Avraham Avinu
In our busy day to day life what does it mean when we are inspired by faith eventhough most of the time we don't acknowledge expriences, or overcome challenges which we have to reflect upon, sometimes greater than we could ever imagine.
Moments like this, we have to pause, reflect and feel a deeper sense of gratitude. Life offers experiences of faith and wonderful opportunities to consider a way that motivate and pushes us beyond our comfort zone and believing that we are capable of achieving the impossible.
Chazal tells that Avraham faced up til ten tests on his spiritual journey. Akeidas Yitzchak was the tenth test, the most impossible test. Commentators suggested that Avraham's tenth test would be the death of Sarah and to bury her in Me'aras Hamachpeilah. But the tenth test commanded Avraham to sacrifice his own child which was the ultimate test. Fortunately it is was only a test when HaShem commanded him " Do not touch the chilld, and do nothing to him. "
The binding of Yitzchak represents the ultimate Jewish devotion to HaShem.
Avraham was challenged to overcome his grief of losing Sarah as well as with Ephron a deceiful and merciless cheat. Perhaps Avraham's test was a question of understanding, a challenge to view Sarah's death as a opportunity to grow rather than finding a reason to give up.
Faith is not to give up on our responsibilities or an excuse to allow ourselves to say " This situation is out of our hands and lets put it in the hands of HaShem". When we feel like giving up, this is a opportunity to push ourselves even further, all the way to the limit of our ability to the experience of faith.
We are not here to do what comes easy to us, but to achieve the impossible. This is not some objective outside ourselves, but measured by ourselves.
Just like Avraham Avinu we too can overcome our challenges to achieve the impossible and grow.