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Lehavas David · Parshas Chayei Sarah · Maamar ב

Self-Sacrifice in Thought: The Akeidah and Sarah's Longing

From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bereishis 23:1
וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה
And the life of Sarah was a hundred years and twenty years and seven years: the years of the life of Sarah.

Rashi: “The years of the life of Sarah: all of them were equally good.” And on the next verse Rashi says that Sarah's death is placed right after the binding of Yitzchak because through the news of the Akeidah, that her son had been brought to be slaughtered and was almost slaughtered, her soul flew from her and she died.

1“And the life of Sarah was a hundred years and twenty years and seven years: the years of the life of Sarah.”1 Rashi cites a teaching of Chazal on the next verse: “Why does the account of Sarah's death come right after the binding of Yitzchak? Because through the news of the Akeidah, that her son had been readied for slaughter and was almost slaughtered, her soul flew from her and she died.”2 At first glance this is very puzzling. Could Sarah our mother be pained that Yitzchak Avinu gave himself over for the honor of Hashem?
וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה (כג, א). וברש״י ז״ל (שם, ב) הֵבִיא מחז״ל (בראשית רבה נח, ה), לָמָּה נִסְמְכָה מִיתַת שָׂרָה לַעֲקֵידַת יִצְחָק, לְפִי שֶׁעַל יְדֵי בְּשׂוֹרַת הָעֲקֵידָה שֶׁנִּזְדַּמֵּן בְּנָהּ לִשְׁחִיטָה וְכִמְעַט שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁחַט, פָּרְחָה נִשְׁמָתָהּ מִמֶּנָּה וּמֵתָה. וְלִכְאוֹרָה תָּמוּהַּ מְאֹד, וְכִי שָׂרָה אִמֵּנוּ ע״ה תִּצְטַעֵר עַל כָּךְ שֶׁיִּצְחָק אָבִינוּ ע״ה מָסַר נַפְשׁוֹ לִכְבוֹד הַשֵּׁם.
  1. Bereishis 23:1. ↩
  2. Rashi on Bereishis 23:2; Bereishis Rabbah 58:5. ↩
In shortRashi says the news of the Akeidah took Sarah's life; but would she be pained that Yitzchak gave himself over for Hashem?
2Rashi also comments on our verse: “The years of the life of Sarah: all of them were equally good.” The holy Ohr HaChaim, for his part, looks closely at the verse's word vayihyu, “and they were,” which is an expression of distress. He explains it along the lines of the teaching we have just seen: Sarah was distressed when she heard the news of the binding of Yitzchak, and she died. But this seems to contradict Rashi's words here, that all her years were equally good. At the end of her life she was in distress over the news of the Akeidah, so her years were not all equally good.
עוֹד בְּפֵירוּשׁ רש״י ז״ל, שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה, כּוּלָּן שָׁוִין לְטוֹבָה. וְהִנֵּה בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ דִּקְדֵּק מַהוּ לְשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב ׳וַיִּהְיוּ׳ דְּהוּא לְשׁוֹן צַעַר. וּפֵירֵשׁ עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, דְּנִצְטַעֲרָה כְּשֶׁשָּׁמְעָה בְּשׂוֹרַת עֲקֵידַת יִצְחָק וּמֵתָה. וְלִכְאוֹרָה אִם כֵּן הוּא שֶׁלֹּא כְּדִבְרֵי רש״י כָּאן שֶׁהָיוּ חַיֶּיהָ כּוּלָּן שָׁוִין לְטוֹבָה, דַּהֲרֵי בְּסוֹף יְמֵי חַיֶּיהָ הָיְתָה בְּצַעַר עַל יְדֵי בְּשׂוֹרַת הָעֲקֵידָה, וְאִם כֵּן לָא שָׁוּו לְטוֹבָה.
In shortIf vayihyu points to Sarah's distress over the Akeidah, how can Rashi say all her years were equally good?
3Let us also first cite a Midrash on the verse “He said, ‘Do not stretch out your hand …’”3 It reads: “Rav Acha said: Avraham began to wonder …: ‘Yesterday You said, “For through Yitzchak shall offspring be called yours.” Then You went back and said, “Please take your son.” And now You tell me, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad”!’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him …: ‘When I said to you, “Please take your son,” I did not tell you to slaughter him, but to bring him up. I said it to you out of affection. You brought him up and fulfilled My words; now bring him down.’ It is like a king who said to his beloved friend, ‘Bring your son up to my table.’ The friend brought him with a knife in his hand. The king said, ‘Did I tell you to bring him up so as to eat him? I told you to bring him up because of my affection for him.’”4 Even after the Midrash's words, one point still needs a little explaining. Why did Hashem first tell him, “Bring him up there as a burnt offering”?5 Those words imply offering him as a sacrifice to Hashem.
