Why didn't Avraham argue with HaShem about sacrificing Yitzchak just like he argued with Him about destroying Sodom?

Question

It's known that when Avraham found out that Hashem was going to destroy Sodom and the other cities, he fervently argued with Hashem to save them.

My question is: when Hashem told Avraham to sacrifice his own son, why didn't Avraham at least try to argue in his defense, that he should be spared?

@isaac I haven't checked the answers closely enough but feel free to make that decision if you think it's appropriate — Double AA, Nov 02 '18 at 11:42
@IsaacMoses If my non-moderator opinion counts, I would think they should be merged. — Alex, Nov 04 '18 at 01:03
@Dr.Shmuel why shouldn't they, they both involve Avraham arguing/not that someone/people should have their lives spared — , Nov 05 '18 at 00:41
Ultimately because a sacrifice is a sacred and honorable thing, whereas punishment and destruction due to sin are shameful and dishonorable. — , Sep 13 '19 at 20:55
It is possible that it was daytime thinking and that G-d never spoke to Abraham. See Rambam. Thus, Abraham thought G-d wanted child sacrifice and then realized that G-d does not require human sacrifice. Additionally, child sacrifice was the pagan norm/custom at that time. — Turk Hill, Nov 18 '19 at 17:20
@bluejayke But it is totally for Maimonides. Besides, Rashi was a corporealist. — Turk Hill, Nov 22 '19 at 16:20

Alex · Answer 1 · 2019-11-18T02:55:05.763

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Ralbag has an interesting explanation of the challenge of the Binding of Isaac, which could answer this question.

He explains that the challenge was specifically to see how easy it would be for Abraham to sacrifice his son (i.e. not to see if he would sacrifice his son at all). God's command to Abraham was sufficiently vague that Abraham could have sought an interpretation other than "slaughter your son". The greatness of Abraham, according to Ralbag, was that he loved God so much that he did not seek to find an alternate understanding of the command. This is because when contrasted with his love of God, anything else — including his love for his son — is essentially non-existent. Thus, the test was to see whether Abraham's love of God was great enough that it totally overrode all other concerns, such that he did not even care to try to find an interpretation that would allow him to keep his son alive.

Accordingly, it is possible that Abraham didn't argue with God to spare Isaac for the same reason. That is, despite his love for Isaac his love for God was so great that killing his own son didn't even register as something he would want to avoid. There was thus no reason for him to beg God to spare Isaac.

When it came to Sodom, however, God had not commanded Abraham to do anything. Whereas trying to spare Isaac would necessarily have reflected an imperfection in Abraham's love of God, trying to spare Sodom would not have because regardless of Sodom being destroyed or spared Abraham would not be taking any actions for the sake of God. Therefore, Abraham could perfectly well request Sodom to be spared.

To illustrate the point, we can say that if God had commanded Abraham to destroy Sodom, Abraham might well have done it without any arguing. Conversely, if God had informed Abraham that Isaac would be killed, Abraham might well have argued in his defense.

Ralbag Commentary to Parshat Vayeira

ולפי שהמובן ראשונה מזה המאמר הוא שיעלה יצחק שם לעולה בשיזבחהו ושישרפהו הנה נשלם לה' יתעלה נסיון אברהם בזאת הנבואה אם יקל בעיניו לעשות איזה דבר שיזדמן לכבוד ה' יתעלה וזה שאם יקל זה בעיניו לא יחזור להבין מזה המאמר זולת מה שיובן ממנה בתחילת העיון ואם יקשה זה בעיניו יבקש לזה המאמר כוונה אחרת זולת מה שיובן ממנו בתחילת העיון והנה הבין אברהם זאת הנבואה לפי מה שיובן ממנו בתחילת העיון ועם כל זה נזדרז בחריצות גדול לעשות מה שצוה לפי מחשבתו

