Parshas Toldos: Avraham Begot Yitzchok, Difficulties are Conceived out of Love

(19) This is the offspring of Isaac, son of Abraham. Abraham begot Isaac.

(19) ואלה תולדות יצחק AND THESE ARE THE PROGENY OF ISAAC — viz, Jacob and Esau who are spoken of in this section.

(19) אברהם הוליד את יצחק ABRAHAM BEGAT ISAAC — Just because Scripture wrote, “Isaac, son of Abraham” it felt compelled to say “Abraham begat Isaac”, because the scoffers of that time said, “Sarah became pregnant with the child of Abimelech. See how many years she lived with Abraham without becoming with child”. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He shaped Isaac’s facial features exactly similar to those of Abraham’s, so that everyone had to admit that Abraham begat Isaac. This is what is stated here: that Isaac was the son of Abraham, for there is evidence that Abraham begat Isaac (Tanchuma).

When a person wants to become righteous and come close to Hashem, then judgment is placed upon him, which means harsh judgments and suffering. And these judgments and suffering look like distancing, as if we want to distance him from the service of Hashem, G-d forbid. But in truth this distancing is the primary mechanism of drawing close [to Hashem], because these judgments and the distancing is for his good; the aspect of [the verse] (Proverbs 3:12) "the one Hashem loves He rebukes," so that he should withstand the test, and become strengthened and brave to come closer [to Hashem]... And therefore, this judgment is the aspect of holy judgments, but it is the aspect of constricted consciousness, which is where judgment grabs hold.

And this is the aspect of "Avraham begot Yitzchak", because Avraham is the aspect of kindness, and Yitzchak is the aspect of strength (judgment), the aspect of "the fear of Yitzchak." This means that the holy judgment, which is the aspect of Yitzchak, is born and comes forth from Avraham, which is the aspect of kindness. Because in truth enclothed in this judgment is great kindness, for it is for his good...But each person must sweeten this judgment, because judgments are from the aspect of constricted consciousness, and one must go from constricted consciousness to expanded consciousness, and through this he will sweeten the judgment, which is the aspect of Yitzchak.

And this is what Rashi explains on this verse: "Because the scoffers of that time said, 'Sarah became pregnant with the child of Avimelech,'" meaning [that Yitzchak was born] from the side of impurity, G-d forbid, which is the aspect of Avimelech. And therefore Hashem fashioned the facial features of Yitzchak similar to those of Avraham, and everyone had to acknowledge that Avraham begot Yitzchak, meaning that judgment is the aspect of the holy judgment, and from the side of Avraham, the aspect of kindness, Yitzchak was born.