וְנַקְדִּים עוֹד מַה דְּאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (בראשית רבה נו, יב), ״וַיֹּאמֶר אַל תִּשְׁלַח״ וְגוֹ׳ (בראשית כב, יב) אָמַר רַב אַחָא הִתְחִיל אַבְרָהָם תָּמֵהַּ, וְכוּ׳, אֶתְמוֹל אָמַרְתָּ ״כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע״ (בראשית כא, יב), חָזַרְתָּ וְאָמַרְתָּ ״קַח נָא בִּנְךָ״, וְעַכְשָׁיו אַתְּ אוֹמֵר לִי ״אַל תִּשְׁלַח יָדְךָ אֶל הַנַּעַר״, אָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה, וְכוּ׳, כְּשֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לְךָ ״קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ״ לֹא אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ שְׁחָטֵהוּ, אֶלָּא הַעֲלֵהוּ, לְשֵׁם חִיבָּה אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ, אַסֵּיקְתֵּיהּ וְקַיַּימְתָּ דְּבָרַי, וְעַתָּה אַחֲתִינֵיהּ. מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁאָמַר לְאוֹהֲבוֹ הַעֲלֵה אֶת בִּנְךָ עַל שׁוּלְחָנִי, הֱבִיאוֹ אוֹהֲבוֹ וְסַכִּינוֹ בְּיָדוֹ, אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ וְכִי הַעֲלֵהוּ לְאָכְלוֹ אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ, הַעֲלֵהוּ אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ מִפְּנֵי חִיבָּתוֹ. וְהִנֵּה אַף אַחַר דִּבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ עֲדַיִין צָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר קְצָת, מַהוּ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה תְּחִילָּה ׳וְהַעֲלֵהוּ שָׁם לְעוֹלָה׳, דְּאוֹמְרוֹ ׳לְעוֹלָה׳ מַשְׁמַע עַל מְנָת לְהַקְרִיבוֹ כְּקָרְבָּן לַה׳.
  1. Bereishis 22:12; Bereishis Rabbah 56:12 (in standard editions 56:8). ↩
  2. The verses Avraham cites: Bereishis 21:12; 22:2. ↩
  3. Bereishis 22:2. ↩
In shortHashem told Avraham only to bring Yitzchak up, out of affection, the Midrash says; yet “as a burnt offering” implies a sacrifice.
4aWe will explain all this by first citing the words of my holy father and teacher, zt"l. He explained a comment on the verse about kindling the Menorah, “And Aharon did so”: “This tells the praise of Aharon, that he did not deviate, shelo shinah.”6 Two sefarim, the Arizal's Shaar HaPesukim and the Shelah, ask: what praise is it for Aharon the Kohen that he did not deviate from what Hashem, blessed be He, commanded him?7 To explain it, my father first looked closely at a familiar phrase. Why do we always call the readiness to give one's life mesirus nefesh, “giving over the soul”? It would seem we should say mesirus haguf, “giving over the body,” since a person gives his body over to be killed. The explanation is that when a Jew reaches the level of giving his body over for the honor of Hashem, there is no longer any difference for him between body and soul, for his body too is transformed to the level of the soul. So it is right to say “giving over the soul,” since even the body has become soul.
