פירוש על בראשית 22:7

And he said, "Father," etc.: But Yitzchak had not yet said anything to him, but rather just called him, "Father," and was quiet. This was because Yitzchak felt that it was his father's will to sacrifice him as a burnt-offering. So he thought, "If so, he does not have mercy upon me like the mercy of a father upon his children, and has become cruel towards me." As he did not yet know that it was the will of his Creator. Hence he called him, "Father," to test him; [to see] whether he would answer him, since it was still affixed in his heart that he was his son; or whether he had already removed him from his heart as if he were not his son. As through this, he wanted to know who would be slaughtered. And when he answered him, "Here I am, my son," and indicated to him that all of his longings towards him were still [there], he said to him, if so, "where is the lamb?" So he said to him, "God will see to the lamb for Him for the burnt-offering, my son"; it was not I who chose you, but God - and you and I both are obligated to honor Him. Then, "the two of them went together" - with one intent. This is excluding until now - they were [then] differing in their minds.

הנני בני, with a dagesh also in the second letter נ.

And he said, "Father": And he did not immediately ask, "Where is the lamb." As he sensed something wonderous, but he did not find the heart to ask until after reflecting upon the answer of his father - whether it would be with a pleasant countenance and love. Therefore when he answered him, "Here I am, my son" - which was a loving answer - he then asked to know.

ויאמר יצחק אל אברהם אביו ויאמר אבי, ויאמר הנני בני, “Yitzchak said to his father ‘my father!’ His father said: ‘I am here my son.’” This verse contains four statements and I do not know why. In Bereshit Rabbah 56,5 the words “Yitzchak said to Avraham” are understood to mean that Samael came to Avraham and challenged him: “what kind of father are you? Are you really going to slaughter a son who has been born to you when you were already one hundred years old?” Avraham answered “nevertheless.” Thereupon Samael addressed Yitzchak saying: “you son of a disappointed mother! He (your father) is going to slaughter you!” Yitzchak answered: “nevertheless.” This is why the Torah wrote twice: “Yitzchak said to his father.” Why do the words “my father” appear twice? In order that his father’s parental mercy be stirred; the exclamation was like that of a man who is in difficulties and, referring to himself, says: “woe to me, woe to me.”

Bis dahin hatten Vater und Sohn nicht zusammen gesprochen, darum hier auch zweimal ויאמר, und aus dem schweigsamen Ernst der drei Tage mochte Isaak wohl die Wirklichkeit ahnen. Darum auch vielleicht אל אברהם אביו, er ist ihm bis jetzt nur als "Abraham", nicht in der gewohnten Weise "seines Vaters" erschienen.