Part of our slichos davening during the Days of Awe and now for בה''ב is that our prayers be answered as Avraham Avinu was answered at Mount Moriah -- at the עקידה/the binding of Yitzchak. Obviously that was an incredible experience for both our ancestors and for all generations of Jews since then. The עקידה is a core part of our davening whenever we are looking for merit. I always understood the merit to be that Avraham and Yitzchak were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for Avodas HaShem. That is certainly true. The question though, is what does that have to do with davening? Where do you see that Avraham Avinu davened in that monumental event?
I saw this question in R' Matisyahu Salomon on the 10 Days of Repentance. I don't know about you, but I feel pretty pressured to say all the words of slichos as fast as I can. At the end of each section, when the chazan starts a new slicha/paragraph, I skip to there also. (R' Fuerst advised me to do that!) I try to pay attention to what I am saying, but... Anyway, when I saw that question, I was a bit stunned. I mean, yeah... where did our illustrious ancestor daven in the story of the עקידה?
Again, I don't know about you, but my picture of the events of the עקידה is Avraham Avinu getting the command, then getting up early to saddle his own donkey in preparation for this monumental task that comes after a lifetime of Avodas HaShem. This is obviously the greatest test of Avraham Avinu's life; he must know that. I picture him as focused and intense; every fiber of his being -- physical and spiritual -- trained on the task at hand. When Yitchak, his beloved and only son, asks where is the lamb for the offering, Avraham answers in a way that Yitzchak understands that he is the offering. Father and son continue together, both committed to their shared mission. (Rashi to B'reishis 23:8) Yitzchak asks to be bound so as not to incur a blemish; he wants to be a perfect sacrifice. Avraham stretches out his hand, he takes the knife to slaughter his son, as that is רצון השם/HaShem's Will. Avraham is stopped at the last moment, but even then is ready to at least make a small wound. (Rashi to B'reishis 23:12)
Awe inspiring. Intense. Where is the davening?
Look back at that Rashi to B'reishis 23:8; not the end that we all know, but the beginning of that Rashi. "He (HaShem) will see and choose for Himself a lamb, and if not, then (you) my son will be the offering." Wait... Why did Avraham Avinu say that HaShem will choose a lamb? He knows why he is here, his whole being is focused on one thing: to bring his son, Yitzchak, as an offering. Says the Shelah, that was Avraham Avinu's t'filah. The medrash says that by the time they got to the altar and Avraham was preparing to slaughter his son, as he was convinced that was רצון השם/HaShem's Will, his clothes were drenched in his tears. Avraham Avinu was not stoically marching to do רצון השם/HaShem's Will. He certainly was marching. He certainly was focused. Yitzchak Avinu was also focused and intent on doing רצון השם/HaShem's Will.
But there was nothing stoic about this act. The entire time, Avraham Avinu was prepared and ready to do רצון השם/HaShem's Will. But not stoically. Anything by stoically. Avraham Avinu was weeping and praying the entire time for a miracle, for his son to be saved and to not have to slaughter his son, his only son, his beloved son, his Yitzchak. Avraham was absolutely committed to carrying out רצון השם/HaShem's Will to the last detail. At the same time, Avraham Avinu was weeping and praying for a miracle.
That, says R' Matisyahu Salomon, z"tzl, is how we need to daven. Of course we have to commit ourselves, our whole being, to Avodas HaShem and doing רצון השם/HaShem's Will. But our t'filos, our prayers, have to be real. We have to express what we really feel and really desire. We can and should daven for miracles. We can't expect miracles, but we can daven for them -- with passion and desire -- like Avraham Avinu at Mount Moriah.
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