וּנְבָאֵר כָּל זֶה בְּהֶקְדֵּם אִמְרֵי קוֹדֶשׁ מכ״ק אאמו״ר זצלה״ה, שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ בְּהָא דְּאִיתָא (רש״י במדבר ח, ג ועיין ספרי בהעלותך ח, ה) ״וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּן אַהֲרֹן״ (במדבר ח, ג), לְהַגִּיד שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן שֶׁלֹּא שִׁינָּה. וְהִקְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (שער הפסוקים לאריז״ל, ושל״ה בהעלותך) מַה שֶׁבַח הוּא זֶה אֵצֶל אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן שֶׁלֹּא שִׁינָּה מֵאֲשֶׁר צִוָּהוּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. וּפֵירֵשׁ, דְּהִנֵּה יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק דְּמַהוּ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְּכָל מָקוֹם לְשׁוֹן ׳מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ׳, וְלִכְאוֹרָה הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר ׳מְסִירוּת הַגּוּף׳, שֶׁהֲרֵי הָאָדָם מוֹסֵר אֶת גּוּפוֹ לַהֲרִיגָה. אֶלָּא הַבֵּיאוּר בָּזֶה הוּא, שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מַגִּיעַ לְדַרְגָּה שֶׁמּוֹסֵר אֶת הַגּוּף לִכְבוֹד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אֲזַי אֵצֶל זֶה הָאָדָם אֵין הֶבְדֵּל בֵּין הַגּוּף וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ, כִּי גַּם גּוּפוֹ נֶהְפַּךְ לְמַדְרֵגַת נְשָׁמָה, וּמִמֵּילָא נָכוֹן הוּא שֶׁאוֹמְרִים מְסִירוּת ׳נֶפֶשׁ׳, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאַף הַגּוּף נַעֲשֶׂה בְּחִינַת נֶפֶשׁ.
  1. Bamidbar 8:3; Rashi there; see Sifrei, Behaaloscha 8:5. ↩
  2. Shaar HaPesukim; Shelah, Behaaloscha. ↩
4bThis is the meaning of “to tell the praise of Aharon, that he did not deviate.” The service of the Menorah alludes to the verse “The soul of man is the lamp of Hashem,”8 that is, to the work of perfecting a person's soul through avodas Hashem, the service of the Creator, blessed be He. Chazal said of the western lamp of the Menorah, “From it he would kindle, and with it he would conclude.”9 This hints that in avodas Hashem and in keeping the mitzvos, one must take care to conclude the service with mesirus nefesh, in every situation and in every matter. And this is shelo shinah, read as “there was no change in him”: through his mesirus nefesh in the Menorah service, Aharon the Kohen had no change within himself. For him there was no difference between body and soul; everything was soul, in complete unity. Those are my holy father's words.
וְזֶהוּ לְהַגִּיד שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן שֶׁלֹּא שִׁינָּה, דְּהִנֵּה עֲבוֹדַת הַמְּנוֹרָה רוֹמֶזֶת עַל בְּחִינַת ״נֵר ה׳ נִשְׁמַת אָדָם״ (משלי כ, כז), שֶׁהוּא הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁל תִּיקּוּן נִשְׁמַת הָאָדָם עַל יְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְאָמְרוּ חז״ל (שבת כב, ב) לְגַבֵּי נֵר הַמַּעֲרָבִי שֶׁבַּמְּנוֹרָה, מִמֶּנָּה הָיָה מַדְלִיק וּבָהּ הָיָה מְסַיֵּים, וְהוּא רֶמֶז שֶׁבַּעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא וּבְמִצְוֹות צָרִיךְ לְהַקְפִּיד לְסַיֵּים אֶת הָעֲבוֹדָה בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, בְּכָל מַצָּב וּבְכָל עִנְיָן שֶׁהוּא. וְזֶהוּ ׳שֶׁלֹּא שִׁינָּה׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁאַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן עַל יְדֵי מְסִירוּת נַפְשׁוֹ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַמְּנוֹרָה כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, לֹא הָיָה אֶצְלוֹ שׁוּם שִׁינּוּי בְּעַצְמוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה הֶבְדֵּל בֵּין הַגּוּף לְהַנְּשָׁמָה אֶצְלוֹ, כִּי הַכֹּל הָיָה בְּחִינַת נְשָׁמָה בְּאַחְדוּת גָּמוּר, עכד״ק.
  1. Mishlei 20:27. ↩
  2. Shabbos 22b. The western lamp was given the same measure of oil as the others, yet it miraculously burned all day; in the evening the Kohen lit the other lamps from it, and it was the last lamp he cleaned and prepared (Rashi there). ↩
In shortGiving over the soul turns the body itself into soul, the Rebbe's father taught; so Aharon, serving with mesirus nefesh, had no division within.
