"In the story of Isaac, it is not only God’s intervention at the beginning and the end, but even the factual and psychological elements which come between, that are mysterious, merely touched upon, fraught with background; and therefore they require subtle investigation and interpretation, they demand them." -Erich Auerbach as quoted by Nechama Liebowitz, "God will Provide the Lamb"
A close reading of Rashi's comments through the Akeidah narrative in Bereshit 22:1-19 reveals that Rashi provides a running commentary on Avraham's feelings and thoughts during the Akeidah
I list below Rashi's comments that relate to Avraham's inner life during the Akeidah process. For each comment, ask: How is Abraham currently feeling about killing Isaac? Is he feeling enthusiastic or reluctant? (Scroll down to the end for a cheat-sheet)
For convenience and clarity of presentation, I have divided the Akeidah narrative into four phases:
I - During the night vision;
II - The morning after;
III - Climbing Mount Moriah; and
IV - At the altar
Phase I - During the night vision
(2) הנני HERE AM I — Such is the answer of the pious: it is an expression of meekness and readiness (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 22).
(א) קח נא אֵין נָא אֶלָא לְשׁוֹן בַּקָשָׁה אָמַר לוֹ בְּבַקָּשָׁה מִמְּךָ, עֲמוֹד לִי בְּזֶה הַנִסּיוֹן, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת לֹא הָיָה בָהֶן מָמָּשׁ:
(1) קח נא TAKE NOW — The word נא is used as a request: God said to him, “I beg of you, stand firm for me in this trial, so that people may not say that the previous trials were no real tests” (Sanhedrin 89b).
(ב) את בנך אָמַר לוֹ שְׁנֵי בָנִים יֵשׁ לִי, אָמַר לוֹ אֶת יְחִידְךָ; אָמַר לוֹ זֶה יָחִיד לְאִמּוֹ וְזֶה יָחִיד לְאִמּוֹ אָמַר לוֹ אֲשֶֹר אָהַבְתָּ; אָמַר לוֹ שְׁנֵיהֶם אֲנִי אוֹהֵב, אָמַר לוֹ אֶת יִצְחָק
(2) את בנך THY SON — Abraham said to God, “I have two sons”. “He answered him, “Thine only son”. Abraham said, “This one is the only son of his mother and the other is the only son of his mother”. God then said, “the one whom thou lovest”. Abraham replied, “I love both of them”. Whereupon God said “even Isaac”.
Phase II - The morning after
(ב) ויחבש הוּא בְעַצְמוֹ, וְלֹא צִוָּה לְאֶחָד מֵעֲבָדָיו, שֶׁהָאַהֲבָה מְקַלְקֶלֶת הַשּׁוּרָה:
(2) ויחבוש AND HE SADDLED [HIS ASS]—He himself: he did not order one of his servants to do so, because love disregards the normal social rules. (Genesis Rabbah 55:8)
Phase III - Climbing Mount Moriah
(א) עד כה ... וּמִ"אַ אֶרְאֶה הֵיכָן הוּא מַה שֶׁאָמַר לִי הַמָּקוֹם "כֹּה יִהְיֶה זַרְעֶךָ":
(ב) ונשובה נִתְנַבֵּא שֶׁיָּשׁוּבוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם:
(1) עד כה YONDER — ... The Midrashic explanation (based upon the meaning of כה “thus”) is: I will see where will be (i.e. what will happen to) the promise which God made to me, (Genesis 15:5) “Thus (כה) shall thy seed be” (Genesis Rabbah 56:2).
(2) ונשובה AND WE WILL COME BACK — He prophesied that they would both return (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 22).
(2) וילכו שניהם יחדיו AND THEY WENT BOTH OF THEM TOGETHER — Abraham who was aware that he was going to slay his son walked along with the same willingness and joy as Isaac who had no idea of the matter.
(א) יראה לו השה כְּלוֹמַר יִרְאֶה וְיִבְחַר לוֹ הַשֶּׂה וְאִם אֵין שֶׂה, לעולה בני! וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵבִין יִצְחָק, שֶׁהוּא הוֹלֵך לְהִשָּׁחֵט...
(1) יראה לו השה — that is to say: He will look out for and choose a lamb for Himself, and if there will be no lamb for a burnt offering, then, בני MY SON will be the offering! Although Isaac then understood that he was travelling on to be slain...
(ב) וילכו שניהם יחדו בְּלֵב שָׁוֶה:
(2) וילכו שניהם יחדיו THEY WENT BOTH OF THEM TOGETHER — with the same (ready) heart (Genesis Rabbah 56:4).
Phase IV - At the altar
(ב) כי עתה ידעתי אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא, אָמַר לוֹ אַבְרָהָם אֲפָרֵשׁ לְפָנֶיךָ אֶת שִׂיחָתִי, אֶתְמוֹל אָמַרְתָּ לִי כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע, וְחָזַרְתָּ וְאָמַרְתָּ קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ, עַכְשָׁיו אַתָּה אוֹמֵר אַל תִּשְׁלַח יָדְךָ אֶל הַנַּעַר!
(2) כי עתה ידעתי FOR NOW I KNOW—R. Aba said: Abraham said to God, “I will lay my complaint before you. Yesterday (on an earlier occasion) you told me, (Genesis 21:12) “In Isaac shall seed be called to thee”, and then again you said, (Genesis 21:2) “Take now thy son”. Now you tell me, “Lay not thy hand upon the lad”!
Cheat sheet
Phase I - During the night vision
הנני – Enthusiastic
קח נא – Reluctant
את בנך – Reluctant
Phase II - The morning after
וישכם – Enthusiastic
יחבוש – Enthusiastic
Phase III - Climbing Mount Moriah
עד כה – Reluctant
וילכו שניהם יחדיו – Enthusiastic
ראה לו השה – Reluctant
ילכו שניהם יחדיו - Enthusiastic
Phase IV - At the altar
אל תשלח – Enthusiastic
כי עתה ידעתי - Unclear*
* My initial reading was that Abraham was Reluctant here, but a Sicha from the Lubavicher Rebbe makes a strong case that that Rashi is pointing to Abraham being Enthusiastic. According to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the midrashic conversation is brought by Rashi to show that Abraham was worried that perhaps G-d told him to stop because He and Isaac became unworthy to make the offering.
http://chabadlibrary.org/books/admur/lkus/35/4/3/index.htm
See section 79:
והיינו, כנ"ל, דכאשר אברהם שמע את הציווי "אל תשלח גו' ואל תעש לו מאומה", אע"פ שהקב"ה ציווהו "קח נא את בנך גו' והעלהו שם לעולה" — הסיק מזה, שאולי הטעם שהקב"ה אינו מניחו לקיים הציווי ד"קח נא גו'" הוא מפני שאינו ראוי לזה — וע"ז ענה לו הקב"ה "(אל תשלח גו') כי עתה ידעתי כי ירא אלקים אתה גו'", דזה שציווהו "אל תשלח גו'" אינו בגלל חסרון ח"ו באברהם, דאדרבה, "עתה ידעתי כי ירא אלקים אתה", אלא זהו לפי ש"לא אמרתי לך שחטהו אלא העלהו".