Avraham's trials as preparation for the Torah

במדרש בעקידה נתת ליראיך נס כו' מפני קושט סלה.

In the Midrash regarding the Akeidah: "You have given those who fear You a banner, to be raised aloft — because of truth, selah." (Tehillim 60:6)

The Sefas Emes connects the Akeidas Yitzchak to the verse about Hashem giving a "nes" (banner/miracle) to those who fear Him "because of truth," opening the theme of how Avraham's tests became an enduring legacy.

כי הנסיונות שנתנסה אברהם אבינו הי' הכנה לדורות כי הקב"ה ידע את לבבו.

For the trials with which Avraham Avinu was tested were a preparation for all generations, since Hashem already knew his heart.

Hashem did not need the nisyonos (tests) to discover Avraham's devotion — He already knew it. Their purpose was to lay a foundation for every later generation.

אבל כשהוציא אאע"ה אלה הדברים מכח אל הפועל נעשה מזה הכנה לכל איש ישראל שיוכל לבטל את הטבע בשביל מצות המקום ב"ה ז"ש נס להתנוסס כמ"ש במ"א.

But when Avraham Avinu brought these matters from potential into actuality, this became a preparation for every Jew — that he be able to nullify nature for the sake of the mitzvah of Hashem, may He be blessed. This is "a banner, to be raised aloft," as I have written elsewhere.

By actualizing his readiness through the deed of the Akeidah, Avraham implanted in every Jew the latent power to override nature itself for the sake of Hashem's command — this is the "nes" raised as a lasting banner.

אכן מ"ש מפני קושט.

However, regarding what is said, "because of truth (koshet)" —

The Sefas Emes now turns to clarify why the verse attributes this banner specifically to "truth."

דכתיב תתן אמת ליעקב חסד לאברהם.

As it is written, "You shall give truth to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham." (Michah 7:20)

Scripture pairs Yaakov with "truth" (emes) and Avraham with "kindness" (chesed) — a distinction the Sefas Emes will now unfold.

יעקב הוא שורש התורה והוא בחי' אמת מה שאינו נמצא בעוה"ז דהוא עלמא דשיקרא רק ליעקב ניתן במתנה כח התורה שהיא הנהגה המיוחדת לבנ"י למעלה מהנהגת הטבע.

Yaakov is the root of the Torah, and he is the aspect of truth (emes) — which is not found in this world, for it is a "world of falsehood"; only to Yaakov was given, as a gift, the power of the Torah, which is a mode of Divine conduct unique to Bnei Yisrael, above the conduct of nature.

True emes does not exist in olam hazeh, the "world of falsehood." Yaakov, the root of Torah, was granted as a gift this Torah-power — a supernatural mode of Divine conduct reserved for Bnei Yisrael, transcending the order of nature.

ולפי שאברהם אבינו נתנסה בי' נסיונות וביטל כל הטבע זכה שינתן עשרת הדברות לבני ישראל ולעשות להם עשרה נסים כהמשך המשניות באבות אחר עשרה נסיונות עשרה נסים.

And because Avraham Avinu was tested with ten trials and nullified all of nature, he merited that the Ten Commandments be given to Bnei Yisrael, and that ten miracles be done for them — following the sequence of the Mishnayos in Avos: after "ten trials" comes "ten miracles." (Avos 5:3-4)

Avraham's ten nisyonos, in which he set nature aside for Hashem, earned for Bnei Yisrael both the Aseres HaDibros and the ten miracles — just as Pirkei Avos lists "ten trials" immediately before "ten miracles," cause leading to effect.

ובאמת כח אברהם אבינו לבטל הטבע קודם קבלת התורה הוא דבר גדול מאוד ועליו נאמר מי הקדמני ואשלם.

And in truth, Avraham Avinu's power to nullify nature before the giving of the Torah is something exceedingly great, and concerning it is said, "Who has preceded Me, that I should repay him?" (Iyov 41:3)

To overcome nature for Hashem before the Torah was even given — with no command obligating him — is an extraordinary feat. Of such unbidden devotion Hashem says, "Who acted first, before I commanded, that I must reward him?"

והם שני מתנות אמת ליעקב הוא התורת אמת.

And these are two gifts: "truth to Yaakov" is the Torah of truth.

The first gift is Yaakov's — the Toras emes, the supernatural Torah-order given to Bnei Yisrael.

אבל חסד לאברהם הוא מפני קושט בעוד שהי' עוד עלמא דשיקרא והוא הי' הכנה שיתגלה דרך האמת בעולם זה מפני קושט סלה שיהי' אח"כ מזה הנהגה קבוע לבני ישראל למעלה מהטבע הנהגת התורה האמיתיות.

But "kindness to Avraham" is "because of truth" — while it was still a world of falsehood — and it was the preparation for the way of truth to be revealed in the world. This is "because of truth, selah": that there would afterward come from it a fixed mode of conduct for Bnei Yisrael, above nature — the conduct of the true Torah.

Avraham's gift is chesed because he acted within the "world of falsehood," before truth was revealed, paving the way for emes to enter the world. His self-sacrifice "for the sake of truth" established the permanent supernatural Torah-conduct that Bnei Yisrael would later inherit.

ודו"ק:

And analyze this carefully.

A customary closing inviting the reader to study and weigh the idea further.

Summary: Avraham's ten trials, climaxing in the Akeidah, were not for Hashem's knowledge but to implant in every Jew the power to nullify nature for Hashem's sake. This earned Bnei Yisrael the Torah and its ten miracles. The pasuk pairs Yaakov with "truth" — the supernatural Toras emes — and Avraham with "kindness," because Avraham's self-sacrifice within a "world of falsehood," done "for the sake of truth," was the preparation that allowed the fixed, above-nature conduct of the true Torah to be revealed in the world.