5To explain all this, we may say the following. A great principle in avodas Hashem, as is well known, is that a Jew must serve Him with mesirus nefesh. As the verse says, “You shall love Hashem your God with all your heart and with all your soul,” and Chazal expounded: “even if He takes your soul.”10 That is why, at the giving of the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, held the mountain over Bnei Yisrael like an upturned barrel.11 Tosafos, the classic commentators on the Gemara, ask: they had already said, “We will do and we will hear,” so why did Hashem hold the mountain over them?12 The answer is that He wanted Bnei Yisrael to keep the Torah in every situation, and with mesirus nefesh. So at the giving of the Torah He saw fit to hold the mountain over them, in order to root in them the middah, the character trait, of mesirus nefesh in learning Torah and keeping the mitzvos. As Chazal said, “The Torah endures only in one who kills himself over it.”13
וּלְבָאֵר כָּל הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, כִּי הִנֵּה יָדוּעַ אֲשֶׁר זֶה כְּלָל גָּדוֹל בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, אֲשֶׁר אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל צָרִיךְ לַעֲבוֹד ה׳ יִתְבָּרַךְ בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (דברים ו, ה) ״וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה׳ אֱלוֹקֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ״, וְדָרְשׁוּ חז״ל (ברכות נד, א) אֲפִילּוּ הוּא נוֹטֵל אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ. וְעַל כֵּן בְּעֵת קַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה כָּפָה הקב״ה עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת הָהָר כְּגִיגִית (שבת פח, א), וְהִקְשׁוּ הַתּוֹסָפוֹת דַּהֲרֵי כְּבָר אָמְרוּ נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמַע, וּלְשֵׁם מָה כָּפָה עֲלֵיהֶם הקב״ה הָהָר. אַךְ הָעִנְיָן הוּא, כִּי רָצָה הקב״ה שֶׁבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יְקַיְּימוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה בְּכָל מַצָּב, וּמִתּוֹךְ מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, לָכֵן בְּעֵת קַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה רָאָה הקב״ה לִכְפּוֹת עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת הָהָר, בִּכְדֵי לְהַשְׁרִישׁ בָּהֶם מִידַּת מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בְּעֵת לִימּוּד הַתּוֹרָה וְקִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹות, כְּאָמְרָם ז״ל (ברכות סג, ב) אֵין הַתּוֹרָה מִתְקַיֶּימֶת אֶלָּא בְּמִי שֶׁמֵּמִית עַצְמוֹ עָלֶיהָ.
  1. Devarim 6:5; Berachos 54a. ↩
  2. Shabbos 88a. The Gemara says that He held Mount Sinai over their heads like an upside-down barrel and told them that if they did not accept the Torah, that would be their burial place. ↩
  3. Tosafos there, s.v. Kafah; Shemos 24:7. ↩
  4. Berachos 63b. ↩
In shortMesirus nefesh is basic to avodas Hashem, and Hashem held the mountain over Bnei Yisrael at Sinai to root it in their Torah and mitzvos.
6But mesirus nefesh is “a difficult service in the Beis HaMikdash,”14 so how can we reach it? We know that “the deeds of the fathers are a sign for the children.” Because the holy Avos served Hashem on every level, they instilled and rooted their service so that it would give strength and help to the generations to come as well. So when they served Hashem, blessed be He, with mesirus nefesh, they brought down to later generations, too, the ability to serve Him in this way, so that in those generations the words of the early Midrash Tanna Devei Eliyahu would be fulfilled: “When will my deeds reach the deeds of my fathers?”15 It follows that every Jew must reach such a level, giving over his soul for avodas Hashem and for His Torah, since this power has been rooted in us for all generations. And this was the purpose of the test of the binding of Yitzchak: to instill and root the power of mesirus nefesh in the generations to come.
אַךְ הִנֵּה עִנְיַן מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ הוּא עֲבוֹדָה קָשָׁה שֶׁבַּמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְאֵיךְ נוּכַל לְהַגִּיעַ לָזֶה. אָכֵן נוֹדַע שֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂה אָבוֹת סִימָן לְבָנִים, כִּי עַל יְדֵי מַה שֶׁהָאָבוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים עָבְדוּ אֶת ה׳ בְּכָל הַמַּדְרִיגוֹת, הִכְנִיסוּ וְהִשְׁרִישׁוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מֵעֲבוֹדָתָם כֹּחַ וְעֵזֶר גַּם לַדּוֹרוֹת הָעֲתִידִים לָבוֹא. וּמִמֵּילָא כַּאֲשֶׁר עָבְדוּ אֶת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, הִשְׁפִּיעוּ שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ גַּם הַדּוֹרוֹת הָעֲתִידִים לַעֲבוֹד ה׳ בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה, שֶׁיִּתְקַיֵּים בָּהֶם בְּחִינַת מָתַי יַגִּיעוּ מַעֲשַׂי לְמַעֲשֵׂי אֲבוֹתַי (תנא דבי אליהו רבה פרק כה). נִמְצָא שֶׁכָּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל צָרִיךְ לְהַגִּיעַ לְמַדְרֵגָה כָּזֹאת, לִמְסוֹר נַפְשׁוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וּלְתוֹרָתוֹ, שֶׁכֵּן הוּשְׁרַשׁ בָּנוּ כֹּחַ זֶה לְדוֹרוֹת. וְזֶה הָיָה הַכַּוָּונָה בְּנִסָּיוֹן שֶׁל עֲקֵידַת יִצְחָק, לְהַכְנִיס וּלְהַשְׁרִישׁ לַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים אֶת הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ.
