Masechet Avot, Perek Heh (Chapter Five), Mishnah Gimel (Mishnah Three). The Mishnah says, “Asarah Nisyonot Nitnasah Avraham Avinu (Abraham our father), alav hashalom (peace be upon him), ve'amad bekulam.” Avraham Avinu was tested with ten different tests, and he passed every single one of them. He passed all the tests that Hashem threw at him.
The ten tests, according to the Bartenura, were these: Number one, he was thrown into the fiery furnace by Nimrod. Number two, Hashem told him, “Lech Lecha, leave your land and go to a foreign land.” Number three, when he got to that foreign land, Eretz Kena'an, he was faced with a famine. Number four, he had to go to Egypt, and then his wife was taken by the ruler of Egypt, Paro. Number five was the war of the four kings versus the five kings. He had to fight those four kings who captured his nephew Lot. Number six was the prophecy of Brit Bein HaBetarim (Covenant Between the Pieces): even though he was going through all of this, he had to understand that his grandchildren and great-grandchildren would be taken captive. They would have to be slaves in Eretz Lo Lahem, in a land that isn't theirs, in Mitzrayim (Egypt). Number seven was Brit Milah (covenant of circumcision) at the age of 99. Number eight, his wife was taken once more by Avimelech, the king of Gerar. Number nine was having to chase away his wife Hagar and their son Yishmael. And lastly, Akedat Yitzchak, the sacrifice that he was told to bring his son Yitzchak to Har HaMoriah and to sacrifice him all over there.
What was the purpose of giving him all of these tests? He had all of these tests to make it known to people how great the love of Avraham Avinu, Avraham our father, for Hashem is. Over here, we're calling him Avraham Avinu, Avraham our father. Avraham Avinu never challenged Hashem whatsoever. He did everything. He did everything that Hashem told him, and he didn't complain whatsoever. And because of that, what are we trying to do? We're tying ourselves into that. We're calling him Avraham our father over here, unlike the last Mishnah, to say that we're his descendants.
And if Avraham Avinu had that ability to pass every test that was thrown at him, we, his descendants as well, have it in our spiritual makeup, our DNA, that we're going to have the ability to pass tests as well. Avraham Avinu was given these tests to show that anybody has the ability to get through any challenge they're dealing with. And of course, we, the children of Avraham Avinu, could do whatever was thrown at us and accomplish a tremendous amount. And there's nothing that stands in the way of Ratzon, of our will.