an interesting idea

[cellio]

Ruth Levenstein posted an interesting idea to a Jewish mailing list that I'm on.

It is generally held that the binding of Isaac (the Akeidah) was a test, and that Avraham passed the test by obeying the order to sacrifice his son. But maybe Avraham *failed* the test. Maybe passing the test would have meant protesting, as he did to protect S'dom and Gemorrah a few chapters earlier.

The story takes on a very different tone if you read it from this perspective.

Comments

[cellio]

The lack of further contact with Avraham is something I had noticed before. I get the impression that the traditional answer here is that Avraham had passed all of God's tests and/or done everything God needed from him, so there was no need for further contact. A less-traditional answer is that it was to spare Avraham -- if the last thing God asked you to do was sacrifice your kid and then God calls again, how are you going to feel? But the idea that God stayed away because Avraham had screwed up is a new (to me) twist.