Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bereshit
- Vayera
What did Avraham mean with this naming and characterization of the place? It is instructive to see the Torah’s related uses of yireh and yeira’eh. When Avraham asked Hashem where the sacrifice would come from, He answered: "G-d will see (yireh) for him a sheep for a burnt offering" (ibid. 7-8). When the Torah commands to go up to the Temple, it says: "Three times a year all of your males shall be seen (yeira’eh) before the face of the Master, Hashem" (Shemot 23:17). This command to be seen in the Temple appears two other times in the Torah (ibid. 34:23; Devarim 16:16); there is a deep meaning to the fact that a phrase comes up three times in the Torah.
Avraham gives expression to the major change from Hashem seeing, to it being seen on the mountain of Hashem. Mt. Moriah, called the "place that Hashem will choose," is the place where the descendants of Avraham (who bound), Yitzchak (who was bound), and the grandchild Yaakov, need to be seen – this is the "being seen" on Hashem’s mountain.
The Nation of Israel have a meeting of sight, if you will, in the Holy of Holies of the Beit Hamikdash, which is built on the mountain of Hashem (see Yeshayahu 2:2). There, it becomes clear that there is special love, which is expressed so beautifully in our parasha, "For I have known [Avraham], as he commands his sons and his household after him, and they do charity and justice so that Hashem will bring to Avraham that which He spoke" (Bereishit 18:19). The word "know" represents the most intimately close connection, and this pasuk follows one which says that Avraham will turn into a great nation and the nations of the world will be blessed through him. Hashem first promised Avraham that his progeny would form a great nation together with the first command of "Lech lecha" (ibid. 12:2).
The transition is clear. On the way to the akeida, it appeared that the sacrifice was the main thing, which is why Avraham asked about the sheep, and Hashem answered with yireh. However, once the angel prevented offering Yitzchak, it turned out that the important thing was yeira’eh, in other words to draw close to Hashem. Mt. Moriah was the place where Hashem would show the world His closeness with Am Yisrael, who follow the path of charity and justice.
The world will learn that Israel, small quantitatively, improves the world qualitatively. The waves of anti-Semitism will turn into waves of love and admiration. The nations will realize that Hashem’s blessing will come to them only through their connection to Avraham’s chosen progeny (ibid. 12:3, and strengthened ibid. 22:17-18). Enemies who will not succeed to accept this, will fall under the category of "those who curse you, I will curse" (ibid.12:3) and disappear from the world.
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