, and afterwards I said to him (in Gen. 22:2): PLEASE TAKE YOUR SON … < AND OFFER HIM THERE AS A BURNT OFFERING >. Then he kept silent for me, as stated (in Ps. 38:14 [13]): BUT I AM LIKE A DEAF PERSON, NOT HEARING, < LIKE A DUMB PERSON, NOT OPENING HIS MOUTH >.⁴³Throughout Gen. 21 & 22 Abraham never responds to God. I also will keep silent for him; and, even though he said harsh things, as stated (in Job 41:4 [12]): HAUGHTY TALK, HIS FAIR ARRAY OF WORDS was pleasing to me. And what is the meaning of HAUGHTY TALK? See what is written (in Gen. 18:23): THEN ABRAHAM DREW NEAR AND SAID: WILL YOU ALSO DESTROY < THE RIGHTEOUS WITH THE WICKED >? Abraham said to the Holy One (in Gen. 18:25): Sovereign of the World, FAR BE IT FROM YOU < TO DO SUCH A THING >, for will not those coming into the world say: This is his trade, that he destroy the generations by a rule of cruelty. He destroyed the generation of Enosh, the generation of the flood, and the generation of the dispersion < of humankind >. He did not abandon his trade. [Thus, Abraham said] (in Gen. 18:25): FAR BE IT FROM YOU!⁴⁴Cf. Gen. R. 49:9. The Holy One said to him: You have said this. Come and see, as I make all the generations that I have destroyed pass before you. Then I will show you that I did not collect their divine punishment from them < before it was finally sealed >.⁴⁵So Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34, ad loc. Now, if it should cross your mind that I did not act fairly, teach me; and I will act < accordingly >. Thus it is stated (in Job 34:32): WHAT I DO NOT SEE, YOU TEACH ME. IF I HAVE DONE WRONG, I WILL NOT CONTINUE. So I will continue no more. They said to him: Sovereign of the World, far be it from you to issue judgment over all creation. Thus it is stated (in Job 34:10): LISTEN TO ME, THEREFORE, O PEOPLE OF UNDERSTANDING; MAY WICKEDNESS BE FAR FROM GOD AND INJUSTICE, FROM THE ALMIGHTY. Rather (in vs. 11): FOR HE REPAYS A PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS ACTIONS…. Therefore, he says (in Gen. 18:25): FAR BE IT FROM YOU < TO DO SUCH A THING, TO PUT TO DEATH A RIGHTEOUS PERSON ALONG WITH A WICKED ONE SO THAT THE RIGHTEOUS ONE FARES LIKE THE WICKED! FAR BE IT FROM YOU >!

9 .....Rabbi Bibei bar Aba in the name of Rabbi Yohanan said: Abraham rose in prayer and supplication before the Holy Blessed One and said, “Master of the Universe! It is revealed and known before You that at the time You said to me “Take your son, your only one,” it was in my heart to reply against You, and I had what to say in my heart: ‘Earlier You said to me ‘it is through Isaac that offspring shall be continued for you.’ But now You say to me, ‘offer him there as a burnt-offering!’ So, just as I could have replied against You, but I suppressed my desire and did not argue with You…so too, when the children of Isaac come into transgressions and bad deeds, keep in mind for them the binding of Isaac their father, and rise from the seat of judgment to the seat of mercy and be filled with mercy for them, and be merciful to them and turn the quality of judgment to the quality of mercy. When? In the seventh month.

Rabbi Jehudah said: In that night the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed unto him. He said to him: Abraham ! Dost thou not know that Sarah was appointed to thee for a wife from her mother's womb? She is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant; Sarah is not called thy handmaid, but thy wife; neither is Hagar called thy wife, but thy handmaid; and all that Sarah has spoken she has uttered truthfully. Let it not be grievous in thine eyes, as it is said, "And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight" (Gen. 21:12).

