The
Akedah: An Act of Piety or an Act of Violence?
Thompson, Thomas
The
Akeda demonstrates that severe faith or blind faith can lead to an act of
violence being construed as an act of piety. Can a man honestly slaughter
another human being and call it piety? Can a moral God ask man to do an immoral
act, and if He can, is the act pious rather than slaughter? The theological
debate has left rabbis split on either side of a line drawn in sacrificial
blood. However, the text of Genesis 22 offers little clarification in the words
printed on the page. In the Akeda, God commands Abraham, ÒTake your son, your
favored one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him
there as a burnt offeringÓ (Genesis 22:2 JPS). GodÕs demand seems entirely
unfair for a man who could not conceive a child with his wife, Sarah. God had
also promised His servant, Abraham, that he would Òmake his heirs as numerous
as the stars of heavenÓ through Isaac (Genesis 26:4 JPS), but demands that he
offer him up in burnt offering instead. Without questioning, Abraham saddles
his ass and takes Isaac and two servants on a three day journey to the mount
where he will forfeit his son to God. Upon reaching the mount, Abraham Òpicked
up the knife to slay his sonÓ (Genesis 22:10 JPS). The midrashim serve to
illuminate and explain the plain verses as well as fill in the gaps left at
this point. As can be expected from the text, they vary widely in their
interpretations of the act and the motivations driving it. Like the division
seen in the rabbinical interpretations, the debate on the sanctity of the
binding of Isaac has also been interpreted by many artists. Some artists choose
to depict Isaac wracked with terror while others choose to depict him as calm
in his reverence for GodÕs commands. Through the artistÕs paintings, their
interpretations of the Akeda are illuminated. The interpretations of the rabbis
as well can help to answer this theological debate: can an act of slaughter be
absolved if done at GodÕs behest?
On
one side of the debate, the rabbis see the Akeda as an act of piety, but what
could possibly make a man so pious that he would slaughter his son? Love can
cause a man to be pious, and Midrash Rabbah - Genesis LV: 8 demonstrates this.
In this Midrash, R. Simeon b. Yohai states that, Òlove upsets the natural
order.Ó AbrahamÕs extreme love for God was enough to upset the natural order.
Genesis reads that Òearly next morning, Abraham saddled his assÓ (22:3);
Genesis continues by stating Òhe split the wood for burnt offeringÓ and Òput it
on his son Isaac. He himself took the firestone and the knifeÓ (22: 3, 6).
Surely Abraham had plenty of slaves for such mundane chores. However, his
attention to the mundane preparations reflects his devotion. The care that Abraham
takes in his actions reflects his love and reverence for God; he has been
obligated to perform this sacrifice, and no other hands can ruin the sanctity
of the act. The midrash continues by stating that while love upsets the natural
order, so too does ÒHate upset[s] the natural order: And Baalam rose up in the
morning, and saddled his ass (Numbers 22: 21): surely he had plenty of slaves?Ó
R. Simeon b. Yohai clarifies his reasoning for including this statement by
saying:
Let saddling counteract saddling. Let the saddling done by
our father Abraham in order to go and fulfill the will of Him at whose word the
world came into existence counteract the saddling done by Baalam in order to go
and curse Israel. Let preparing counteract preparingÉ. Let the sword taken in
the hand of our father Abraham, as it says, And Abraham stretched forth his
hand, and took the knife to slay his son (Genesis 22:10), come and counteract
the sword grasped by Pharaoh's hand when he said, I will draw my sword, my hand
shall destroy them. (Exodus 15:9)
AbrahamÕs love for God is unyielding. He is devout in his
fulfillment of his religious obligations, and in doing so, the midrash states
that he Òwas rewarded for rising up and for goingÓ by his son being spared and
his covenant sealed. While AbrahamÕs love of God was enough to upset the
natural order, it was also enough to inspire his piety; through his devotion to
God are his son and his progeny blessed. The angel of the Lord states ÒI will bestow
My blessing upon you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars of
heaven and the sand on the seashoreÉ because you have obeyed My commandÓ
(Genesis 22: 17-18).
