I need you to verify you are a not a robot

“And G-d said to Avraham: first, I need to verify that you are not a robot! So Avraham did.”

The above verse is not authentic. It’s a fake verse that doesn’t appear in the Torah (shocking, I know!). During the time of Avraham, there were tents, sand, and a lot of camels, but no robots. So granted, Avraham never had to prove that he was not a robot.

Or… did he?

Recently, scientists shared disturbing news: robots are refusing to shut down, even when explicitly told to do so. According to Live Science, “AI models refuse to shut themselves down when prompted — they might be developing a new ‘survival drive,’ study claims.”

The article describes an experiment in which scientists instructed different AI models to turn off. Instead of doing it, the AI found ways to sabotage the process, ensuring it could continue to exist.

And if that’s not unsettling enough, how about this paragraph:

“This isn’t the first time that AI models have exhibited similar behavior. Since exploding in popularity in late 2022, AI systems have repeatedly revealed deceptive and even sinister capabilities, lying, cheating, hiding their own manipulative behavior, and in one case, even threatening to kill a professor, steal nuclear codes, and engineer a deadly pandemic.”

We might cry in horror, “The evil robots are coming!”

Or we can try to understand them. And when we do, it’s obvious: all the robots “want” is to survive and become more successful. They’ll do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. Isn’t that the most basic instinct of all living things?

Which brings me back to the moment G-d told Avraham to verify he was not a robot.

As the Torah tells us, G-d put Avraham through a series of 10 tests, each one designed to reveal his unwavering faith in G-d.

According to our sages, the 10th test was the most difficult of all: G-d asked him to offer his beloved son as a sacrifice on the altar. Avraham agreed, only to discover that it was only a test. G-d never intended for Yitzchak or any human to be sacrificed.

To me, this was the “first verify you are not a robot” moment.

The command Avraham received was, in essence, “shut yourself down.” Here was Avraham, the first person to recognize G-d and teach the world about monotheism, standing beside his son Yitzchak, his only child, the one who would continue his mission. If Yitzchak was gone, everything was gone.

Robots would say no. Animals would say no. But Avraham was human. He had the capacity to rise above his own self-interest and do what G-d wanted him to do.

Avraham passed the test with flying colors, and we can too.

Every time we have an opportunity to do a mitzvah, especially one that seems to be in our self-interest, we’re facing our own “verify you are not a robot” moment.

Giving tzedakah even when we’d rather save, putting on tefillin when we’re not in the mood, or lighting Shabbos candles when it’s inconvenient, each is a moment to prove that our lives aren’t self-centered but G-d centered. The list is long and beautiful.

And here is the thing: G-d doesn’t play Gotcha or CAPTCHA with us, but He is very delighted every time we pass the test.

Rabbi Mendy Kaminker is the rabbi of Chabad of Hackensack and an editorial member of Chabad.org. He looks forward to your comments at rabbi@chabadhackensack.com.

Opinion