(Gen. 22:1:) NOW IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS, < THAT GOD TESTED ABRAHAM >. This text is related (to Ps. 126:6): THOUGH HE GOES AWAY WEEPING, BEARING HIS SEED BAG, HE SHALL SURELY COME BACK BEARING HIS SHEAVES WITH REJOICING. THOUGH HE GOES AWAY: This refers to Abraham in the hour that the Holy One tested him and said to him (in Gen. 22:2): PLEASE TAKE < YOUR SON … AND OFFER HIM … AS A BURNT OFFERING >. Even though he was weeping in his heart, he told him with his mouth (in vs. 1): HERE I AM. When? When BEARING HIS SEED BAG. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 21:12): FOR IN ISAAC SHALL SEED BE SUMMONED FOR YOU. (Ps. 126:6:) HE SHALL COME BACK WITH REJOICING, BEARING HIS SHEAVES. (Cf. Gen. 22:19:) SO ABRAHAM RETURNED UNTO HIS YOUNG MEN. What caused him to receive a reward? < It was > because he kept silent and made himself like a one who is dumb, as stated (in Ps. 38:14 [13]): LIKE ONE WHO IS DEAF I DO NOT HEAR, [AND LIKE ONE WHO IS DUMB ('LM) HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH]. Then he had an excuse for saying to him: Yesterday you said to me (in Gen. 21:12): FOR IN ISAAC SHALL SEED BE SUMMONED FOR YOU; but now you are telling me to slaughter him. Still, he did not say anything but kept silent. Ergo (in Ps. 126:6): HE SHALL COME BACK WITH REJOICING, BEARING HIS SHEAVES (rt.: 'LM).

Another interpretation (of Gen. 22:1): NOW IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS, < THAT GOD TESTED ABRAHAM >. This text is related (to Ps. 89:35 [34]): I WILL NOT DEFILE MY COVENANT, NOR WILL I ALTER THE UTTERANCE OF MY LIPS. R. Aha said: I WILL NOT DEFILE MY COVENANT, the one which I made with Abraham when I said to him (according to Gen. 21:12): FOR IN ISAAC SHALL SEED BE SUMMONED FOR YOU. (Ps. 89:35 [34]:) NOR WILL I ALTER THE UTTERANCE OF MY LIPS, because I have said to him (in Gen. 22:2): PLEASE TAKE < YOUR SON >. A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who said to his friend: I yearn to see a small child on my table. Immediately his friend went, brought his son, and set him on the table before the king. Then he went and brought his sword to slaughter him. Immediately, however, the king cried out and said to him: What are you doing? He said to him: But did you not say to me: I yearn to see a small child on my table. He said to him: I told you a living child. < Would > I have possibly < meant > a dead one? Similarly the Holy One said to Abraham: PLEASE TAKE YOUR SON. Immediately (in Gen. 22:9f.): AND ABRAHAM BUILT AN ALTAR THERE … THEN ABRAHAM STRETCHED FORTH HIS HAND < AND TOOK THE KNIFE TO SLAUGHTER HIS SON >. The angel cried to him (in vs. 12): DO NOT RAISE YOUR HAND AGAINST THE LAD. Abraham said to him: Did you not say to me (in vs. 2): PLEASE TAKE YOUR SON? He said to him: Would I have told you¹⁴³Buber reads “him” here. to slaughter him? Ergo (in Ps. 89:35 [34]): I WILL NOT DEFILE MY COVENANT, NOR WILL I ALTER THE UTTERANCE OF MY LIPS.

