Parshat Shavua Vayeira, Akeidat Yitzchak, Testing Issac

Bereishit, Genesis 22, Vayeira

We could spend a whole year studying the Torah Portion Vayeira, and I've written about it before. There's so much in it, narrative, theology etc. One of my pet peeves is the totally inaccurate translation of the term  עֲקֵדַת יִצְחָק, Akeidat Yitzchak, as the "Sacrifice" of Issac. Issac wasn't sacrificed, wasn't killed. The more accurate meaning of the word is "binding," and here it's not in a physical sense. Issac proved his commitment to Gd, so he could follow his father Abraham as leader of the new nation.

I believe that Abraham understood that this was a Divine test. It was already clear to everyone that his older son Ishmael didn't have any of the necessary characteristics needed to lead, but Issac had to be put to a very serious test.

As parents, we sometimes must witness our children's struggles. We can't take their place or stop it. It wasn't easy for our forefather Abraham to cooperate administrating this frightening test on his beloved son. But he played the role perfectly, and that's why Gd praised him afterwards.

Abraham was then able to "retire" as "national leader," but he still had to marry off Issac. More about that next week in חיי שרה Chayei Sarah, the Lifetime of Sarah.

The "Sacrifice" of Issac to Serve Gd and The Jewish People

credit העקדה באיור איסלאמי בשיראז

I really don't like the English title/translation of the Torah story we read this Shabbat, The "Sacrifice" of Issac. The Hebrew עקידת יצחק Akeidat Yitzchak doesn't really mean "sacrifice," like "killing." Remember that as the story ends, Issac does not die. A ram was slaughtered/sacrificed and when Issac next appears in the Biblical narrative, he gets married and has twin sons.

And also, unlike in this old illustration and the way many people read/understand the story, Issac was not a child; he was a man in his late thirties. He could easily have gotten out of his very elderly father's grip and escaped.

Issac was willingly bound to his responsibilities and role he inherited from his father Abraham. This father-son bonding trip to the "place Gd showed" Abraham was Issac's final test. It's also a continuation of the לך לך Lech Lecha Go, you go order Gd had given Abraham when He said to go to the "Land I  will show you."

Genesis Chapter 22

And He said, "Please take your son, your only one, whom you love, yea, Isaac, and go away to the land of Moriah and bring him up there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains, of which I will tell you."

בוַיֹּ֡אמֶר קַח־נָ֠א אֶת־בִּנְךָ֨ אֶת־יְחִֽידְךָ֤ אֲשֶׁר־אָהַ֨בְתָּ֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְלֶ֨ךְ־לְךָ֔ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ הַמֹּֽרִיָּ֑ה וְהַֽעֲלֵ֤הוּ שָׁם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה עַ֚ל אַחַ֣ד הֶֽהָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ:

Yes, again לך לך, not the most common command in the Bible. And when Issac asked his father what would be sacrificed, Abraham answered "ח "וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֱלֹהִ֞ים יִרְאֶה־לּ֥וֹ  8- "Gd will show..." using another of the key words from  לך לך Lech Lecha Go, you go, Genesis Chapter 12.

And as this potentially frightening story of how Issac and Abraham are tested ends with a happy ending, the letters ר א appear a number of times in verses 14-16:

2And he said, "Do not stretch forth your hand to the lad, nor do the slightest thing to him, for now I know that you are a God fearing man, and you did not withhold your son, your only one, from Me."		יבוַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַל־תִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָֽדְךָ֙ אֶל־הַנַּ֔עַר וְאַל־תַּ֥עַשׂ ל֖וֹ מְא֑וּמָה כִּ֣י | עַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־יְרֵ֤א אֱלֹהִים֙ אַ֔תָּה וְלֹ֥א חָשַׂ֛כְתָּ אֶת־בִּנְךָ֥ אֶת־יְחִֽידְךָ֖ מִמֶּֽנִּי:
13And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he saw, and lo! there was a ram, [and] after [that] it was caught in a tree by its horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.		יגוַיִּשָּׂ֨א אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ וְהִנֵּה־אַ֔יִל אַחַ֕ר נֶֽאֱחַ֥ז בַּסְּבַ֖ךְ בְּקַרְנָ֑יו וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אַבְרָהָם֙ וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֶת־הָאַ֔יִל וַיַּֽעֲלֵ֥הוּ לְעֹלָ֖ה תַּ֥חַת בְּנֽוֹ:
14And Abraham named that place, The Lord will see, as it is said to this day: On the mountain, the Lord will be seen.		ידוַיִּקְרָ֧א אַבְרָהָ֛ם שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא יְהֹוָ֣ה | יִרְאֶ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ יֵֽאָמֵ֣ר הַיּ֔וֹם בְּהַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה יֵֽרָאֶֽה:

Each year as I learn this Torah Portion anew, I become more and more convinced that Issac is being tested more than his father, Abraham. Abraham and Gd have been partners for years, and now it's time for Issac to be initiated into that small select group.

