Isaac's Pet Donkey - How He Left His Father and Started a New Life

It might be helpful to familiarize yourself with the Akedah, Genesis 22:1-19, and the G'vurot blessing in the Amidah prayer in the Jewish liturgy prior to reading this.

In the Akedah, Abraham left the two lads with the donkey – the chomer – as he took Isaac off to be sacrificed. He returned to the two lads without Isaac – and they were there without the donkey. The donkey – the chamor – is chumra – stringency – and Abraham had saddled his donkey – his stringency – to be able to murder his son in the service of G!d. But he left the donkey – his stringency – behind to take Isaac up the mountain – and was able to hear the rachmanes – the mercy – of Hashem telling him not to murder his son. But Isaac was able to hear the call of G!d to take up the chamor – his chumra – his stringency – for himself - and left without Abraham, first getting the donkey and riding it off to the next chapter of his life.

It was only by adopting and riding the donkey that Isaac was able to leave the abusive situation he was in and find his own relationship with G!d – ultimately being able, when he went out into the field to meditate – and daven Mincha – that he was able to look up and see camels, gemalim – gemilut chasadim – acts of lovingkindness. 

May we find the gevurah – the strength – to adopt the chumras – the stringencies – that make space for meditating in the field and looking up to see the gemilut chasadim – acts of lovingkindness – we can do – lifting up the fallen, healing the sick, freeing the captives – to be like G!d.