התועלת הראשון הוא בדעות והוא להודיע לנו שאהבת ה' יתעלה יותר חשוקה לשלימי הדעות מכל הטובות הנשארות עד שכבר יבוזו מפני האהבה ההיא בכל שאר הטובות הלא תראה שאברהם השלם היה קל בעיניו לזבוח בנו יחידו אשר נולד לו לעת זקנתו לכבוד ה' ולמלאת מצותו עד שלא התעורר לבקש כוונה אחרת למאמר ה' יתעלה שיעלה יצחק בנו על ההר ההוא לעולה זולת מה שיובן מזה המאמר בתחילת העיון

This exact question was also asked on Chabad.org and you can see their answer here.

edited Nov 18 '19 at 02:55

answered Nov 01 '18 at 21:37

Alex

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Amazing eye for details. Our creator asked Avraham to actively do somehing meanwhile in the case of sodom it was in a sense a passive bystanding and watching, with no active involvment in the affair. If our beloved creator would've asked Avraham to eliminate sodom with all its inhibitants, he wouldn't have argued. – Ilja Nov 01 '18 at 22:32
@Anonymous That's a good illustration. I think I will edit that into the answer. Thanks. – Alex Nov 01 '18 at 22:33
You seem to be a Talmid Chochom so we can argue here a little bit. Personally I disregard "half-answers" or "local Tiruzim", I only value wholistic answers, addressing as much of phenomena as possible. But when somebody explains X but completely ignores X+1 on the next page I can't accept it as an answer. contd... – Al Berko Nov 03 '18 at 18:30
Avraham sacrificed himself (אור כשדים), we need a source that sacrificing his son is any harder. 2. We don't know what exactly G-d said to Avraham that made him comply so fast. Ariz"L makes a point explaining that "וְהַעֲלֵהוּ שָׁם לְעֹלָה " is the only way for Avraham to continue his chain etc. 3. Izhok was 37 and lived with his parents. What in the plain text supports the idea that Avrohom loved him at all?

Al Berko

Nov 03 '18 at 18:41

@AlBerko Whether I'm a talmid chacham or not I'm happy to argue. But it doesn't seem that your points are relevant to my answer, or even to the question that was asked. You seem to have a separate question on the whole idea that the akeida was a test. – Alex Nov 03 '18 at 23:20

Yea, soory, just posted it here https://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/96616/15579 – Al Berko Nov 03 '18 at 23:41

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@AlBerko You asked, "What in the plain text supports the idea that Avrohom loved him at all?" Huh??? At the beginning of the Akeida story, G-d says, "Take your only son whom you love, Isaac." Doesn't seem to be much more obvious than this. – DanF Nov 04 '18 at 00:43

@DanF OK, you won. Did you read my full answer? – Al Berko Nov 04 '18 at 10:26

you say that by Sodom Avraham arguing or not arguing wouldn't get in the way of Hasehm so to speak, and that's why he was ok with arguing, but its still Hashem's decree to destroy Sodom, so how could he argue with a direct decree of Hashem? And if you say that he was kind enough to argue in defence of anyone, even if in direct defience with Hashen, then for sure he should have argued that Yitzchak's life should be saved. True, Yitzchak wasn't being punished, but he should still argue for his physical life *even though he would have gotten Olam HAba where Sodom did not) – Nov 05 '18 at 00:38

@user2016831 Why does it matter if it was a direct decree? – Alex Nov 05 '18 at 00:41

@Alex for the same reason it would matter if it was a direct command, its direct -- from Hasehm, why is an order different than Hashem telling him that this is his decree, it's both Hashem's decision – Nov 05 '18 at 00:42

@user2016831 My answer is not about whether something is Hashem's decision. It's about whether arguing with Hashem reflects a chisaron in love of Hashem. – Alex Nov 05 '18 at 00:44

@Alex but why should his love of G-d blind him from someone else's suffering? True, t would be rightous of him to follow Hashem's decree out of love, but why should that stop him from arguing in the defence of someone ELSE? – Nov 05 '18 at 00:46

@Alex and also the answer that u posted from chabad.org said at the end taht the akeida wasn't a punishment, so there's noting for Avraham to argue for, but stil living more time in this world is the best blessing, even if it would be a great honor to be sacrificed, so why didn't he argue for the sake of that? – Nov 05 '18 at 00:47

@user2016831 It would still look like he doesn't love Hashem enough. – Alex Nov 05 '18 at 00:53

@Alex but so wha, he should (maybe) theoretically sacrififice his own self-image of looking like he loves Hashem for the sake of Yitzchak – Nov 05 '18 at 01:15

Let us continue this discussion in chat. – Nov 05 '18 at 01:15

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 01 '18 at 23:39

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With the sacrifice, Avraham is given a direct order; orders are supposed to be carried out.