As terrified as Abraham was at losing his precious son, he knew that just as he answered Issac, Gd would show them what to sacrifice in the nick of time, just as it happened. Lihavdil, yes, differently, it reminds me of how I feel sometimes when I'm waiting for a ride/tremp/bus. Time is passing, I'm tired, late, cold, hungry-whatever, and I have no idea how long and who will rescue me, but all along I say to myself:

"It will be fine."
"I will get a ride."
"I don't know when, but it will all work out."

And yes, it does. At no point do we see any sign that Issac is trying to escape. He shows complete and utter faith that his father is doing the right thing, because his father is doing what Gd had commanded. A couple of hundred years later, Nachshon jumps into the sea, which causes it to part into a dry pathway for the Jewish People to escape from Egypt. He, too, had the faith of Issac, because if Issac had fought Abraham and escaped, Abraham would have needed a new son to take over. And if Nachshon hadn't jumped into the water the Jewish People would have been slaughtered by the Egyptians.

 עקידת יצחק Akeidat Yitzchak is the Binding of Issac to Gd and his role as inheritor of Abraham's responsibilities.

There are times when we must do what appears dangerous or illogical to some, but they are the right things to do. When my husband and I got on that boat to Israel, barely two months after our wedding in 1970, no doubt there were many who thought us foolish. But I never had a second's doubt that it was the right thing to do. And here we are forty-six years later, and I can't imagine living any place else.

Shavua Tov

Have a Wonderful Week

The Sacrifice/Binding of Isaac versus the Prince William and Kate Gossip

Please trust me, this is really about the Parshat Shavua, Torah Portion of the Week, וַיֵּרָא Vayaira, "And the LORD appeared," concentrating on the last part, which is known as "the Sacrifice of Issac," even though Issac, Abraham's beloved son doesn't die. The Biblical text can be found in Bereishit, Genesis  Chapter 22.

Frequently when I mention something about this Biblical narrative, I stress that Issac didn't die. It bothers me so much when I hear people refer to it as the "sacrifice" of Issac. This is the rather incomprehensible story of G-d ordering Abraham to take the son who G-d gave to him and Sarah strictly for the purpose of continuing the line so that Abraham's descendants would be a great nation. Child sacrifice is forbidden by Jewish Law, and Issac was in his thirties, though still single when this happens. Abraham ties the cooperating Issac and is about to slaughter him when at the very last second, he's told to stop.

Now, remember that this is not referred to as Abraham's story. He's not in the given title. And the Hebrew for it is עֲקֵדַת יִצְחָק  Akeidat Yitzchak, The Binding of Issac. The "binding" here isn't a lesson in sailors knots. I see this as a test for Issac more than a test for Abraham.

The life of a public leader isn't easy. It wasn't enough that Issac was born to Abraham and Sarah and raised by them. He had to accept that his life wouldn't be a normal, easy one. None of his time would be personal time. Every move and every decision would have ramifications for centuries, millennia, forever, since the Jewish People is eternal.

And what has this to do with Prince William and his wife Kate? There have been articles on yahoo that he has announced that he doesn't want the throne, certainly not soon. He prefers that his father be king. Prince William and Kate prefer living like ordinary people. The past few months, when Kate has been suffering from severe "morning sickness," she did what many people do, she took her toddler with her and went to her parents for help. She prefered that to staying in their palace apartment and being cared for by servants. Money isn't their problem. Kate was raised by her parents, and in a time of difficulty, that's where she wanted to be. That is not the way of the British royal family, or at least it hasn't been yet.

Prince William was and is tied to his duties, and the gossip columnists had plenty to write about. I honestly feel sorry for him. He's between a rock and a hard place, between his grandmother, the Queen of England, and his beloved wife, pregnant with their second child.

Back to our forefather Isaac. It was only after Isaac had passed the test and allowed himself to be fully bound to his task leading G-d's people that Abraham sent his trusted servant to find a wife for him. That story we'll read about next week...

Shavua Tov
Have a Wonderful Week

Rosh Hashannah Torah Reading, Akeidat Yitzchak, The "Sacrifice" sic of Isaac, Another Look

Last Shabbat I attended a women's class, שיעור נשים Shiur Nashim, led by Rachel Sella, a neighbor of mine.  Unfortunately I got there a bit late and missed the beginning.  They were discussing Akeidat Yitzchak, which is translated as  The "Sacrifice" sic of Isaac.  My mind went spinning, inspired.  The following thoughts are my own though Rachel sent me on this track, she didn't say what I'm now writing.

