"Abraham, Abraham"

Synopsis

During the binding of Isaac, an angel calls out the name of Abraham twice. Kabbalistically, Isaac corresponds to man's negative and selfish Desire to Receive, the root of all egotistic and self-centered behavior. Abraham is a metaphor for the positive sharing attributes of man. Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac, is a code signifying the complete subjugation of Abraham's negative Desire to Receive. The second utterance of Abraham's name by the angel indicates the complete transformation of Abraham's nature into the Desire to Share.

Relevance

Abraham's extraordinary actions and faith created a reservoir of spiritual energy for all future generations to draw upon in their effort to completely transform their nature. The change in Abraham's name and its appearance in this text of Zohar is the portal through which the energy flows. These metaphysical forces arouse an awareness of our own negative attributes and generates the desire and strength to subjugate our ego, transforming all our wanton desires into positive attributes that embody care and compassion for others.

Abraham Angels Grades Heart Isaac Moses Prophets Samuel Shechinah

506. "And the angel of Hashem called to him...ABRAHAM, ABRAHAM" (Beresheet 22:11). There is a disjunctive mark between the two Abrahams, WHICH MEANS THAT the second "Abraham" is not the same as the first. Abraham AFTER THE BINDING has achieved perfection, BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN INCLUDED WITH ISAAC, while the first "ABRAHAM" HAS not yet achieved perfection, BECAUSE HE WAS NOT YET INCLUDED WITHIN ISAAC. Similarly, "Samuel, Samuel" (I Shmuel 3:10) ALSO HAS A DISJUNCTIVE MARK BETWEEN THE TWO NAMES, WHICH MEANS THAT the latter is perfected while the first is not. WHY? BECAUSE the latter was already a prophet, while the former had not yet achieved that grade. But in "Moses Moses" (Shemot 3:4), there is no pause BETWEEN THE NAMES, because ever since the day Moses was born, the Shechinah never left him. THUS, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LATTER AND THE FORMER. "Abraham, Abraham," Rabbi Chiya said. The reason WHY HE CALLED HIS NAME TWICE was to arouse him with a different spirit, a different action, and a different heart.

506. וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו מַלְאַךְ יי' וגו', פְּסִיק טַעְמָא בְּגַוַּויְהוּ, דְּלָאו אַבְרָהָם בַּתְרָאָה, כְּקַדְמָאָה, בַּתְרָאָה שְׁלִים, קַדְמָאָה לָא שְׁלִים, כְּגַוְונָא דָא, שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמוּאֵל, בַּתְרָאָה שְׁלִים, קַדְמָאָה לָא שְׁלִים. בַּתְרָאָה נָבִיא, קַדְמָאָה לָא נָבִיא. אֲבָל מֹשֶׁה מֹשֶׁה, לָא פְּסִיק, בְּגִין דְּמִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְיְילֵיד, לָא אַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא. אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם: רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר, בְּגִין לְאַתְעָרָא לֵיהּ, בְּרוּחָא אָחֳרָא, בְּעוֹבָדָא אָחֳרָא, בְּלִבָּא אָחֳרָא.

Abraham Altar Eyes Hands Incense Isaac Offering Priests Purification Sacrifice Spices Thought

507. Rabbi Yehuda said, Isaac was purified and elevated properly before the Holy One, blessed be He (BY BEING BOUND UPON THE ALTAR), like the odor of the incense of spices which the priests offered before Him twice a day. Thus, the sacrifice was perfected AS IF IT WERE OFFERED AND BURNED AS A SWEET SAVOR BEFORE HASHEM. Abraham felt sorry when he was told, "Lay not your hand upon the lad, neither do anything to him" (Beresheet 22:12), BECAUSE he thought it meant that his offering was not perfect - that all his preparations and the building of the altar were in vain. But immediately, it is written, "And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket" (Ibid. 13); AND HE OFFERED IT INSTEAD OF ISAAC, AND SO ACHIEVED PERFECTION.

507. ר' יְהוּדָה אֲמַר, אִתְבְּרֵיר יִצְחָק, וְאִסְתַּלֵּיק בִּרְעוּתָא, קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּרֵיחָא דִקְטֹרֶת בּוּסְמִין, דְּקָרְבִין כָּהֲנַיָּיא קַמֵּיהּ, תְּרֵין זִמְנִין בְּיוֹמָא, וְאִשְׁתְּלִים קָרְבָּנָא. דְּהָא צַעֲרָא דְאַבְרָהָם הֲוָה, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְּמָר לֵיהּ, אַל תִּשְׁלַח יָדְךָ אֶל הַנַּעַר וְאַל תַּעַשׂ לוֹ מְאוּמָה. חָשֵׁיב דְּקָרְבָּנֵיהּ לָא אִשְׁתְּלִים, וּלְמַגָּנָא עָבַד וְסַדַּר כֹּלָּא, וּבְנָה מִזְבֵּחַ. מִיָּד וַיִּשָּׂא אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה אַיִל אַחַר וגו'.

Abraham Creation Hands Isaac Shabbat Year

508. We have learned that this ram was the one that was created at twilight. But he was one year old, as it is written, "one he-lamb a year old" (Bemidbar 7:63). It was required FOR HIM TO BE ONE YEAR OLD, JUST AS THE DAILY OFFERING (DON'T UNDERSTAND). If so, how can you say that the ram was born at twilight? AND HE REPLIES, It was predestined THEN, AT TWILIGHT ON SHABBAT EVE, that the ram would be at hand for Abraham when he should be in need of it. SO IT WAS REALLY BORN AT TWILIGHT, AND WHEN IT WAS ONE YEAR OLD, IT CHANCED UPON ABRAHAM. It was like all the other things created on Shabbat eve at twilight, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY WERE predestined actually to appear at the time of need. And so was that ram, which was sacrificed instead of Isaac.

508. הָא תָּנִינָן הוּא אַיִן דְּאִתְבְּרֵי בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת הֲוָה. וּבֶן שְׁנָתוֹ הָיָה, כְּדָבָר אֲחֵר כֶּבֶשׂ אֶחָד בֶּן שְׁנָתוֹ. וְהָכֵי אִצְטְרִיךְ, וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת. אֶלָּא אִתְפַּקַּד חֵילָא, לְאִזְדַּמְּנָא הַהוּא אִימְרָא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְאַבְרָהָם. כְּמָה דְּכָל אִינוּן מִלִּין, דַּהֲווֹ בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, אִתְמַנָּא חֵילָא, לְאִזְדַּמְּנָא הַהוּא מִלָּה בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ. הָכֵי נָמֵי, הַאי אַיִל, דְּאִתְקְרֵיב תְּחוֹתֵיהּ דְּיִצְחָק.