The Akeidah, the Binding of Isaac, was over. Abraham passed this extraordinary test, and descended from the heights of Mount Moriah — both physically and spiritually. The Torah concludes the narrative with a description of Abraham's return to the world:

"Abraham returned to his young men; and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived in Beersheba."  (Gen. 22:19)

Why does the Torah mention that Abraham rejoined the young men he had left behind with the donkey? And why the emphasis on his return to Beersheba and settling there?

Rejoining the Young Men

The powerful experience of the Akeidah could have caused Abraham to disengage from the world and remove himself from its petty and sordid ways. The extraordinary spiritual encounter on Mount Moriah might have led him to abandon his battle against ignorance and idolatry in the world.

However, this did not happen. Every word in this verse comes to emphasize the extent of Abraham's return to the society after the Akeidah.

"Abraham returned to his young men." Abraham did not relinquish his mission of influencing and instructing the world. This is the significance of mentioning his return to the young men he had left behind "with the donkey." Before ascending Mount Moriah, Abraham had instructed them to stay behind. They were not ready for this supreme spiritual ascent. They needed to stay with the donkey — in Hebrew, chamor — they were not ready to sever all ties with their materialistic life (chomer).

But now Abraham returned to them. He descended to their level, in order to help elevate and enlighten them.

"They rose up and went together to Beersheba."  They rose up — with raised spirits, with a pure and holy light. And the most incredible aspect of Abraham's return was that, despite everything that had occurred at Moriah, Abraham and the young men were able to proceed together - united in purpose and plan of action — to Beersheba.

Beersheba

What is the significance of their journey to Beersheba?

The name 'Beersheba' has two meanings: 'Well of Oath,' and 'Well of Seven.' An oath is a pledge to take action. When we take an oath, we vow that our vision will not remain just a theoretical concept. We promise to translate our beliefs into action. The number seven similarly signifies completion of the natural world: the seven days it took to finish creating the universe. Beersheba is thus a metaphor for the practical application of Abraham's convictions and ideals.

"Abraham lived in Beersheba." Abraham stayed in Beersheba, continuing his activities there. His name Abraham — 'father of many nations' — was especially appropriate in Beersheba. There he set up his eshel, an inn that brought wayfarers to recognize God's kindness and to 'call in the name of God, the Eternal Lord' (Gen. 21:33).

Where was Isaac?

While the Torah describes Abraham's return, it is mysteriously silent about Isaac. What happened to Isaac after the Akeidah?

Concealed behind Abraham's public works was a hidden ray of light. This light was Isaac's unique trait of mesirut nefesh, the quality of absolute devotion and self-sacrifice that he had demonstrated at the Akeidah. While Abraham's activities were directed towards all peoples, Isaac passed on this spiritual legacy of mesirut nefesh to his descendants, a gift to the Jewish people for all generations.

(adapted from Olat Re'iyah vol. I, pp. 96-97)

Copyright © 2006 by Chanan Morrison