While one might assume that Avraham was special in that he sacrificed his son—an act which is extremely difficult and runs contrary to a parent’s natural mercy on their children—this too was something that was done throughout Jewish history.
One such example is brought in the Talmud concerning Chana and her seven sons, who were killed in sanctification of G-d’s Name.
Text 6
...This refers to the woman and her seven sons. They brought the first before the Emperor and said to him, “Serve the idol.” He replied...So they led him away and killed him. They then brought the second before the Emperor and said to him, “Serve the idol.” He replied...So they led him away and killed him. They then brought the next and said to him, “Serve the idol.” He replied...So they led him away and killed him. They then brought the next before the Emperor saying, “Serve the idol.” He replied...So they led him away and killed him. They then brought another and said to him, “Serve the idol.” He replied...So they led him away and killed him. They then brought the next and said to him, “Serve the idol.” He replied...So they led him away and killed him. They brought the next and said to him, “Serve the idol.” He replied...The Emperor said: I will throw down my seal before you and you can stoop down and pick it up, so that they will say of you that you have conformed to the desire of the king. He replied: “Fie on you, Caesar, fie on you, Caesar; if your own honor is so important, how much more the honor of the Holy One, blessed be He!” They were leading him away to kill him when his mother said: “Give him to me that I may kiss him a little.” She said to him: “My son, go and say to your father Avraham, ‘you bound one [son to the] altar, but I have bound seven altars.’” Then she also went up on to a roof and threw herself down and was killed...
Talmud, Gitin 57b
Chana herself implores from her child going to his execution, to tell Avraham that her sacrifice was greater than his. Why, then, do we indeed say that it was specifically Avraham who made the ultimate sacrifice?
