2021/5782

Adapted from the teachings of Rav Daniel Fridman and Rav Alex Israel

Of all the Avot, Yitzchak’s description in the Torah is the most concise. His story spans barely an entire Parasha. Also, compared to the other dramatic lives of the other Avot, Yitzchak’s life seems unremarkable. For example, in many of Yitzchak’s stories, he is passive: the Brit is performed on him, the wife is found for him, even during the Akeida, Yitzchak is merely the sacrifice, Avraham is the one who is being tested. The Torah even goes so far as to say the Yitzchak will merit many children because of Hashem’s promise to Avraham and because Yitzchak is Avraham’s son. It seems as though Yitzchak is considered great only because of his relationship with Avraham.

There are many parallels between Yitzchak and Avraham that support this premise. Avraham and Sarah were childless until Hashem miraculously intervened; Yitzchak and Rivkah are childless until God miraculously intervenes. Avraham had two sons, only one of whom would carry on his legacy; Yitzchak has two sons, only one of whom will carry on his legacy. Avraham faced famine; Yitzchak faces famine. Avraham dug wells; Yitzchak uncovers his father’s wells and then digs his own. Avraham asked Sarah to pretend that she was his sister upon entering the territory of the Pelishtim; Yitzchak asks Rivka to pretend that she is his sister upon entering the territory of the Pelishtim. Avraham formed a Brit with Avimelech; Yitzchak forms a Brit with Avimelech. 

Based on these parallels, we can conclude that Yitzchak had the crucial role of following in Avraham’s footsteps. Avraham’s contributions would be lost entirely if not for Yitzchak’s willingness to solidify Avraham’s path. If there were tremendous changes in every generation, a tradition is never set in place, and a movement can not occur. 

However, there are times when Yitzchak takes a new path, a path untrodden by Avraham. For example, unlike Avraham, who was a wandering shepherd, Yitzchak was a successful farmer. Furthermore, while Avraham wanders in and out of Eretz Yisrael, Yitzchak remains in Eretz Yisrael his entire life. 

Regarding Eretz Yisrael, we can say that each of the Avot represents a particular type of relationship with Eretz Yisrael. Avraham is an immigrant who comes from Mesopotamia to Eretz Yisrael. Yitzchak remains in Eretz Yisrael his entire life. Ya’akov leaves Eretz Yisrael, then comes back, then leaves again, then comes back postmortem. These are the three classic models of the Jewish People’s relationship with Eretz Yisrael. Avraham represents the initial desire to emigrate to the land. Ya’akov represents the notion that although Jews are thrown into Galut, they will eventually find their way back to Eretz Yisrael. Yitzchak, however, is fundamentally connected to Eretz Yisrael. It is his homeland, and therefore, he never leaves it. He solidifies Avraham’s mission of “Lech Lecha.” However, here, Yitzchak isn’t simply following in his father’s footsteps. Rather, he is taking Avraham’s legacy and building on it to make it his own. 

For these reasons, Yitzchak is the perfect son for Avraham. Avraham’s contribution would have been completely lost if Yitzchak wasn’t there to solidify his father’s path. Someone with a larger ego would have sought his own legacy and wouldn’t be willing to dig out Avraham’s wells and name them after the same names that Avraham named them. Yitzchak successfully fortified Avraham’s groundbreaking contributions and simultaneously built upon them to pass the Mesorah to Ya’akov and set the stage for Ya’akov to be the beginnings of a great nation. Yitzchak was ready to give up his life at the Akeida, both figuratively and literally. He dedicated his life to advancing his father’s mission, thereby sacrificing whatever personal ambitions he otherwise had. 

From Yitzchak, we can all learn that there are times when we don’t have to be the leader. Nowadays, society values the reality star, actor, or politician, the extroverted and outspoken shaper of events and affairs. However, Yitzchak is the least prevalent and dramatic of the Avot. Yitzchak had the Gevurah to sacrifice his ego to become the quiet, introverted person who was focused on refining his own character and drawing closer to Hashem. Yitzchak teaches us that sometimes it is better to be a humble person who is willing to sacrifice his ego to improve his relationship with Hashem.