With Sodom, God says: "hey Avraham; just so you know, I'm deciding whether to destroy them." Why is God saying this? He is not giving Avraham any orders. At that point, Avraham realizes the hint -- anything you want to say about this?

answered Nov 01 '18 at 23:39

Shalom

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So the only difference isthat Hasehm wanted Avraham to argue about Sodom, and Avraham knew that, but in the akeida, Avraham knew Hasehm didn't want him to argue? If Hashem would have commanded Avraham himself to destroy Sodom, would he have done it without any questions, then, or is there more differences? – Nov 05 '18 at 00:31
And plus, even though it's a direct order, but it would still effect someone else – Nov 05 '18 at 00:40

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 01 '18 at 21:28

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Short answer that I heard from two rabbanim in my neighborhood:

Child sacrifice was considered the norm during that era. So, when G-d asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, he didn't think this was so unusual.

This is the explanation of Breishit 26:12 when G-d says, "Now I know that you are G-d fearing". You mean G-d didn't know this all along? (G-d knows everything!)

What is taught is that now everyone in the world will know that because you feared G-d and didn't sacrifice your son because I told you not to and you followed directions because you fear G-d, you are proof that child sacrifice is not "the Jewish way", unlike what the other nations do. And, the reason Jews in the future won't do it is because they will follow your example because you feared G-d.

I notice that the rabbis' explanation is a more specific expansion of what Rash"i says on this verse. So, they're explanation isn't theoretical.

answered Nov 01 '18 at 21:28

DanF

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Impressive. – Dr. Shmuel Nov 02 '18 at 01:11
"Child sacrifice was considered the norm during that era", you mean a PAGAN norm, and Avrohom was presumably keeping the whole Torah, so he could at least ask about the contradiction because what G-d asked him to do was idolatry. – Al Berko Nov 02 '18 at 12:42
@AlBerko Numerous concepts from Midrash are controversial and contradictory. You make a good argument. Even with your theory, one could argue that because Avraham was already G-d fearing (the statement G-d makes at the end doesn't contradict that, of course), he obeyed whatever G-d asked of him. The challenging of the destruction of Sedom wasn't asking Avraham to do any personal action. – DanF Nov 02 '18 at 13:41
Please see my last comment to Alex. – Al Berko Nov 03 '18 at 18:42
What's the source fr this in Midrash/Rishonim? If you look at the Kehos Chumash, for example (which bring a few different midrashim there), and also in the part of Tanya that speaks of the Akeida (don't remember exact chapter), it's pretty clear that the test was Avraham willing to sacrifice his son, not him refraining from doing so, especially since he didn't even believe the angel all the way (thought he meant to take some blood) when it tld him to slaughter it, and in Tanya it explicitly states that the test was Avraham's alacrity in attempting to do it – Nov 05 '18 at 00:34
@AlBerko: Aren't there any pious Jewish stories about Abraham destroying his father's idols, then placing the hammer in the hand of the statue of the remaining god, and facetiously blaming him for the deed in question, when later asked by Terah what happened ? – Sep 14 '19 at 00:39
@Lucian Prooving what? – Al Berko Sep 14 '19 at 16:57
@AlBerko: That divine revelation was given to Abraham. First, by intuiting that idolatry is silly (which is believed to have precipitated his departure from his father's house in chapter 12); secondly, by receiving the circumcision (chapter 17); thirdly, by deducing that human sacrifice is no longer pleasing to God (chapter 22). – Sep 14 '19 at 19:12

Why didn't Avraham argue with HaShem about sacrificing Yitzchak just like he argued with Him about destroying Sodom?

3 Answers3