  1. Menachos 11a. Chazal use this phrase for kemitzah, the taking of a fistful of flour from a meal offering, one of the hardest services in the Beis HaMikdash. It became a saying for any very demanding service. ↩
  2. Tanna Devei Eliyahu Rabbah, ch. 25. ↩
In shortWe can reach mesirus nefesh only because the Avos rooted it in us, and the Akeidah was meant to root it in every generation.
7This explains the Midrash we cited: “Avraham began to wonder: ‘Yesterday You said, “For through Yitzchak shall offspring be called yours” …’” When the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded Avraham Avinu about the Akeidah, it puzzled him: why did Yitzchak Avinu need this? Avraham believed that Yitzchak had already reached a great and holy level of serving with mesirus nefesh. By this alone, he thought, Yitzchak could already root and instill that power in the generations to come, and no further act of giving his life would be needed to leave it to them as an inheritance. That is what Avraham meant: “Yesterday You said, ‘For through Yitzchak shall offspring be called yours.’” Hashem had promised him that his descendants would receive all their perfection through Yitzchak. Yitzchak would prepare for them the path to complete service, and also to the level of mesirus nefesh, and Avraham Avinu thought that Yitzchak had certainly reached this level already. “Then You went back and said, ‘Please take your son’”: by this Hashem was telling him that only through slaughtering Yitzchak would the level of mesirus nefesh needed to root this power in the generations be reached.
וְזֶהוּ בֵּיאוּר דִּבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ הַנִּזְכָּר, הִתְחִיל אַבְרָהָם תָּמֵהַּ, אֶתְמוֹל אָמַרְתָּ ״כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע״ וְכוּ׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁבְּעֵת שֶׁצִּוָּה הקב״ה לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה עַל הָעֲקֵידָה, הָיָה לְפֶלֶא בְּעֵינָיו, מַדּוּעַ צָרִיךְ יִצְחָק אָבִינוּ ע״ה לָזֶה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיָה אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה סָבוּר, שֶׁכְּבָר הִגִּיעַ יִצְחָק אָבִינוּ ע״ה לְמַדְרֵגָה גְּדוֹלָה וּקְדוּשָּׁה בַּעֲבוֹדָה בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, שֶׁבָּזֶה לְבַד כְּבָר יָכוֹל הוּא לְהַשְׁרִישׁ וּלְהַכְנִיס הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ לַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ יוֹתֵר שׁוּם פְּעוּלַּת מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בִּכְדֵי לְהַנְחִיל כֹּחַ זֶה לַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר, אֶתְמוֹל אָמַרְתָּ ״כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע״, דְּהַיְינוּ שֶׁהִבְטִיחוֹ הקב״ה שֶׁעַל יְדֵי יִצְחָק תִּהְיֶה כָּל הַשְּׁלֵימוּת לְזַרְעוֹ, שֶׁהוּא יָכִין לָהֶם הַדֶּרֶךְ לַהֲבִיאָם לִשְׁלֵימוּת הָעֲבוֹדָה, וְגַם לְמַדְרֵגַת מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, וְסָבַר אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה דְּוַדַּאי כְּבָר בָּא יִצְחָק אָבִינוּ ע״ה לְזֹאת הַמַּדְרֵיגָה. חָזַרְתָּ וְאָמַרְתָּ ״קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ״, דְּהַיְינוּ שֶׁהוֹדִיעוֹ הקב״ה שֶׁרַק עַל יְדֵי שֶׁיִּשְׁחָטֵהוּ יַגִּיעַ לְמַדְרֵגַת מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ הַנִּצְרָךְ בִּשְׁבִיל לְהַשְׁרִישׁ כֹּחַ זֶה לְדוֹרוֹת.