Another interpretation (of 22:11): BUT < THE ANGEL OF THE LORD > CALLED UNTO HIM. Abraham said to him: Who are you? He said to him: I am an angel. Abraham said to him: When the Holy One told me to sacrifice him, he told me so himself. So now I ask that he himself tell me < to stop >. Immediately the Holy One, having opened the firmament and the lower sky, said to him (in Gen. 22:16): I BY MYSELF HAVE SWORN. Abraham said to him: So now you have sworn! But I also have sworn that I am not coming down from this altar until I say everything that I must. He said to him: Say everything that you must. Abraham said to him: Did you not tell me that what you would raise up from me would completely fill up the world, as stated (in Gen. 15:5): AND COUNT THE STARS … SO SHALL YOUR SEED BE? The Holy One said to him: Yes. He said to him: From whom? He said to him: From Isaac. He said to him: And did you not tell me that you would multiply my children like the dust, as stated (in Gen. 28:14): AND YOUR SEED SHALL BE LIKE THE DUST OF THE EARTH? The Holy One said to him: Yes. He said to him: From whom? He said to him: From Isaac. He said to him: Just as I had the right to talk back to you and did not say anything to you, O Sovereign of the World—Yesterday you said (in Gen. 21:12): FOR IN ISAAC SHALL SEED BE SUMMONED FOR YOU; but now you are saying (in Gen. 22:2): AND OFFER HIM THERE AS A BURNT OFFERING. Yet I suppressed my urge and did not talk back to you. < Just as I have acted in this way >, you also, when Isaac's children sin against you and enter into sorrow, remember on their behalf the binding of their father Isaac. Forgive them, and redeem them from their sorrows. The Holy One said to them: You have had your say; I will also have mine. The Holy One said to him: Your children are going to be sinful in my presence, < and I am going > to judge them on New Year's day. However, if they ask me to forgive them and blow a shofar before me on that day—Abraham said to him: And what is a shofar? The Holy One said to him: Do you not know? He said to him: Turn around and look. Immediately (as we read in Gen. 22:13): THEN ABRAHAM LIFTED HIS EYES [TO LOOK AND THERE WAS A RAM BEHIND HIM CAUGHT IN A THICKET ON HIS HORNS]. It says here nothing but ON HIS HORNS. He said to him: They will blow on a horn before me, and I will forgive their sins. In that hour he gave praise and thanksgiving to the Holy One; and that is how David gave praise¹⁷⁷Gk.: kalos. (in II Sam. 22:3 // Ps. 18:3 [2]): < THE LORD … MY SHIELD > AND MY HORN OF SALVATION. And it says also (in Joel 2:15): BLOW A SHOFAR IN ZION. The beginning (of the verse) concerns New Year's day. Then afterwards (ibid., cont.): SANCTIFY A FAST. This refers to the Day of Atonement, < which comes > after ten days, on which the Holy One forgives their sins. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 16:30): FOR ON THIS DAY ATONEMENT SHALL BE MADE FOR YOU…. Blessed are you, O Israel! How the Holy One has loved you! < He has done for you > what he has not done for any people or tongue, as stated (in Ps. 111:6): HE HAS DECLARED THE POWER OF HIS WORKS TO HIS PEOPLE < IN GIVING THEM THE HERITAGE OF THE NATIONS >. It is also written (in Ps. 147:19): HE DECLARES HIS WORDS TO JACOB, HIS STATUTES AND HIS ORDINANCES TO ISRAEL. And it is written (in vs. 20): HE HAS NOT DONE SO FOR ANY NATION; AND, AS FOR HIS ORDINANCES, THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THEM. HALLELUJAH.

"God said..., 'Sarai your wife...'" In Proverbs (12:4), it is written, "A woman of valor is a crown to her husband." Rabbi Aha said, "Her husband was crowned through her, but she was not crowned through her husband." Our rabbis taught that she ruled over her husband. In all places, the man gives orders, but here (Genesis 21:12), "In all that Sarah orders you, listen to her voice." Said Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Korcha: 'The Yud that the Holy One of Blessing took from Sarai was given half to Sarah, and half to Avraham. Said Rabbi Shime'on Bar Yochai: The Yud that the Holy One of Blessing took from Sarai flew and posted itself in front of the Throne of the Holy One, and said: 'Master of the Universe! Because I am the smallest letter You took me out of the name of Sarai the Righteous!! The Holy One said: In the past you were in the name of a woman, and in the end of the name! Now I will put you in the name of a man, and on the beginning of the name, as it is written 'And Moshe called Hosea Bin Nun Yehoshua' (Numbers 13:16). Said Rabbi Mana: Sarai was just [a princess] for herself, now she will be a princess for all the world.

Rabbi Elazar, son of 'Arakh, said to them: The Holy One, blessed be He, said this to Abraham only at the hour when he had seed, as it is said, "Thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs" (ibid.). From the time when Isaac was born until Israel went forth from Egypt 400 years (elapsed). (Rabban Jochanan, son of Ẓakkai) said to him: Verily it is written, "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, which they sojourned in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years" (Ex. 12:40). He answered him, saying: 210 years Israel abode in Egypt, and five years before Jacob came to Egypt there were born unto Joseph(the fathers of) two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, and they belonged to the Israelites. Behold, (we have) 215 years of days and nights, (this equals) 430 years; for the Holy One, blessed be He, reduced the time for the sake of the merit of the Patriarchs, for they are the mountains of the world, and for the sake of the merit of the Mothers, for they are the hills of the world, and concerning them the Scripture says, "The voice of my beloved ! Behold, he cometh, leaping upon the mountains, skipping over the hills" (Cant. 2:8).

