The Test After the Test
The most important part of meeting a challenge is the follow up after meeting that challenge.
The Most Dramatic Story
One of the most dramatic stories in the Torah, perhaps the most, is the way G-d tested Abraham by telling him to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. This episode is known as the Akeidah-the binding of Isaac. Abraham, the most kind and loving person to have ever walked the earth set out to the Land of Moriah—the future site of the Temple—to fulfill G- d’s will.
Of course, G-d never intended for him to actually sacrifice his son, but it was a test to see how far Abraham was willing to go to carry out G-d’s will.
Following the riveting narrative of the Akeidah-the Binding of Isaac, the Torah continues with a rather prosaic piece of information about Abraham’s family:
“And it came to pass after these things, that it was told to Abraham saying, ‘Behold, Milcah, she too, has given birth to sons from Nachor your brother…”
The Torah then proceeds to list Nachor’s twelve children, eight from his wife and four from his concubine.
This story appears to have no connection to the Akeidah. Yet the Torah, by saying “After these things” makes it clear that these two narratives are related. Rashi, commenting on the words, “she too,” explains that the Torah here draws a parallel between Abraham’s twelve (grand) children and his brother Nachor’s twelve children. This too, begs for clarification. Why is it important to know that Abraham’s brother Nachor fathered the same number of children as did Abraham?
After these Words
To answer these questions we should refer back to the beginning of the narrative of the Akeidah, where the Torah introduces it with the words, “And it came to pass after these things/words that G-d tested Abraham…”
Commentators grapple with the words “after these things/words.” To which things is the Torah referring? What things or words preceded the test G-d gave Abraham?
One novel interpretation offered by the Chassidic work Arugas Habosem translates the verse in a rather novel and ingenious way. Instead of “After these things G-d tested Abraham,” the Hebrew text lends itself to the following inverted translation: “G- d tested Abraham as to how he would be after the test.” In other words, according to this novel translation, the test was not just to determine Abraham’s willingness to do G-d’s bidding, even to the extent of sacrificing his son, but it was extended to include his reaction to the event in its aftermath.
No Arrogance
Arugas Habosem goes on to explain that G-d wanted us to see the effect Abraham’s passing the initial test with flying colors would have on him. Would his passing of the test—of being prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac—cause him to become arrogant? Would Abraham say to himself, “See how special I am? I have demonstrated unprecedented devotion to G-d. Nobody has ever been prepared to do what have done.” Abraham did none of that. He did not feel superior to anyone. In fact, the closeness to G-d that he attained, especially after he had passed the initial test, made him even more humble. The closer one gets to ultimate G-dly truth makes a person more self-effacing.
Jacob, Abraham’s grandson and heir, echoes this idea. After Jacob experiences G-d’s kindness he exclaims:
“I have become small because of all the kindness and truth, which You have shown Your servant..”
Because he was shown G-d’s kindness and truth, Jacob became more humble.
When a lowly and arrogant person experiences good fortune or a miracle—an expression of G-d’s kindness to them—it may have the opposite effect. They become more arrogant because it reinforces their self-importance, which obscures their ability to see the source of their good fortune. By contrast, when a person sees G-dly light without any barriers they realize their own insignificance and reach a state of self-abnegation.
Thus the real test that G-d gives us is the follow up test. How do we regard ourselves after passing the initial test? Do we become arrogant and condescending to others because we think we are superior to them by virtue of the test we just passed, or do we gain a more profound recognition of who we really are in relation to G-d, and how in the scheme of creation, we are here to serve G-d and humanity and not the other way around?
Needless to stress, this form of humility does not preclude feeling pride that we are G-d’s chosen people. Nor does it negate feeling good about the good things we have done. It simply means that the good we have done should tame and diminish our egos and not the other way around. Being chosen means that we were chosen to serve G-d by making this world a “dwelling place for G-d,” by performing the Mitzvos and uplifting others not putting them down.
“See what I have Accomplished!”
We can now understand the juxtaposition of the story of the Akeidah with the story of how Abraham’s brother Nachor had twelve children. One of the children was called Reu-mah, which translates as “see what,” as in “see what I have accomplished and who I am.”
The Torah wishes to demonstrate the way in which comparable experiences can yield opposite results. Abraham is tested and uplifted (indeed, the word for test in this context “Nisayon” also has the connotation of being uplifted) and becomes more humble. His brother and his family, by contrast, experience G-d’s kindness and want everyone to see how great they are.
The abovementioned concept of Abraham’s post-test test can be understood in yet another way. We often experience unusual events in our lives that inspire and uplift us. The question is what do we do with this inspiration? What happens afterwards? How do we translate that inspiration in our daily lives?
In times of exile, there is a “disconnect” between our souls and our bodies. We develop a capacity to compartmentalize our spiritual and normative aspects of life. The compartment of inspiration will then fail to impact the compartments of thought, speech and action.
This is one of the reasons we pray and hope for the coming of Moshiach, at which time, there will be no dichotomies. The influence of the soul will flow into all facets of our being.
All the obstacles and barriers that exist that interpose between our minds and our hearts; our hearts and our actions etc., will be removed.
Redemption is not just, or even primarily, the removal of external threats to our existence and our ability to live as Jews. The essential dynamic of Redemption is the removal of all barriers, particularly the internal ones.
From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Vayeira by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
