Years later, when Yitzchak was already 37 years old, HaShem called to Avrohom: "Avrohom, I want you to go up to the mountain with your son, Yitzchak, and I want you to bring him up for a sacrifice there for me."
Had Avrohom heard that right? Sacrifice his one and only son, for whom he had prayed and waited for so long, and from whom HaShem had promised to make a great nation? Could this possibly be what HaShem wanted of him?
It was indeed what HaShem had asked him to do. It was a test, the most difficult test you could imagine. And Avrohom was ready to do whatever HaShem asked of him.
Avrohom didn't waste a moment. He woke up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. Then, together with his sons, Yitzchak and Yishmael, and his servant Eliezer, Avrohom set out on his mission.
For three days they traveled, until they saw a special cloud on top of Mount Moriah, and they knew they had found the right place.
When they got there, Yishmael and Eliezer waited at the bottom, and Avrohom climbed to the top with Yitzchak. Avrohom carried a knife, and Yitzchak carried wood for a fire. When they reached the top, Yitzchak realized that they had everything they needed for a sacrifice - except the animal.
"What is going on?" he asked his father.
Avrohom answered him, "Yitzchak, my son, HaShem has chosen you to be the sacrifice."
Yitzchak was also a very righteous man who was faithful to HaShem. He courageously asked his father to tie his hands and feet and place him on the altar so he wouldn't move around! (This event is known as the Akeidat Yitzchak (The Binding of Yitzchak.)
Avrohom built a mizbeyach (altar) and placed his son on it. He had the knife in his hand and was just about to do the sacrifice, when HaShem's angel Michoel swooped down and called out: "Stop! You don't have to do it! You have passed the final, most difficult test! Mazel tov! Congratulations!"
At that moment, Avrohom noticed from a distance a ram that had gotten caught in a bush by its horns. He untied his son and, with great joy, sacrificed the ram instead.