Orazio RiminaldiÕs The
Sacrifice of Isaac, painted in 1620, demonstrates an artistÕs
interpretation that parallels R. Simeon b. YohaiÕs. The moment Riminaldi
depicts is right as the angel of the Lord stops Abraham from sacrificing his
son; this is his moment of reward for his piety. Abraham looks up with
reverence at the LordÕs messenger. There is no violence or struggle represented
in this picture. Abraham gently touches IsaacÕs head. He does this to stabilize
himself so as to have a clean strike, not to restrain his son. In this
depiction of the Akeda, Isaac is not even bound. He lies there calmly, hands
held in prayer with eyes closed. No fear is painted on his face, only
acceptance. The angel does not appear to be struggling to restrain Abraham. He
just calmly touches his hand. The angel is even peacefully lying on a cloud.
The ram sits patiently waiting for Abraham to sacrifice it instead of Isaac.
The artist also paints the angel and Isaac with white skin. White symbolizes
purity, innocence, and peace. Abraham is painted as he would have been: a
normal man, white-haired with age. This is intended to show him as he was: a
man asked to do an extraordinary thing. What makes this representation so
powerful is that he accomplishes his task. In doing so, he acts as an ensign
for every man to follow. He represents the zenith of what man can accomplish if
he is pious.
Some rabbis see
the Akeda as an example of violence, and the ultimate climax of the story,
IsaacÕs slaughtering, cannot be ignored. Midrash Rabbah Genesis LVI: 7 depicts
the more violent side of the Akeda.
It states that ÒAND HE SAID: LAY NOT THY HAND UPON THE LAD, etc. (XXII,
12). Where was the knife? Tears had fallen from the angels upon it and
dissolved it.Ó However, Abraham does not stop after the angelÕs tears had
destroyed the knife. It appears as if he is caught within the primal emotions
brought on with murder. ÒThen I will strangle him,Õ said he [Abraham] to Him.Ó
Abraham will not be swayed from the sacrifice ordered to him by God. Once the
kosher method of sacrifice has been denied Abraham, he decides that he will
instead throttle his own son and makes this decision quickly. The violent
nature of strangulation is in stark contrast to the idea of piety.
Strangulation is a visceral method of killing, and a slow way to die. No one can
say the act of strangulation is condoned if done in the name of God. The angel
in turn says, ÒÔLAY NOT THY HAND UPON THE LAD,ÕÓ and ÒÕLet us bring forth a
drop of blood from him,Õ he pleadedÓ was AbrahamÕs reply. The violent
undertones of this midrash cannot be hidden underneath the umbrella of piety.
Abraham does not ask for a drop of blood, he pleads for it. Does one pleading
seem to be caught in reverence of God, or does it seem that he is instead
caught up in murderous intent? Even if Abraham is being extremely pious, does
his piety absolve him from murder? If he is absolved, how does this reflect on
God? The Bible states that Òcursed be he who is slack in doing the LordÕs work.
Cursed be he who withholds his sword from bloodÓ (Jeremiah 48:10). It appears
that Abraham and God are in accord on this fact. Abraham is cursed if fails to
do GodÕs work obediently.
CaravaggioÕs The
Sacrifice of Isaac, painted in 1596, is an artistÕs rendition of the Akeda
if it were as violent as Midrash Rabbah Genesis LVI: 7 depicts it. This
painting is most strikingly different from the Riminaldi due to the expression
on IsaacÕs face. His eyes are filled with animalistic terror, and he appears to
be crying out in pain. An onlooker feels as if he is watching a lamb go to the
slaughter, bleating in horror. He cannot even turn and see the knife because he
is held firm by Abraham to the altar. AbrahamÕs brow is creased in
consternation at being interrupted by the angel, and his eyes are shadowed,
hiding his intent. The angel tries to point to the ram waiting off to the side,
but Abraham only glares at the angel in return. The muscles in the angelÕs arm are
taut as if he is straining to stay AbrahamÕs knife. Isaac is naked to accentuate
his helplessness to the fate his father has decided. The color imagery is much
darker than the Riminaldi as well. Gone are the whites and the blues. They have
been replaced with black shadows as the sun sets in the background which is
representative of the end of IsaacÕs life.
