THE SACRIFICE OF ISAAC

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are considered the forefathers of the Jewish People. Normally, when the term “forefathers” is used, it connotes genetic ancestors. But, in this instance, the true significance is that they were also the spiritual ancestors of the Jews. Many Jews are not descended from them, but follow their teachings and ideals.

Abraham and Jacob intentionally and forcefully pursued their dream of bringing the One God into the life of the world. Isaac required assistance and correction all along the way.  

• Abraham and Jacob left their homes to pursue their future service to God. They went into foreign lands, each shored up and supported by his strong faith in God. Both had great strength of character. Isaac stayed sheltered by his parents in their house.
• Isaac’s mother had to intervene on his behalf to direct the Abrahamic blessing upon her son. Issac’s wife also felt compelled to intervene by plotting with their son, Jacob, to receive this blessing from his father. In both episodes, Isaac was more a passive actor.
• Isaac’s mother, Sarah, told Abraham to send his half-brother Ishmael (same father; different mothers) away from their home. Ishmael was Isaac’s rival to become spiritual standard bearer.  She had to speak out for Isaac, who did not promote himself. 
• By her action, Sarah gave Isaac the protection he needed against the negative influences of Ishmael. Sarah recognized that Isaac was a personally and spiritually weak individual and needed her help to fight for his rightful position. 
• Jacob’s mother, Rachel, instructed him in the task of claiming his birthright blessing, which was going to be bestowed upon his elder twin brother Esau. Years earlier, on his own initiative, Jacob had already secured that title with Esau’s grudging consent. Jacob considered this position to be a privilege; Esau felt no value in it. Isaac could not be trusted to make the correct choice between his sons.
• Rachel knew Jacob had the will to stand up to Esau.

• God changed Abraham’s name from Abram. Abram had attained great heights of spiritual insight and perspective. His efforts in recognizing God earned this adjustment.
• Jacob was given the second name of Israel. This was his reward for his successful spiritual journey.  
• Abraham and Jacob had each worked to merit their newly enhanced identities and roles. They were literally reborn. Monumental life changes are accompanied by new names, identities, responsibilities, thoughts, and insights. We experience these inflection points when we get a major promotion at work, marry, or become a first time parent.
• Isaac never was rewarded with a name change. His spiritual awakening occurred as he was about to be sacrificed. His turning point was during an extreme moment when his life was threatened. Isaac had not gradually walked the path of enlightenment, growing spiritually bit by bit, like his father and his son had done. They eased into their roles. Isaac was thrust into his in a fearsome manner.
• Abraham and Jacob consciously fought to climb the ladder to heavenly power.
• Isaac struggled with spiritual growth. He did not experience the epiphanies and transformations that accompany a name change.
• Abraham and Jacob each independently fell in love with and selected their own wives. (Abraham chose Sarai, who became Sarah. Jacob chose Rachel but was tricked into marrying Leah first. Seven years later he also married Rachel)   
• Isaac played no role in choosing his wife. Abraham sent his servant Eliezer to another land to find a wife for Isaac.  Eliezer imagined a scenario by which he would know he had found the perfect wife for his boss’s son.  
• Only Sarah – Isaac’s mother – was of advanced age when she conceived and gave birth to her son. She was well into her menopausal years. It took a miracle for her to get pregnant.  
• The mothers of both Abraham and Jaocb were young women when their children were born.

Isaac literally followed in his father’s footsteps. Like Abraham, he told others that his wife was actually his sister in order to save his own life. Like Abraham, he struggled in disagreement with King Abimelech. When he dug wells for water, it was in the same places Abraham had drilled.  

When Isaac’s future wife, Rebecca, was brought to him, she first saw him wandering about in the desert. This was clearly a confused man. She knew from their first encounter that she would have to watch over him. 

Isaac was emotionally and spiritually challenged. His soul was not actuated when we meet him in the Bible. Abraham and Jacob exhibited high spiritual energy from the start. Being the physical conduit between those two great men was not adequate for Isaac to become a forefather of a people. He was tasked to pass on the values of the spiritual revolution conceived by his father. But his was more of a lost soul. By his own efforts, Isaac’s soul remained dormant. He had to be brought up to speed.  