In shortAvraham wondered at the command, believing Yitzchak already had enough mesirus nefesh to pass on, as “through Yitzchak” had promised.
8From the standpoint of Yitzchak's own service, there was no need at all for the Akeidah. He had long since reached the complete level of mesirus nefesh in his service. On his part he was ready and fit to root this service in the generations, as the Holy One, blessed be He, had promised: “For through Yitzchak shall offspring be called yours.” Still, for his descendants to be able to receive this power from him, the power of the Akeidah was needed as well. And he had to pass it on to them in this particular way, through a mere thought that never came to an actual deed, because in this way the power of mesirus nefesh remains in force in the world. Hashem therefore answered Avraham that He had told him only to bring Yitzchak up and afterward to bring him down, and that He had said it out of affection. Only in this way could the service of mesirus nefesh be rooted and instilled in the generations to come.
וְהִנֵּה מִצַּד עֲבוֹדַת יִצְחָק אָבִינוּ ע״ה לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ כְּלָל לְכָל עִנְיַן הָעֲקֵידָה, שֶׁהוּא בָּא זֶה מִכְּבָר לִשְׁלֵימוּת מַדְרֵגַת מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ, וּמִצִּידּוֹ הָיָה מוּכָן וּמוּכְשָׁר לְהַשְׁרִישׁ עֲבוֹדַת הַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ לְדוֹרוֹת, וּכְהַבְטָחַת הקב״ה ״כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע״. אַךְ עֲדַיִין, בִּכְדֵי לְהַכְנִיס וּלְהַשְׁרִישׁ הַכֹּחַ הַזֶּה לְזַרְעוֹ, הָיָה נִצְרָךְ גַּם הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל הָעֲקֵידָה, בִּכְדֵי שֶׁזַּרְעוֹ יוּכַל לְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ הַכֹּחַ הַזֶּה. וְהָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהַעֲבִיר לְזַרְעוֹ אֶת הַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה, וּבְמַחֲשָׁבָה בְּעָלְמָא שֶׁלֹּא בָּאָה לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה בְּפוֹעַל, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִשְׁאַר כֹּחַ הַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ תָּלוּי וְעוֹמֵד בָּעוֹלָם. וּלְכָךְ הֱשִׁיבוֹ הקב״ה אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ רַק לְהַעֲלוֹתוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ לְהוֹרִידוֹ וּלְשֵׁם חִיבָּה, כִּי בָּזֶה דַּוְקָא יוּכַל לְהַשְׁרִישׁ וּלְהַכְנִיס לַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים עַבְדוּת שֶׁל מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ.
In shortYitzchak needed nothing more, but his descendants needed the Akeidah as a thought never carried out, whose power lives on in the world.
9Hashem's words to him, “Bring him up there as a burnt offering,” now make good sense. Those words led Avraham to think that he had to offer Yitzchak up, and through this he could root the power of mesirus nefesh in his descendants.
וּלְפִי זֶה אָתֵי שַׁפִּיר שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה וְהַעֲלֵהוּ שָׁם ׳לְעוֹלָה׳, דְּעַל יְדֵי זֶה חָשַׁב אַבְרָהָם שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַקְרִיבוֹ, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יוּכַל לְהַשְׁרִישׁ לְזַרְעוֹ כֹּחַ מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ.
In short“As a burnt offering” led Avraham to think he must offer Yitzchak, and through that thought he could root mesirus nefesh in his descendants.
10In the same way we can understand another Midrash: Avraham Avinu asked at least to draw some blood from Yitzchak.16 He thought that unless he carried out an actual deed on Yitzchak, Yitzchak would not have the power to pass mesirus nefesh on to future generations. But the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad.” To bestow this power on the generations, it is better that the mesirus nefesh not come to an actual deed, for then its power remains in force and flows on to later generations. This was out of affection for Yitzchak and because of his great stature: his giving over of his soul in thought, which never came to deed, is more precious and greater than the actual mesirus nefesh of others. For in fact, at Yitzchak's level of holy service, his own mesirus nefesh was enough to instill this power in the generations and to be “a sign for the children.” The promise “For through Yitzchak shall offspring be called yours” had already been fulfilled: Yitzchak was of so great and holy a stature that from him perfection could come to his descendants.