Another explanation: Rabbi Itzchak said, "At the time that Avraham sought to bind Itzchak, his son, [the latter] said to him, 'Father, I am a young man and I am concerned lest my body shake from fear of the knife and I will trouble you, and lest the slaughtering will be invalid and it will not be considered a sacrifice for you. Rather, tie me very well.' Immediately, ‘and he bound Itzchak.' Could he really tie up a man of thirty-seven (a different version: of twenty six years)? Rather, it was with his agreement. Immediately. 'And Avraham sent his hand.' He sends his hand to take the knife and his eyes brings down tears and the tears fall onto the eyes of Itzchak from the mercy of his father. And nonetheless, the heart was happy to do the will of his Maker. And the angels gathered in many groups above them. What did they yell out? 'The ways have become desolate, the wayfarer has ceased; He has rescinded His covenant; He has become disgusted with the cities' (Isaiah 33:8) – He does not desire Jerusalem and the Temple that he had in mind to bequeath to the children of Itzchak. 'He did not consider a man' – merit did not stand Avraham well: 'No creation has importance in front of Me.'" Rabbi Acha said, "Avraham started to wonder, 'These words are only words of wonder. Yesterday, you told me (Genesis 21:12), "Because in Itzchak will your seed be called." And [then] you went back and said, "Please take your son." And now You say to me, "Do not send your hand to the youth." It is a wonder!' The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Avraham, "I will not profane My covenant and the utterances of My lips, I will not change" (Psalms 89:35) – When I said, "Please take your son," I did not say, "slaughter him," but rather, "and bring him up." For the sake of love did I say [it] to you: I said to you, "Bring him up," and you have fulfilled My words. And now, bring him down.’ [A different version: They said a parable about a king that said to his friend, 'Bring up your son to my table.' His friend brought him up and his knife was in his hand. The king said, 'And did I say to you, "Bring him up to eat him?" I said to you, "Bring him up"' – [and this was] because of [the king's] love.) This is [the meaning of] what is written (Jeremiah 19:5), 'it did not come up on My heart' – that is Itzchak."]

"And Avraham called the name of the place "Ad-nai Yireh" [Ad-nai will see] (Gen. 22:14). Rabbi Yochanan said "he said to Him: 'Master of Worlds, at the hour that you said to me "Take please your son, your only son" (Gen. 22:2), I had what to respond. Yesterday You said "For through Itzchak [will I make your line great]" (Gen. 21:22) but now "Take please your son"!? And God forbid that I don't do as you've asked me; instead, I conquered my mercy to do Your will. May it be your will, Ad-nai our God, that in the hour when the sons of Itzchak come to do transgressions and bad deeds, that this very Binding [Akeidah] be remembered for them, and may You be filled with Mercy on them!' Avraham called it "Yireh", as it says "and Avraham called the name of the place Ad-nai Yireh." Shem called it Shalem, as it says "And Malchitzedek, the king of Shalem..."(Genesis 14:18) The Holy One of Blessing said "If I call it Yireh, as Avraham called it, then Shem, who was a righteous man, will become angry; and if I call it Shalem, Abraham, who was a righteous man, will be angry. Instead, I call it Yerushalayim [Jerusalem], as they called it together: Yireh Shalem. Jerusalem. Rabbi Berechiah said in Rabbi Helbo’s name: While it was Shalem, the Holy One of Blessing made for Godself a sukkah [booth] and prayed in it, since it says "In Shalem is set His tabernacle, and His dwelling-place in Tzion" (Psalms 76:3). And what did He say? ‘May it happen that I see the building of My house." Another interpretation: It [this verse] teaches that the Holy One of Blessing showed him the Temple destroyed and built, destroyed and build [a second time], since it says: "the name of that place Ad-nai Yireh" (Ad-nai sees): this is it built, as you say [the verse] "Three times in a year shall all your males be seen [yira'eh] (Deut. 16:16). "As it is said to this day in the Mountain of Ad-nai [is seen, Heb. yira'eh]" (Gen.22:14) This is it destroyed, as in the verse "on the mountain of Tzion, which is desolate" (Lam. 5:18). "Ad-nai is seen" this is it built and perfected in the future to come as the topic [in the verse] that is said: "When Ad-nai built Tzion, He will be seen in His glory" (Psalms 102:17).

'Give thanks to G-d, call out His name'. Rabbi Yossi bar Halafta said to Rabbi Yishmael his son, "You want to see the presence of G-d in this world, then engage in Torah in the Land of Israel, as it is said 'Look for G-d and His strength, request His presence (His face) always' ".