I personally don't like that translation. Isaac lived; he didn't die.  The story of the עקידה Akeida aka עקידת יצחק or  "Sacrifice" sic of Isaac, Bereishit, Genesis 22 is what is read on Rosh Hashanah.

ז  וַיֹּאמֶר יִצְחָק אֶל-אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו, וַיֹּאמֶר אָבִי, וַיֹּאמֶר, הִנֶּנִּי בְנִי; וַיֹּאמֶר, הִנֵּה הָאֵשׁ וְהָעֵצִים, וְאַיֵּה הַשֶּׂה, לְעֹלָה.	7 And Isaac spoke unto Abraham his father, and said: 'My father.' And he said: 'Here am I, my son.' And he said: 'Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?'
ח  וַיֹּאמֶר, אַבְרָהָם, אֱלֹהִים יִרְאֶה-לּוֹ הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה, בְּנִי; וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם, יַחְדָּו.	8 And Abraham said: 'God will provide* Himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.' So they went both of them together.
ט  וַיָּבֹאוּ, אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר-לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים, וַיִּבֶן שָׁם אַבְרָהָם אֶת-הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, וַיַּעֲרֹךְ אֶת-הָעֵצִים; וַיַּעֲקֹד, אֶת-יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ, וַיָּשֶׂם אֹתוֹ עַל-הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, מִמַּעַל לָעֵצִים.	9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
י  וַיִּשְׁלַח אַבְרָהָם אֶת-יָדוֹ, וַיִּקַּח אֶת-הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת, לִשְׁחֹט, אֶת-בְּנוֹ.	10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
יא  וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה, מִן-הַשָּׁמַיִם, וַיֹּאמֶר, אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם; וַיֹּאמֶר, הִנֵּנִי.	11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said: 'Abraham, Abraham.' And he said: 'Here am I.'
יב  וַיֹּאמֶר, אַל-תִּשְׁלַח יָדְךָ אֶל-הַנַּעַר, וְאַל-תַּעַשׂ לוֹ, מְאוּמָה:  כִּי עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי, כִּי-יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה, וְלֹא חָשַׂכְתָּ אֶת-בִּנְךָ אֶת-יְחִידְךָ, מִמֶּנִּי.	12 And he said: 'Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him; for now I know that thou art a God-fearing man, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from Me.'
יג  וַיִּשָּׂא אַבְרָהָם אֶת-עֵינָיו, וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה-אַיִל, אַחַר, נֶאֱחַז בַּסְּבַךְ בְּקַרְנָיו; וַיֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח אֶת-הָאַיִל, וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ לְעֹלָה תַּחַת בְּנוֹ.	13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt-offering in the stead of his son.
יד  וַיִּקְרָא אַבְרָהָם שֵׁם-הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא, יְהוָה יִרְאֶה, אֲשֶׁר יֵאָמֵר הַיּוֹם, בְּהַר יְהוָה יֵרָאֶה.	14 And Abraham called the name of that place Adonai-jireh; as it is said to this day: 'In the mount where the LORD is seen.'

It's no secret that Yitzchak (Isaac) wasn't sacrificed, killed and I also can't stand when people refer to him as a young boy when he was a grown man in his thirties.  Of course to Abraham, his younger son was a "lad;" I refer to my youngest child who is about to celebrate his thirtieth birthday as my "baby."  But Isaac was a grown man and he was the one G-d was testing.  He asked the crucial question, and Abraham gave him the answer we must learn to accept:

ח  וַיֹּאמֶר, אַבְרָהָם, אֱלֹהִים יִרְאֶה-לּוֹ הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה, בְּנִי; וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם, יַחְדָּו.

8 And Abraham said: 'God will provide* Himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.' So they went both of them together.

*bad translation, יִרְאֶה means "to show," as in the Torah Portion לך לך

א  וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-אַבְרָם, לֶךְ-לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ.

1 Now the LORD said unto Abram: 'Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land that I will show thee.

The entire  אַבְרָהָם Abraham story is about showing and seeing.  The Hebrew root of the word is ראה and those very same letters can be found in Abraham's name. 

This is the story of Isaac's acceptance of G-d and that G-d would show him how to lead and what to do.  Isaac bound himself to G-d taking on the dynastic responsibility.  I also saw this scene as parallel to when King David begged G-d to allow him to build a proper "house" for G-d.  G-d's reply was that He would do something even better for David.  David's son would build the house, the Beit Hamikdash, Holy Temple, and that would establish David's dynasty.

The Place, המקום HaMakom,  was the very same place, הר מורי'ה Har Moriah, today known as Har Habayit The Temple Mount.

Catriel Sugarman

Shannah Tovah U'Mutzlachat

May you Have a Good and Successful Year

And May We Be Speedily Redeemed and The Temple be Built