Stemning

As he grew older, he read the same story with even greater admiration; for life had now separated what had been united in the child's pious simplicity.

The older he grew, the more often his thought turned to that story; his enthusiasm grew stronger and stronger, and yet he could understand the story less and less.

At last he forgot everything else over it; his soul had but one wish, to see Abraham, one longing, to have been a witness to that event.

His craving was not to see the beautiful regions of the East, not the earthly glory of the promised land, not that God-fearing couple whose old age God blessed, not the venerable figure of the aged patriarch, not the flourishing youth of Isaac, granted by God — he had nothing against the same thing happening on a barren heath.

His desire was to accompany the three days' journey, when Abraham rode with sorrow before him and Isaac at his side.

His wish was to be present in the moment when Abraham lifted up his eye and saw Mount Moriah in the distance, the moment when he left the donkeys behind and went alone with Isaac up to the mountain; for what occupied him was not the artful weaving of fantasy, but the shudder of thought.

That man was no thinker; he felt no urge to go beyond faith; it seemed to him that it must be the most glorious thing to be remembered as its father, an enviable lot to possess it, even if no one knew of it.

That man was no learned exegete; he knew no Hebrew; had he known Hebrew, then perhaps he would easily have understood the story of Abraham.

"And God tempted Abraham and said to him: take Isaac, thine only son, whom thou lovest, and go into the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering upon a mountain that I will show thee."

It was early in the morning; Abraham rose early; he had the donkeys saddled, left his tent, and Isaac with him; but Sarah looked out the window after them, down through the valley, until she saw them no more.

They rode silently for three days; on the morning of the fourth day Abraham did not say even a word, but lifted up his eye and saw Mount Moriah in the distance.

He left the boys behind and went alone with Isaac by the hand up to the mountain.

But Abraham said to himself: "I will not, after all, hide from Isaac where this path is leading him."

He stood still; he laid his hand on Isaac's head in blessing, and Isaac bowed to receive it.

And Abraham's countenance was fatherliness; his gaze was gentle, his speech admonishing.

But Isaac could not understand him; his soul could not be lifted up; he clasped Abraham's knees, he pleaded at his feet, he begged for his young life, for his beautiful hope; he reminded him of the joy in Abraham's house, he reminded him of the sorrow and the loneliness.

Then Abraham raised the boy up and walked with him by his hand, and his words were full of comfort and exhortation.

But Isaac could not understand him.

He climbed Mount Moriah, but Isaac did not understand him.

Then he turned away from him for a moment, but when Isaac a second time saw Abraham's countenance, it was changed.

his gaze was wild, his figure was terror.

He seized Isaac by the breast, threw him to the ground, and said: "Foolish boy, do you believe I am your father?

I am an idolater.

Do you believe it is God's command?

No, it is my own lust."

Then Isaac trembled and cried out in his dread: "God in heaven have mercy on me, God of Abraham have mercy on me; if I have no father on earth, then be Thou my father!"

But Abraham said softly to himself: "Lord in heaven, I thank Thee; it is, after all, better that he believe I am a monster than that he should lose his faith in Thee."

* * * When the child is to be weaned, the mother blackens her breast; for it would indeed be a shame that the breast should look inviting when the child may not have it.

Then the child believes that the breast has changed, but the mother, she is the same; her gaze is loving and tender as always.

Blessed is the one who did not need more terrible means to wean the child!

It was early in the morning; Abraham rose early; he embraced Sarah, the bride of his old age, and Sarah kissed Isaac, who had taken her shame from her, her pride, her hope through all generations.

So they rode silently along the road, and Abraham's gaze was fixed on the ground, until on the fourth day he lifted up his eye and saw Mount Moriah far off, but his gaze turned again to the ground.

Silently he laid the firewood in order, bound Isaac, silently he drew the knife; then he saw the ram that God had appointed.

That one he sacrificed, and went home. — — —

From that day on Abraham grew old; he could not forget that God had demanded it of him.

Isaac throve as before; but Abraham's eye was darkened, he saw joy no more.

* * * When the child has grown big and is to be weaned, the mother modestly conceals her bosom, and then the child has no mother any more.

Blessed is the child that did not lose its mother in any other way!

It was early in the morning; Abraham rose early; he kissed Sarah, the young mother, and Sarah kissed Isaac, her delight, her joy for all time.

And Abraham rode thoughtfully along the road; he thought of Hagar and the son whom he had driven out into the wilderness.

He climbed Mount Moriah, he drew the knife.

It was a quiet evening when Abraham rode out alone, and he rode to Mount Moriah; he cast himself upon his face, he begged God to forgive him his sin: that he had been willing to sacrifice Isaac, that the father had forgotten his duty to the son.

He rode his lonely way more often, but he had no peace.

He could not comprehend that it was a sin to have been willing to offer God the best he possessed, that for which he would gladly have given his own life many times over; and if it was a sin, if he had not loved Isaac so, then he could not understand how it could be forgiven; for what sin was more terrible?

When the child is to be weaned, the mother too is not without sorrow, that she and the child are parted more and more; that the child, who first lay beneath her heart, and later rested at her breast, shall no longer be so near.

So they grieve together the short grief.

Blessed is the one who kept the child so near, and did not need to grieve any more!

It was early in the morning; everything was made ready for the journey in Abraham's house.

He took leave of Sarah, and Eliezer, the faithful servant, accompanied him out along the road, until he turned back again.

They rode harmoniously together, Abraham and Isaac, until they came to Mount Moriah.

But Abraham made everything ready for the sacrifice, calm and gentle; but as he turned away and drew the knife, then Isaac saw that Abraham's left hand clenched in despair, that a trembling passed through his body — but Abraham drew the knife.

Then they turned home again, and Sarah hurried to meet them, but Isaac had lost his faith.

Never in the world has a word been said of it, and Isaac never spoke to any human being about what he had seen, and Abraham never suspected that anyone had seen it.

* * * When the child is to be weaned, the mother has the stronger food at hand, so that the child shall not perish.

Blessed is the one who has the stronger food at hand.