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Isaac Through the Eyes of Kabbalah

1. Why was Avraham's name changed? Why permanently?
   "Your name shall no longer be called Avram, for Avraham shall be your name, for I have made you the father (Av) of many (hamon) nations."
2. Why was Yaakov's name changed? Why not permanently?
3. What does Avraham represent? Isaac? Jacob?
4. What is Divine light?
5. What is contraction?
6. How are love and greatness connected to light and contraction?
7. What are the "worlds"?
8. The forefathers are a reflection and a stimulus to the Divine presence in this world.

Kedushas Levi
That which the name of Avraham and Sarah were changed and not Isaac, it is because the attribute of kindness (love) indicates a spreading of the divine light and clarity of the Creator Blessed Be He. And when this spreading comes to the wold it needs to contain itself. And the clarity is diminished as it goes form world to world in order for the lower worlds to be able to accept  it.

That is why Avraham's  name was changed from Avram to Avraham, for Avram was before it spread in this world and the clarity was great, but after the spreading in this world, it was constrained and diminished and that's why he is called Avraham to be able to contain the love). But Isaac who was indicative of contraction, his name was not changed from world to world and therefore his name didn't change. And therefore Avram couldn't have children until it spread in this world.

But Jacob who is the middle of the attributes between kindness and greatness which indicate spreading and contraction, from the side of kindness he should have changed his name but from the side of contraction he need not change it, therefore the name of Jacob was not uprooted, and he could have children before he was Israel. And when we are called Israel we are at the highest level for it indicative of the kindness when it is spread and came to this world through contraction. That is what it means that he "overcame God" that he overcame the love of God so that God contracted all his love to  Israel and called us his children as a father contracts his smarts to explain something to his child, and that is his pleasure. That is what it says, "Israel whom in you I shall be glorified" (enjoy).

Summary: Why were Avraham and Sarah's names changed? They represent love. Love requires contraction. The change of name indicates contraction. Isaac is greatness. Greatness is contraction. Contraction needs no contraction into a new name. Jacob was a mixture of love and greatness. From the side of love he needed to change his name in order to contract and receive the love. From the side of greatness which is pre-contracted, he needn't change his name. When Israel are living up to themselves, they are called Israel, a reflection of G-d's love.

Isaac is the highest
Based on Reb Tzadok and the Frystiger: One who fears, sees. Isaac saw the sparks in Esav, and can see a blessing in Jacob even when he will act like Esav.

Reb Tzadok: The world was supposed to be based on judgement. Isaac is in this realm. In the world to come, only he will be able to argue the Jewish cause, because he is in the realm of the world to come, judgement.

Ibid. See the blessing of greatness of G-d in the Amidah. G-d heals the sick, uplifts the downtrodden. The attribute that makes them sick has the power to heal. Only Isaac prays for his wife. He has the ability of tikun, fixing. Therefore, mincha, Isaac's prayer is the most important.  His claim to G-d is that it is his inclination to hide, contract, which leads to sin, so G-d is responsible for the sins.

Ibid: True fear makes you feel confident that G-d always cares. This leads to joy, tzechok, Yitzchak.

Isaac Inheres Avraham's attribute Ohev Yisrael, Reb Avraham Yehoshua Heschel, the Opter Rebbe: Greatness inheres kindness Avraham is the one who always wants to bring people close to G-d and do kindness with every man and woman, and he is the resting place of G-d on the right side, and with that he opened the gate of supreme love in the world. Isaac is fear and greatness, to spread the fear of Divine justice to fear Him not to be punished, for all are punished according to their actions, without regard to status. Isaac paid no honor to the king of the Philistines, as he said "why have you come to me and you hated me?"

Actually though, Isaac's root is in kindness, but those lights of love are hidden in this left side. Showing openly is only judgement and greatness. Today we cannot enjoy the love because the shells reign and the left is dominant, so we can only bring love from kindness until the messiah comes. Then the light will shine forth from all the attributes. This is what it means, "These are the offspring of Isaac son of Avraham.  Avraham gave birth to Isaac." We need to unplug all the wells as Isaac did to bring out kindness from the Torah.

Ishbitzer Rebbe: Mei Shashiloach: Avraham represents the desire to spread the Torah. Isaac represents the spreading of that desire. Youth is like Avraham. Middle age is like Isaac. We need to keep the desire going.