Akedat Yitzchak ~ Exploring the Binding of Isaac ~ Session 7/10 ~ The Zohar weighs in

And after this introduction, here I am going to explain. You should know that the name YHV"H, may the One be blessed, dresses itself and beautifies itself in holy names, and every holy name seizes itself [or. Hebrew is מתאחזין] in the truth of this Name, may it be blessed, and each name teaches a specific issue individually. How? When the Holy Name wants to have compassion on God's world and have pity on them, then God clothes Godself in the clothing of Compassion [Hesed] and Mercy [Hemlah] and then the High Name, which is YHV"V brings out the banner of compassion and mercy, and in that same banner is carved the name E"l, and the sign is "each on its banner by signs" (Bamidbar 2:2). And when the Blessed Name brings this banner out, then God does good and has compassion and bestows grace on human beings and is happy with them, and this is the secret of "May the glory of YHV"H be forever, YHV"H will be happy in His works" (Psalms 104:31), and the secret of "and he [Avraham] called the name YHV"H E-l Olam" (Genesis 21:33), and the secret of "E-l King that sits on the throne of Mercy", and the secret of "Y'Y Y'Y E-l Rahum veHanun (Shemot 34:6) and the secret of "because E-l Rahum Y'Y your God" (Deut. 4:31), and the sign is "because E-l, great, Y'Y and a great king over all E-lohim" (Psalms 95:3) - E-lohim, the aspect of judgment, that is to say that the aspect of Mercy is greater than the aspect of judgment. And from this you will understand "And E-lohim tested Avraham" (Genesis 22:1) - E-lohim, that is, the aspect of Judgment, gave the miracle/nes and the banner in the hands of Avraham, who is the secret of the aspect of E-l, who is the secret of the aspect of Hesed, and this is the expression "tested/nisah Avraham", from the expression "raise a banner/nes over the peoples" (Isaiah 62:10). And this is the secret of "God of Abraham, God of Isaac" (E-lohei Avraham, E-lohei Yitzchak) and we don't say "and God of Yitzchak", since the aspect of Judgment is conquered under the aspect of Compassion, since the banner of Yitzchak, which is the aspect of E-lohim is given over to the hand of Avraham, who is the secret of the aspect of E-l.

And this is the secret of "And E-lohim tested Avraham" (Gen. 22:1) that the name E-lohim gave its banner [nes] in the hand of Avraham whose aspect is E-l. And this is the secret of "and he took in his hand the fire and the knife" (Genesis 22:6): if Avraham had not taken in his hand the strengths of Yitzchak, which are the fire and the knife, the whole creation would not have been able to stand in front of 'the fear of Yitzchak'. And this is the secret of 'and abundant in mercy' (Exodus 34:6 and Numbers 14:18) of the aspect of Avraham, that diminished the aspect 'fear of Yitzchak' and took in his hand the fire and the knife. And this is why the aspect of Avraham is called Gedulah, because it is greater than Gevurah, and this is the secret that He said to Avraham "I will make your name great" (Genesis 12:2) and this is the secret of "because a great E-l is YHV"H and king over all E-lohim" (Psalms 95:3) - and therefore the banner of Yitzchak does not get out until the banner of Avraham has finished teaching all the merit. And this is the secret of "and Y"Y went, after He finished speaking with Avraham, and Avraham returned to his place" (Genesis 18:33) - and what is written after? "And it was, when E-lohim destroyed the two cities of the plain" (Genesis 19:29). Even though E-lohim destroyed, when He remembered Avraham, who is the secret of the aspect E-l, He saved Lot, and this is what is written: "And it was that, when E-lohim destroyed the cities of the Plain, E-lohim remembered Avraham and sent Lot away from the midst of the upheaval" - truly from the middle of the upheaval He saved him. And the reason [is] because Avraham took in his hand the fire and the knife, and therefore Avraham saved many times [other people] even though the end of the judgment was death, because this is the secret of "abundant in mercy", and this is the secret of "compassionate and gracious" of the aspects called as "Avraham". And after Avraham took with His permission the fire and the knife, which are the weapons of war of Yitzchak, who is the aspect of E-lohim, the banner of E-lohim does not come out to complete the punishment until Avraham has finished teaching/exposing the merit of the one being judged. And when he does not find merit, the aspect of Avraham joins [into the aspect of E-lohim/Yitzchak] and then E-lohim, which is the aspect of Yitzchak, completes the punishment and the judgment, as it says "and Avraham returned to his place," and after this "And it was that, when E-lohim destroyed the cities of the Plain". And you should know that, once Avraham took the fire and the knife, E-lohim cannot act of punish until Avraham agrees with the judgment. And this is the secret of "And Avraham took the fire and the knife and the two of them walked together". "And the two of them walked together", obviously, since the aspect of Yitzchak cannot walk without the permission of the aspect of Avraham, and its command and its agreement. And this is the secret of "God of Avraham, God of Yitzchak AND God of Ya'akov" (Exodus 3:9) and it is not written AND God of Yitzchak, as it is written "and God of Ya'akov", so that greatness is not divided to the aspect of Yitzchak, and so that the aspect of "Fear of Isaac" is always under "Kindness of Avraham." And this is the secret of "and the two of them walked together", that the aspect of Yitzchak does not have permission to walk unless the aspect of Avraham has exposed the merit, because otherwise the aspect of Yitzchak would destroy the world, and this is the secret of 'And E-lohim tested Avraham." And you should know that Avraham bound Yitzchak up so that the aspect of Yitzchak would be tied up by its hands and feet, and would be conquered, under the aspect of Avraham.