וּבְדֶרֶךְ זֶה יוּבָן גַּם מַה דְּאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (בראשית רבה נו, ז), שֶׁבִּיקֵּשׁ אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה לְכָל הַפָּחוֹת לְמַצּוֹת דָּם מִיִּצְחָק. וְהוּא לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה סָבוּר, שֶׁלּוּלֵא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה בְּפוֹעַל, לֹא יִהְיֶה בְּכוֹחוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק לְהַנְחִיל אֶת הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל הַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ לְדוֹרוֹת הָעֲתִידִים. אֲבָל הקב״ה אָמַר לוֹ ״אַל תִּשְׁלַח יָדְךָ אֶל הַנַּעַר״, שֶׁבִּכְדֵי לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ לְדוֹרוֹת, מוּטָב יוֹתֵר שֶׁלֹּא תָּבֹא הַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה בְּפוֹעַל, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה יִהְיֶה כֹּחַ הַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ תָּלוּי וְעוֹמֵד, וְיַשְׁפִּיעַ לְדוֹרוֹת. וְזֹאת הוּא מִפְּנֵי חִיבָּתוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק, וּמֵחֲמַת גּוֹדֶל מַעֲלָתוֹ, אֲזַי מְסִירַת נַפְשׁוֹ בְּמַחְשָׁבָה שֶׁלֹּא בָּאָה לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה, חָשׁוּב וְגָדוֹל יוֹתֵר מִמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בְּפוֹעַל שֶׁל אֲחֵרִים. כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת מִצַּד מַדְרֵגַת יִצְחָק בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, הָיָה דַּי בְּמִידַּת הַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁלּוֹ לְהַכְנִיס הַכֹּחַ לְדוֹרוֹת וְלִהְיוֹת סִימָן לְבָנִים, שֶׁכְּבָר נִתְקַיְּימָה הַהַבְטָחָה ״כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע״, שֶׁיִּצְחָק יִהְיֶה בְּמַעֲלָה גְּדוֹלָה וּקְדוּשָּׁה שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ יוּכַל לִהְיוֹת הַשְּׁלֵימוּת לְזַרְעוֹ.
  1. Bereishis Rabbah 56:7. ↩
In shortHashem forbade even drawing blood: Yitzchak's mesirus nefesh in thought alone outweighed others' deeds and keeps flowing to every generation.
11This is also what happened with Sarah our mother, whose soul flew from her through the Akeidah. When she heard of this great service, her longing was so great that she strove to perform such a service herself. But she did not know how special Yitzchak's mesirus nefesh was: that in thought alone it was enough to root and instill this power in the generations. So she thought that one must give oneself over in actual deed. Because she longed for that level, she served Hashem in this way, and her soul flew from her as she carried out mesirus nefesh in deed. This is the intent of Rashi's wording, “her neshamah, her soul, flew.” Once she reached the level of mesirus nefesh, she became entirely soul, as we saw in the words of my holy father.
וְזֶה הָיָה הָעִנְיָן בְּשָׂרָה אִמֵּנוּ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הָעֲקֵידָה פָּרְחָה נִשְׁמָתָהּ, הַיְינוּ אַחֲרֵי שֶׁשָּׁמְעָה מֵהָעֲבוֹדָה הַגְּדוֹלָה הַזֹּאת שֶׁל הָעֲקֵידָה, אֲזַי בְּגוֹדֶל תְּשׁוּקָתָהּ הִשְׁתַּדְּלָה גַּם כֵּן לַעֲשׂוֹת עֲבוֹדָה כָּזוֹ. אַךְ לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא נוֹדַע לָהּ מַעֲלַת הַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁל יִצְחָק, שֶׁבְּמַחְשָׁבָה בִּלְבַד דַּי לְהַשְׁרִישׁ וּלְהַכְנִיס הַכֹּחַ לְדוֹרוֹת, סָבְרָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַעֲבוֹד בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בְּמַעֲשֶׂה בְּפוֹעַל, וְעַל כֵּן מֵאַחַר שֶׁחָמְדָה לְאוֹתָהּ מַדְרֵגָה, עָבְדָה ה׳ כֵּן, וּפָרְחָה נִשְׁמָתָהּ בְּקַיְּימָהּ מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בְּמַעֲשֶׂה. וְזֶה כַּוָּונַת לְשׁוֹן רש״י ז״ל פָּרְחָה ׳נִשְׁמָתָהּ׳, כִּי אַחַר שֶׁהִגִּיעָה לְמַדְרֵגַת מְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, מִמֵּילָא נַעַשְׂתָה כּוּלָּהּ בְּחִינַת נְשָׁמָה, וְכַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל מִדִּבְרֵי קָדְשׁוֹ שֶׁל כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה.
