HaSh-m was instructing Avraham to take his son; why does He add "Na" (please)?
Rashi: He was indirectly pleading with Avraham to pass this last (and most difficult) of all the ten tests, so that people should not belittle his achievement in passing the first nine.
Targum Onkelus and Targum Yonasan: "Na" actually means (not 'please,' but) 'now.'
Seeing as there was only one Yitzchak, why did HaSh-m see fit to add "Es Bincha" and "Es Yechidcha"?
Rashi #1: In order to soften the impact. Had He told him directly, people would have said that Avraham only obeyed HaSh-m because he was confused. 1
Rashi #2: To make sure that he got the message loud and clear, thereby endearing the Mitzvah on him.
Rashi #3: Bearing in mind that every word that Avraham spoke was in the service of HaSh-m, and therefore earned him reward, HaSh-m wanted to add to his reward, by commenting that he had two sons and that each one was an only son to his mother - before finally concluding "Yitzchak."
Ramban: HaSh-m was stressing that Yitzchak was not only his son (whom every father loves dearly), but the son of his main wife Sarah, who alone was called 'Zera' - to magnify the Mitzvah and to give him more reward.
Why is Yerushalayim referred to as 'Eretz ha'Moriyah'?
Rashi #1: Because Hora'ah (Pesak Halachah) was destined to go out from Yerushalayim. 1
Targum Onkelus (according to Rashi) 2 : 'The land of Avodas HaSh-m' - with reference to the Ketores (the most beloved of all the Korbanos [whose first ingredient was 'Mor']) which Yisrael would later offer in Yerushalayim.
Targum Onkelus (according to the Ramban): The location where people worshipped HaSh-m. 3 In that case, "Moriyah" stems from the word "Mora" - where they feared HaSh-m 4 and sacrificed to Him.
Ramban: It was called by that name because the precious spice Mor (myrrh) grew there.
Rashbam: It is missing an 'Alef,' 5 and means simply 'the Land of the Emori.'
Because that is where the Beis-Din ha'Gadol sat.
The Ramban cites this in the name of the Bereishis Rabah, which in turn, bases it on the Pasuk in Shir ha'Shirim, (4:6) which refers to Yerushalayim as "Har ha'Mor."
With reference to Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer - that HaSh-m showed Avraham the Mizbe'ach (on which Adam, Kayin and Hevel and Noach sacrificed) which was located there. Refer to 22:9:1:1.
Rashbam: A missing Alef is common - see for example Shemos 10:21.
What was the greatest aspect of the test?
Rashi (in Va?eira Sh?mos 6:1): In spite of having promised him "Ki be'Yitzchak Yikarei Lecha Zara" - Bereishis 21:12, Avraham did not query Hashem when He now told him to bring him up as an Olah.
The commentaries give a number of other answers ? one of them, that he arose early in the morning to fulfil the command, without the least delay; aanother, that, after being ordered to desist, Avraham showed not the least sign of relief, only of a will to nevertheless perform the Mitzvah.
Having promised Avraham that his seed will be called through Yitzchak (21:12), how could HaSh-m now order him to bring him up for an Olah?
Rashi (to 22:12): HaSh-m did not command him to sacrifice Yitzchak, but to bring him up [on a Mizbe'ach] l'Olah (like an Olah), and it was Avraham who jumped to the wrong conclusion. Having brought him up, He then ordered him to take him down. 1
Refer to 22:12:2:1. Hence when He ordered Avraham to desist, He was not changing His mind (as this is not something that HaSh-m does - see Bamidbar 23:19).
Why did HaSh-m choose specifically Har ha'Moriyah for the Akeidah?
Ramban #1: So that the merit of the Akeidah would be permanently attached to the mountain on which the Beis-Ha'Mikdash would be built.
Ramban #2: Because it was three days journey from where Avraham lived. Had HaSh-m ordered him to bring up Yitzchak immediately, people would have said that he was confused. 1
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "Avraham said, 'I love both of them!'" But Rashi wrote earlier (Rashi to 21:14) that Avraham sent Yishmael away penniless, because he had left the proper path?
Rashi writes: "'Your son [whom you love, Yitzchak]' -... To endear the Mitzvah to him, and give him reward for each word." Rashi comments further - "'On one of the mountains' - HaSh-m puzzles the righteous, and only later reveals it to them, to increase their reward."Isn't there a contradiction between these two comments; does greater clarity increase or decrease the reward?
Mizrachi (to 12:2): In the first comment, the added words, "your son, whom you love" would endear Yitzchak to him, and make the Mitzvah more difficult, earning more reward. In the second, the added reward was for a different reason, for the anticipation of waiting for HaSh-m to clarify His command. 1
Gur Aryeh (to 12:2): The righteous worry in anticipation, how to do their Creator's will [when it is not clear to them at the outset]. This explains both comments in Rashi. HaSh-m first said, "your son, whom you love," and only then clarified that He was referring to Yitzchak. 2