And on that day Yitzchak crowned himself and he is the head of the Patriarchs. About that day it is written "In Tzion the sinners feared" (Isaiah 33:14). On that day Yitzchak bounded himself up, and everything was bound up, and Sarah wailed [diff. version: broke down], and the voice of the shofar was very strong. Happy is the lot of the one who passes through them and is saved from them. Rabbi Aba said: because of this we read the parashah of the Binding of Yitzchak on this day, because on this day Yitzchak bound himself up with the lower, and [so] connected/knotted himself with the One Above [diff. version: with Avraham]. When did he bound himself up?At the time when it is written "and he bound his son Yitzchak up" (Genesis 22:9).

Rabbi Eleazar said: On that day Yitzchak [gevurah/din] surrounded Avraham [gedulah/hesed] as it is written "And El-him tested Avraham" (Gen. 22:1). What is "nissah/tested"? As you say "and I will raise my banner/nissi to the peoples" (Isaiah 49:22). "And he called His name Ad-nai Nissi" (Exodus 17:15). What does this teach us? So that he would encompass the right and make himself complete. One [proof] is that it is written "And El-him tested Avraham". El-him, specifically, and this is "and the Fear of Isaac [Pachad Yitzchak]" (Genesis 31:42)

"Y'all will observe to offer in its time" (Numbers 28:2) what is "in its time"? In the time that Avraham served God's will, as it's written "And Avraham woke up early in the morning" (Gen. 22:3). And the time when Yitzchak was bound up on the altar was the time "bein haArbayim" [twilight]. And Rabbi (Chyiah) Yessa: if so, why is it written "in its time"? It should be written "in their time". [Rabbi Eleazar] answered: at that time fire was included in water and water was included in fire, and because of this it is written "in its time."

Come and see: the Holy One of Blessing did not judge Adam before God commanded him for his own good, so that his heart wouldn't turn aside and stray in another direction so that he would not become defiled. But he was not careful, and transgressed the precepts of his Master, and after that the Holy One of Blessing judged him.

In that same manner God behaved with Abraham, as it is written, "and the E-lohim did test Abraham" (Gen. 22:1). What is meant by "test (Heb. נִסָּה)?" It means the raising of the banner (Heb. נֵס), as it is written, "lift up a standard" (Isaiah 62:10), and "set up the standard" (Jer. 4:6); he raised God's standard over the whole world. And even though this is written, And for this, the Holy One of Blessing raised the banner of Abraham before everybody's eyes, as it is written, "Did test Abraham." Thus the Holy One of Blessing in order to lift the standard of the righteous, tries them, to lift up their heads throughout the world. "Tries the Righteous" (Tehilim 11:5): What is the reason? According to Rabbi Shimon, it is because the Holy One of Blessing takes delight in the Righteous. As it is written, "But it pleased Ad-nai to crush him by disease" (Isaiah 53:10). This has already been explained. But the Holy One of Blessing desires only the soul and not the body, because the soul resembles the supernal Soul and the body is not fit to be united above, even though the shape of the body is in the image of the supernal secret.

Said Rabbi Shime'on (parashat Bo 34a) the Holy One of Blessing did not test Yov, and did not come with him through a test like God did with the rest of the righteous. Behold, it is not written "and E-lohim tested Yov", as it is written regarding Avraham "and E-lohim tested Avraham" (Gen. 22:1), that he would sacrifice his only son using his own hand to God. And Yov did not give Him anything and did not transmit anything, and did not talk to God, but all happened through the Accuser through the judgment of the Holy One of Blessing, if the Accuser was not awakened against him, nothing would have happened. Behold, at all times the Accuser awakens against human beings, and here the Holy One of Blessing awoke regarding him, as it is written "have you paid attention to My servant Yov?" But this is a very deep secret.

Rather, at the time that Israel was going to cross the Sea, and the Holy Blessed One wanted to split the Sea of Reeds for them, Rahav (angel of the waters) who is the one appointed over Egypt, wanted to bring judgment in front of the Holy Blessed One. He said: Master of the Universe! Why do you want to pass judgment over the Egyptians and split the Sea for Israel, behold, both of them are guilty in front of You, and all Your ways are justice and truth! These worship the stars and the zodiac, and these worship the stars and the zodiac! These transgress the sexual limits, and these transgress the sexual limits! These shed blood, and these shed blood!

