The inner Avraham-point in every Jew

גם עשרה נסיונות שנתנסה אאע"ה הי' ג"כ רק עבור בנ"י לדורות.

Also the ten tests with which Avraham Avinu was tested were likewise only for the sake of Bnei Yisrael throughout the generations.

The Sefas Emes teaches that Avraham's ten nisyonos were not for his own sake alone, but were endured on behalf of his descendants for all time.

וז"ש במשנה להודיע חיבתו של א"א.

And this is what the Mishnah means: "to make known the beloved standing (chibaso) of Avraham Avinu" (Avos 5:3).

The Mishnah says the tests were "to make known Avraham's belovedness" — and the Sefas Emes will now explain what this belovedness accomplishes for every Yid.

פי' כי נקודה יש בכל איש ישראל מאברהם אע"ה כן שמעתי מאא"ז מורז"ל.

The explanation is that there is a point (nekudah) within every Yid from Avraham Avinu — so I heard from my grandfather and teacher, of blessed memory.

In the name of his grandfather (the Chiddushei HaRim), the Sefas Emes teaches that every Jew carries within him an inner point inherited from Avraham Avinu.

וכן פי' מגן אברהם שהש"י מגין על נקודה זו כו'.

And so is the meaning of "Shield of Avraham" (Magen Avraham) — that Hashem shields this point.

When we say in davening "Magen Avraham," we mean that Hashem guards and protects this Avraham-point hidden within every Jew.

וע"י הנסיונות נתברר כי נקודת אאע"ה שיש בכל איש ישראל. בכוחה לגבור נגד כל הסתרות עוה"ז.

And through the tests it was made clear that the point of Avraham Avinu, which is in every Yid, has the power to overcome all the concealments (hester) of this world.

By withstanding the nisyonos, Avraham established forever that this inner point has the strength to break through every concealment of Hashem that this world presents.

שהרי עשר נסיונות הם נגד כל בחי' הסתר שיש בעוה"ז.

For the ten tests correspond to every aspect of concealment that exists in this world.

The ten tests stand opposite the full range of hester — every type of hiddenness through which Hashem's presence can be obscured.

ורק מי שבוחר בדרכיהם ורוצה בלב שלם להתדבק ולבטל עצמו אליו ית' יש לו סיוע מכל עבודת אבותינו ע"ה.

And only one who chooses their ways and wishes wholeheartedly to cleave to Him and nullify himself to Him, may He be blessed — he has assistance from all the avodah of our forefathers, peace be upon them.

Whoever sincerely chooses the path of the Avos, seeking dveikus and bittul before Hashem, draws strength from all the spiritual labor of the Avos, which becomes his own support.

וגם עקידת יצחק הי' נכלל במסירת נפשו כל זרעיו הבוחרים בדרכו ועושים כמעשיו.

And also the Akeidah of Yitzchak — included within his self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh) were all his descendants who choose his path and act as he did.

When Yitzchak gave himself over at the Akeidah, all future generations who follow his way were bound up in that act of mesirus nefesh.

וזה שמבקשין זכירת עקידתו כנ"ל (שהוא כעין מסירת מודעא) מאחר שכבר מסרנו עיקר החיות אליו ית' שכל חיותינו שהי' נכלל באבינו יצחק נעקד אליו כנ"ל:

And this is why we ask for the remembrance of his Akeidah (which is like a "declaration of intent" — mesiras moda'ah), since we have already given over the essence of our vitality to Him, may He be blessed, for all our vitality, which was included in our father Yitzchak, was already bound up [as an offering] to Him, as above.

When we ask Hashem to "remember the Akeidah," it functions like a legal declaration affirming a prior commitment: our deepest life-force was already surrendered to Hashem at the Akeidah, since the chiyus of every Yid was contained within Yitzchak when he was bound on the altar.

Summary: Avraham's ten tests and Yitzchak's Akeidah were endured for the sake of all future generations. Every Yid carries an inner "point" from Avraham — which Hashem shields ("Magen Avraham") — with the power to overcome all the world's concealments, and a portion of vitality bound up in Yitzchak's self-sacrifice. Whoever sincerely chooses the path of the Avos in dveikus and bittul draws on all their avodah, and our prayer to "remember the Akeidah" reaffirms that our very life-force was long ago surrendered to Hashem.