GEN1124 Maimonides does not think that life is a test. He does not believe that God is obligated to requite anyone.  He rejects the rabbinic, midrashic idea of the sufferings of love as unbiblical and untrue. Nowhere in the Torah is this doctrine stated, he says.   Nowhere is it even hinted, except in the binding of Isaac [this Chapter], where the notion has been read into the text quite improperly “that God causes injuries to descend upon a person who has not previously sinned in order to increase that person’s reward.”   Many of the Rabbis, Maimonides explains, rejected this idea of the sufferings of love; and rightly so, for the doctrine is incompatible with God’s justice Guide [for the Perplexed] III, 17, 24. On the contrary, “The biblical principle is diametrically opposite to this view and is enunciated in His words: “A God of faithfulness and without injustice” Deuteronomy 32:4.  JHRHV 68

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GEN1126 A man should take heed that when he makes a banquet at the occasion of the performance of a mitzvah—such as a circumcision or betrothal or wedding or Bar-Mitzvah—that he include among his invited guests the poor and the destitute, and that he take care to speak pleasantly to them. For if one makes such a party for his son or daughter and fails to invite the poor, then the wicked Lilith and Samael raise accusations against him and they bring pain and other evil times upon him.  That is what the Midrash teaches us concerning the banquet prepared b our father Abram.  The story of the Akedah [the binding of Isaac by Abraham as a sacrifice] is introduced with the words, “after these devarim” [this verse]. Usually devarim means “things”; but it can also mean “words.”   Here, the Midrash says, it refers to the words of accusation spoken by Satan against Abraham about the “great feast” he had made at the time Isaac was weaned Genesis 21:8.  To this feast Abraham had invited all the great men of his generation—but no poor men were included.  Satan’s charges against Abraham were accepted, and the Holy One said to Abraham, “Take your son, our only son, your beloved, even Isaac … and offer him up as a burnt offering” Genesis 22:2.  It was as a result of this episode that Sarah died as the Torah gores onto relate.   We find the same thing concerning Job.   He made a banquet for his sons, but neglected to invite poor people.  As a result Satan kept accusing Job before God, until he caused the death of Job’s sons and daughters and took away from him his wealth and his cattle.   He did not rest until he brought upon him great personal suffering.  Therefore, let everyone who makes a feast remember to invite the poor, so that the accuser [Satan] may no longer accuse.   To the contrary, as we are told in Midrash Tanhuma, when a man does invite the poor to participate in his feast, then his accusers become his defenders.   GOODSOC 178-9

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GEN1127 See [[GEN1000]] Genesis 18:19 way AGUS 32-34

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GEN1128 A mishnah [Ethics of the Fathers 1:6] … uses a strange verb in referring to becoming friends.  In quoting the statement of Yehosuah Ben Prachya about how to properly behave in life, the mishnah says “acquire for yourself a friend.”   But the literal translation is “Buy yourself a friend.” How does one buy a friend? Is friendship, then, a function of wealth?   It is clear that the means of buying referred to in the mishnah is not money.   Rather, just as a money transaction is, in reality, an exchange of money for a good or service, so, too, a friendship is an exchange.   The material of exchange in a friendship is mutual experience and giving to the other person.   Thus, a friendship is “bought” through an exchange of give and take, a giving of oneself and a receiving from the other person. The word for friend, chaver, comes from the Hebrew verb lechaber, to unite to blend together.  Thus, two friends unite into one by each giving of himself or herself to acquire that friendship. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsh Commentary to this verse claims that the meaning of the word for love or friendship, ahav, is derived from two Aramaic words meaning “I give.” Thus, friendship implies giving more than taking.  AMEMEI 77

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GEN1129 See [[GEN1126]] Genesis 22:1 words GOODSOC 178-9

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GEN1132 There is a concept of urgency and of “rushing” to perform commandments.   Judaism lauds the person who gets up especially early to do a mitzvah as soon as possible. Rosh Hashana 32b, based on [this verse] describing Abraham, who arose especially early to fulfill God’s word in readiness to sacrifice his son Isaac.   Therefore, it is customary to try to do a time-bound mitzvah as early as possible, such as performing a brit milah (ritual circumcision) as early as possible in the morning of the eighth day of a baby boy’s life.  Shulchan Aruch, Toreh De’ah 262:1.  AMEMEI 283

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GEN1130 See [[GEN922]] Genesis 18:6 hastened BOROJMV 89-90

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GEN1131 The second aspect of enthusiasm involves finding and expressing the energy needed to complete a task.  As important as it is to be quick off the mark, it is equally important to sustain energy throughout the whole enterprise. … the sages said, “A mitzvah is judged only upon its completion.”   Kiddushin 40a.  As much as we like to comfort ourselves otherwise, good intentions are not enough.   MORINIS 128

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GEN1133 Zeal is a great virtue that promotes Torah and mitzvos and also worldly progress.   It is a trait of the righteous.   By acting with zeal the righteous arrive at Divine serve.  Our Sages of blessed memory have said Pesachim 4a: “The zealous advance themselves towards the doing of mitzvos.” This can be seen in the case of our father Avraham in the incident of the binding of Yitzchak, as it is written [this verse].   Even though it was understandably difficult for him to slaughter his only son, he did the will of the Exalted Creator with zeal, rising early in the morning.   … When a man frees his heart of all other thoughts that reside in it and seizes upon one thought, then he will undoubtedly be zealous in its execution.   This is what Avraham did. He removed from his heart the love of his son and held on to the will of his Creator, and he negated the love of his son before the love of the will of his Blessed Creator.  … It is for this reason that the Holy One Blessed be He swore to Avraham to remember for his seed the binding of Yitzchak.   TZADIK 283

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GEN1134 One [is permitted to] mislead others so as to avoid sharing information with them that they have no need – and no right – to know.   When Abraham was commanded by God to sacrifice his son Isaac, he set off for the mountain where God had instructed him to carry out the sacrifice, along with his son and several servants. When they arrived at the site, Abraham, who had no wish to share what he was planning to do with the servants, told them [this verse].  A short time later, God sent an angel to stop Abraham from carrying out the sacrifice (verse 12).  But at the time Abraham told the servants, “we will return to you,” he had every reason to believe this to be a lie.  Abraham apparently reasoned that what would happen that day was between God, Isaac, and himself, and did not concern the servants.   Perhaps he also feared that if he simply said, “The boy and I will go up there,” and nothing more, they might follow along and thwart his intended sacrifice.   TELVOL 1:449

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