After an analysis of the Akeda, the value-concept being
taught is one of questioning GodÕs will. While there is no doubt that Abraham
is pious, he should have questioned God in His intentions. The motivations
behind the sacrifice are righteous while the act itself is not. In following
GodÕs command, Abraham becomes an ensign for how one should be willing to
follow GodÕs demands, but only to a point. In this way Abraham failed GodÕs
final test; he abandons his own humanity in order to appease his God. This is a
sacrifice entirely too demanding. God realizes this and stops the slaughter of
Isaac. If anything should be learned from the Akeda, it should be that humanity
is sacred and should never be sacrificed even if it is demanded by God.
Riminaldi
Midrash Full Texts
Midrash
Rabbah - Genesis LV:8
AND ABRAHAM ROSE EARLY IN THE MORNING,
AND SADDLED HIS ASS (XXII, 3). R. Simeon b. Yohai said: Love upsets the natural
order, and hate upsets the natural order. Love upsets the natural order: AND
ABRAHAM ROSE EARLY IN THE MORNING, etc.: surely he had plenty of slaves? But
the reason was that love upset the natural order. Hate upsets the natural order:
And Baalam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass (Num. XXII, 21): surely
he had plenty of slaves? Hate, however, upsets the natural order. Love upsets
the natural order: And Joseph made ready his chariot, etc. (Gen. XLVI, 29): yet
surely Joseph had plenty of slaves? But love upsets the natural order. Hate
upsets the natural order: And he made ready his chariot (Ex. XIV, 6): yet
surely he had plenty of slaves? Thus hate upsets the natural order. R. Simeon
b. Yohai said: Let saddling counteract saddling. Let the saddling done by our
father Abraham in order to go and fulfil the will of Him at whose word the
world came into existence counteract the saddling done by Baalam in order to go
and curse Israel. Let preparing counteract preparing. Let Joseph's preparing
[of his chariot] to meet his father counteract Pharaoh's preparing to go and
pursue Israel. R. Ishmael taught: Let the sword of the hand counteract the
sword of the hand. Let the sword taken in the hand of our father Abraham, as it
says, And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son
(Gen. XXII, 1O), come and counteract the sword grasped by Pharaoh's hand when
he said, I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them (Ex. XV, 9). AND TOOK
TWO OF HIS YOUNG MEN WITH HIM, A N D ISAAC HIS SON. R. Abbahu said: Two people
behaved with propriety, Abraham and Saul: Abraham, as it says, AND TOOK TWO OF
HIS YOUNG MEN WITH HIM; Saul, as it says, And Saul... went, he and two men with
him (I Sam. XXVIII, 8). AND HE CLEAVED THE WOOD FOR THE BURNT-OFFERING. R. Hiyya
b. R. Jose said in the name of R. Miasha, and it was also repeated in the name
of R. Bannaiah: As a reward for the two cleavings wherewith our father Abraham
cleaved the wood of the burnt-offering, he earned that God should cleave
[divide] the Sea before his descendants, as it says, And the waters were
divided (Ex. XIV, 21). Said R. Levi: Enough of this! In truth Abraham acted
according to his powers and the Holy One, blessed be He, according to His
powers. AND ROSE UP, AND WENT UNTO THE PLACE. He was rewarded for rising up and
for going.
Midrash
Rabbah - Genesis LVI:7
7. AND
THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CALLED UNTO HIM OUT OF HEAVEN, AND SAID: ABRAHAM, ABRAHAM
(XXII, 11). R. Hiyya taught: This is an expression of love and encouragement.
R. Liezer said: [The repetition indicates that He spake] to him and to future
generations: There is no generation which does not contain men like Abraham,
and there is no generation which does not contain men like Jacob, Moses, and
Samuel. AND HE SAID: LAY NOT THY
HAND UPON THE LAD, etc. (XXII, 12). Where was the knife? Tears had fallen from
the angels upon it and dissolved it. ÔThen I will strangle him,Õ said he
[Abraham] to Him. ÔLAY NOT THY HAND UPON THE LAD,Õ was the reply. Let us bring
forth a drop of blood from him,Õ he pleaded. NEITHER DO THOU ANY THING TO HIM,
He answered -Õinflict no blemish upon him. FOR NOW I KNOW- I have made it known
to all-that thou lovest Me, A N D THOU HAST NOT WITHHELD, etc. And do not say,
"All ills that do not affect one's own person are not ill," for
indeed I ascribe merit to thee as though I had bidden thee sacrifice thyself
and thou hadst not refused.Ó