Isaac’s failings indicate that he was somewhat intellectually challenged as well. He was not somebody that could live independently. In fact, he had to be restricted from even leaving the land of his birth. Travelling would have been too taxing to his weak mind. Fortunately, his wife was a wise and worldly woman. Her role proved to be helping him avoid botching the bequeathal of his spiritual legacy. Rebecca had the insight and the determination to overcome Isaac’s limitations and assure the desired outcome.

Isaac’s deficiencies do not exclude him from being one of the spiritual forefathers. He lived a sheltered life because it was all he could handle. But it gave him an extensive opportunity to meditate and attach to his soul. Thus, with the training he received from study, his father’s spiritual and genetic contribution, and God’s guidance, he was able to grow spiritually. He certainly had a great soul. But he could not quite get where he needed to be on his own. 

The ultimate stimulus that empowered Isaac to engage his spiritual nature was provided in a plot devised by God and Abraham to awaken this young man. A simultaneous physical and spiritual shock was needed. They were going to pretend to sacrifice him.     

Both Abraham and God knew that Isaac was lacking. Both understood that for the religion to flourish, Isaac’s sleeping soul needed to be awakened and activated.  

So, without actually discussing it, God and Abraham devised the Akeida (the sacrifice) as a means of stimulating Isaac’s sleeping soul. Abraham and God were capable of high level non-verbal communication.

While walking to the proposed site of the sacrifice, Isaac asked Jacob about the absence of a sacrificial lamb. This was the young man’s sudden mental awakening.  He knew that the moment of his spiritual epiphany was at hand. At this moment in the journey, Isaac became a partner in the effort to arouse, connect with, and enhance his soul. But it was going to require the intense emotional impact that accompanied seeing his father driving a large knife toward his heart. 

Wanting to become the true spiritual heir for his father, Isaac cooperated with his own sacrifice to assure success. This intention was transformational and transcendent. It would enable him to acquire heavenly power. He deeply longed to continue and pass on Abraham’s revolutionary ideals. The power of this drama pushed him to rise to the challenge.

In cahoots with God to bring Isaac into the spiritual fold, Abraham went ahead with the sacrifice.

As Abraham was thrusting the knife down toward his son’s chest, Isaac’s soul jumped up and announced its presence an instant before blood was drawn. His soul came into its own and asserted itself. All would be well, and the spiritual legacy would transmit properly from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob.      

But Abraham did not recognize the awakening spirituality of Isaac’s previously dormant soul. God had to intervene at the last moment to prevent the death of Isaac. The true test of Abraham in this event was whether he would recognize this moment of transformation in his son and spiritual heir.  Abraham failed this test. For this failure, he never saw Isaac again. This sad destiny was not a punishment. It was to prevent him from destroying the progress that was accomplished with the near sacrifice.

So, was Abraham deficient? Yes. Abraham was unable to overcome his negative bias toward Isaac. He did not recognize the spiritual awakening that allowed Isaac to pass the test and survive. Presumably, Abraham thought that if the sacrifice attempt was not successful, he would have killed Isaac. Then, through Sarah or another wife, he would conceive his true spiritual heir.  

Isaac was highly motivated to help the sacrifice be successful because he knew the importance of carrying Abraham’s legacy. He wanted to be that bridge. 

Many years later, when Rebecca was brought to Isaac to become his wife, she found him wandering in the desert. A desert is a great environment to develop the soul. No distractions. No stimulation. His primary challenge was to overcome his own deficiencies.

This was another difference between Isaac and the other two forefathers. Abraham and Jacob both developed their souls under adversity. Abraham stood up against the idol worship of Ur. Defying the King and the community could have cost him his life. Jacob schemed to assure that he, not his brother Esau, inherited the spiritual birthright from their father Isaac. Esau was the type of person who might kill for revenge. Jacob’s well being was also in jeopardy from his father-in-law, Laban (Rebecca’s brother). Laben put many obstacles in Jacob’s path to prevent him from marrying Rachel and from leaving his employ.

Isaac’s role in the Bible was to develop enough spiritual competence that would facilitate an uninterrupted transmission of Abraham’s connection to God. Isaac was fortunately surrounded by spiritual giants who guided the growth of his soul. Thanks to all the meddling by Sarah, Abraham, and Rebecca, Isaac was able to achieve the potential for which he was born.