The Tenth Test

The Tenth Test

הרב זכריה טובי
ראש הכולל

The Mishna in Avot (5:3) teaches: "Avraham Avinu, of blessed memory, was tested with ten tests and he withstood them all, to show how great the love of Avraham Avinu was."

What are the ten tests? The Mishna does not specify. Rashi in his commentary to Avot provides one list, whereas the Rambam provides another. However, both agree that the tenth test was Akeidat Yitzchak, the most difficult test, and that the order of the tests was of increasing difficulty.

However, R. Yona in his commentary to Avot writes that the final test was the burial of Sara, whereas the test of the akeida was the ninth. This seems very difficult, as the test of the akeida was the most difficult, as it says, "Now I know that you are G-d fearing." (Bereishit 22:12) How is it possible that the test of acquiring the Cave of Machpela for the purpose of burying Sara should be greater than the test of the akeidah?

However, there is proof for R. Yona in the Gemara (Bava Batra 16a):

"The Satan answered Hashem and said, 'From wandering and walking about the earth.'" (Iyov 1:7) [The Satan] said before Him: Master of the Universe, I wandered about the whole world, and I did not find [anyone] like Your servant Avraham, whom you told: "Walk about the land through its length and breadth! For to you I will give it" (13:17), and when he wanted to bury Sara he did not find a place to bury her, and [yet] he did not question your ways.

It is clear from here that this was the most difficult test, since the Satan mentioned only this test and not the others, not even the test of the akeidah. The question is: Why was the test of Sara's burial greater than the test of the akeidah?

We can explain that after the test of the akeidah Avraham reached a very lofty spiritual level, so that G-d testified about him, "Now I know that you are G-d-fearing." (Bereishit 22:18) Precisely because of this, it was difficult for Avraham to descend from this spiritual level and to deal with down-to-earth issues of negotiating to purchase the Cave of Machpela, which was really his anyway. This was a great test for Avraham, to see whether he would sanctify G-d's Name in the simple day-by-day issues, even when the Promised Land belongs to him.

Therefore, R. Yona writes that the test of Sara's burial, which comes immediately after the test of the akeidah, to go from the tremendous spiritual elevation of Avraham Avinu to dealing with trivial issues of business with a lowly person such as Ephron - here the true greatness of Avraham Avinu is evident.

Thus, the most impressive verse in the portion of the akeidah is the verse: "Avraham returned to his young men, and they stood up and went together to Be'er Sheva." (22:19) Notwithstanding the spiritual elevation of that test, Avraham returns to his young men. He does not become haughty, and remains like one of his young men, as Chazal teach, "to his young men - to his youth." He returned to be a beginner in the service of Hashem like a young man. This is true greatness, and therefore the tenth test is the test of the burial.

A perfect example of this we find in the Gemara Avoda Zara (18b), where the Gemara tells of R. Chanina b. Tradion who would sit and teach Torah and hold public gatherings with a sefer Torah in his lap despite the Roman decrees prohibiting Torah:

When R. Yosi b. Kisma was sick, R. Chanina b. Tradion went to visit him. [R. Yosi] said to him: "Chanina, my brother, do you not know that this nation was appointed from Heaven; it destroyed His house, burned His Sanctuary, murdered his pious ones, destroyed His good ones, and it still remains. Yet, I hear about you that you sit and teach Torah and gather public groups! [R. Chanina] said to him: Let Heaven have mercy. [R. Yosi] said to him: I am talking logic and you say, "Let Heaven have mercy?!" I would be surprised if they will not burn you and your Sefer Torah. [R. Chanina] said to him: Rebbe, will I merit Olam Haba? He said to him: Did a case ever come to your hand? [R. Chanina] said to him: Rebbe, my Purim money got mixed up with coins of charity, and I distributed it to the poor. [R. Yosi] said to him: If so, may my share be of your share, and my lot be of your lot.

This is fascinating! R. Chanina, who dedicates himself to teaching Torah and holding public gatherings, asks if he will merit the world to come? And what is the answer, that Purim money got mixed with charity money and he distributed it to the poor; what is a simple action such as this, compared to his self-sacrifice for Torah?! The answer is that the test of great people such as R. Chanina is measured in the little acts of daily life, and this is the great test of those Torah giants who sacrifice themselves for the sake of Heaven.

 

 

קוד השיעור: 3590

סרוק כדי להעלות את השיעור באתר:

(Translated by Rav Meir Orlian)

לשליחת שאלה או הארה בנוגע לשיעור:




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