And that moment it was difficult in front of Him, to pass through the way of judgment. And behold Israel were spread out as it is written (Exodus 14:15) "And Y'Y said to Moshe: why are you crying out to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go!" And it was hard for Him to go through with the judgment, and to part the Sea of Reeds to them, and were it not for the Holy Blessed One considering the merit of Avraham, who woke up early in the morning to obey/serve the commandment of the Master and His pleasure, as it is written "And Avraham woke up in the morning" all of them would have perished in the sea, because of the judgment that the Holy Blessed One had against Israel.

And there is a dog, and a snake and a braying donkey which are ridden by a person. And immediately when a person recognizes which one that s/he rides, s/he is liable. And about that person it is written "and its rider will fall backwards" (Genesis 39:17). And the secret of the word/expression is "when the fallen person falls from it" (Deut. 22:8). And regarding this Yov said "I did not fall lower than you" (Job 12:3). And a tzadik will ride on it - he will tie it with the strap of the tefilin - the letter of the tefilin is the letter yud of Shaday [symbolized/connected to] the [top] vertebrae of the back of neck; shin of the tefilin [symbolized/connected to] chain of vertebrae of the back of the neck.

And on it rode Elijah, and was taken to heaven, as it is written: "And Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind" (II Kings 2:11). And on it [Yov was answered] And Y"HVH answered Job from the whirlwind. And because of this the rabbis taught in the Mishnah: "who is strong? The one who conquers their impulses" (Avot 4:1). And there are those who are able to beautify their donkey, and it does not upset its rider. In that sense it is written about Avraham "and he saddled his donkey" (Genesis 22:3). And regarding the Mashiach it is said: "A poor person, riding on a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9).

Bereshit Bara E-lohim - in the beginning He created a male goat [Bara tayish], this is the ram of Yitzchak. Bereshit the fire of Yitzchak, and this is the secret of (and of the three reincarnations about which it is said "how lovely are your steps, daughter of the generous one" (Songs 7:2), "and this one, before" (Ruth 4:7)...) "behold the fire and the wood, and where is the lamb for the burnt sacrifice? (Genesis 22:7) - a voice came out and said: "from the sixth day of Creation, it was created for the Binding of Yitzchak.

Rabbi Chiya said: "a perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar, not to go out" (Leviticus 6:6) - this is the fire of Yitzchak, as it is written "behold the fire and the wood [lit. trees]" (Genesis 22:7) and this is a perpetual fire. "And the trees" - these are the trees of Avraham, as it is written: "every morning the priest shall feed wood to it" (Leviticus 6:5).

Why is "Noah Noah" (Gen. 6:9) written twice? Each and every righteous person in the world has two spirits. One stays in this world, while the other is in the World to Come. And so we find that the Holy One of Blessing named all the righteous twice: "Moses, Moses" (Ex. 3:4), "Jacob, Jacob" (Gen. 46:2), "Abraham, Abraham" (Gen. 22:11), "Samuel, Samuel" (I Shmuel 3:10) with the exception of Isaac. He is not named twice because when he approached the altar to be sacrificed, the soul that was within him in this world left him. And because it is said of Abraham, "blessed are You who resurrect the dead", so only the soul of the World to Come was returned to him. And that is why you shall find that the name of the Holy One of Blessing was not unified (on any righteous person in his lifetime). It was unified only on Isaac, because he was already considered as dead. He was like those who pass away from this world. The verse therefore states: "Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones" (Iyov 15:15) because He does not unify His name on the righteous during their lifetimes.

And this the secret that they teach "Ad-nai Ad-nai" (Exodus 34) there is a pause between them. In every place that a name is called twice there is a pause between them, such as "Avraham, Avraham" (Gen. 22:11); "Yaakov, Yaakov" (Gen. 46:2); "Shmuel, Shmuel" (I Samuel 3:10). All have a pause between them, with the exception of "Moshe Moshe", which has no pause between them. What is the reason? "Avraham, Avraham" - the last is complete, the first not. At first he was not complete since now he became complete through ten tests, and therefore there is a pause between them, since now he was not as he was at the beginning.

Yaakov, Yaakov - the last is complete, the first is not complete, that now he had received the news about Yosef, and the Shechinah rested on him. Moreover, that now he was complete on the land, the sacred tree as corresponding to the upper [tree], in twelve dominions, in seventy branches, which was not the case at the beginning. And so at the end he was complete, at the beginning he wasn't complete, and there is a pause between the two. "Shmuel, Shmuel" - why is there a pause between the two? At the end he as complete, at the beginning he wasn't, since now he is a prophet and before this he wasn't. But "Moshe Moshe" - there is no pause between them since he was complete from the moment he was born, as it is written " and she saw that he was good" (Exodus 2:2).

And even here "Ad-nai, Ad-nai" there is a pause between them, at the outset there was completion, at the end there was completion in everything. And Moshe, at the place of judgment said: descend to us from Atika Kadisha compassion to Ze'ir Anpin. Since this we teach: how many valleys Moshe has, that in every one of them he pulled down compassion. And so he revealed Atika in Ze'ir Anpin, all was seen in compassion. And the mark was transfixed and raised and smoke did not come out, as you say "For My own glory I will be patient with you" (Isaiah 48:9).