In shortNot knowing that Yitzchak's mesirus nefesh in thought sufficed, Sarah gave her life in deed and became entirely soul, as Rashi's wording hints.
12Our question is now resolved. If vayihyu chayei Sarah expresses distress, how could it be said, “The years of the life of Sarah: all of them were equally good”? According to what we have said, she was not in distress over the binding of Yitzchak itself. Rather, all the days of her life she was constantly pained by her longing to give over her soul for the honor of Hashem, which is what the binding of Yitzchak was. That was the distress of all Sarah's days: how could she give over her soul? It is like what Chazal said of R' Akiva: “All my days I was pained over this verse, ‘with all your soul,’ even if He takes your soul. I said: When will it come to my hand so that I may fulfill it?”17 It is now clear that the years of Sarah's life were all equally good in holy service.
וּמֵעַתָּה מְיוּשָּׁב מַה שֶׁהִקְשֵׁינוּ, אִם נֶאֱמַר ׳וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה׳ בִּלְשׁוֹן צַעַר, אִם כֵּן אֵיךְ אָמְרוּ ׳שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה כּוּלָּן שָׁוִין לְטוֹבָה׳. וְעַל פִּי הָאָמוּר מְיוּשָּׁב, דְּלָא מֵחֲמַת מַעֲשֵׂה עֲקֵידַת יִצְחָק הָיְתָה בְּצַעַר, אֶלָּא שֶׁכָּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיהָ הָיְתָה מִצְטַעֶרֶת תָּמִיד לִמְסוֹר נַפְשָׁהּ לִכְבוֹד הַשֵּׁם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עֲקֵידַת יִצְחָק, וְעַל זֶה הָיוּ יְמֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה בְּצַעַר אֵיךְ לִמְסוֹר נַפְשָׁהּ, בְּחִינַת מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (ברכות סא, ב) בְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא כָּל יָמַי הָיִיתִי מִצְטַעֵר עַל פָּסוּק זֶה ״בְּכָל נַפְשְׁךָ״ (דברים ו, ה) אֲפִילּוּ הוּא נוֹטֵל אֶת נִשְׁמָתְךָ, אָמַרְתִּי מָתַי יָבוֹא לְיָדִי וַאֲקַיְּימֶנּוּ. וּמֵעַתָּה יוּבָן בְּפַשְׁטוּת, שֶׁשְּׁנוֹת חַיֶּיהָ שֶׁל שָׂרָה הָיוּ כּוּלָּן שָׁוִין לְטוֹבָה בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַקּוֹדֶשׁ.
  1. Berachos 61b; Devarim 6:5. ↩
In shortSarah's distress was a lifelong longing, like R' Akiva's, to give her soul for Hashem, so all her years were good.
13People like us, however, are not asked for mesirus nefesh in the way of the earlier generations. But anything that comes to a person and requires him to give up his habit and his inclination is also counted as mesirus nefesh.
אָמְנָם אֲנָשִׁים כְּעֶרְכֵּנוּ אֵין אָנוּ מִתְבַּקְּשִׁים לִמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ כְּדַרְכָּם שֶׁל רִאשׁוֹנִים, אַךְ כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁבָּא לָאָדָם לַחְדּוֹל מֵהֶרְגֵּלוֹ וּנְטִיָּיתוֹ, גַּם זֶה לִמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ יֵחָשֵׁב.
In shortFor us, giving up a habit or an inclination for Hashem's sake is counted as mesirus nefesh.
14May Hashem make us worthy of this, and may we be privileged to greet Moshiach. Amen.
ה׳ יְזַכֵּנוּ לָזֶה, וְנִזְכֶּה לְקַבֵּל אֶת פְּנֵי מָשִׁיחַ אָמֵן:
In shortThe Rebbe prays that we be worthy of such mesirus nefesh and privileged to greet Moshiach.
Takeaway

The Akeidah never came to an actual deed, and for that very reason the power of mesirus nefesh lives on in the world for all of Yitzchak's descendants. Sarah teaches that a lifelong longing to give oneself to Hashem makes every year good, even when it is felt as pain. We are not asked to give our lives, but each time we give up a habit or an inclination for Hashem's sake, it is counted as mesirus nefesh.

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