Rosh Hashanah 2020
Isaac’s Parsha Corner · 2020
The Binding of Isaac
It is with great trepidation and a profound sense of humility that I address this week’s Torah Portion. The story of the binding of Isaac has been discussed by so many theologians and bible scholars that there is literarily and literally nothing left to be said. Despite this I wade into these muddied waters with my own view about the message contained in this story.
The Torah in Reeh reports: “Everything that G-d hates they do to their gods for they sacrifice (burn) their children to their gods.” (Deut 12 vs. 31) How could G-d who hates human sacrifice then ask Abraham to do exactly that?
Further, if Isaac was a willing participant why was it necessary for him to be bound to the altar?
It is popular in literature to expect and demand total obedience to one’s king. The pivotal test of that obedience is always; “Would you give up your life for your king, and even the lives of your family?” If the answer is in the affirmative, then you are deemed truly loyal to your king, and if not then not.
The primary theme of the prayer service on Rosh Hashanah is “Malchus” or the recognition that G-d is our king. To know what it means to accept G-d as our king we look to Abraham and to Isaac in the binding of Isaac story. What is happening there is G-d is asking and actually informing Abraham what it means to be G-d’s people and to have G-d as their king. It means that as a result many of Abraham and Isaac’s children will sacrifice themselves on the altar of “Kiddush Hashem”. Both Abraham and Isaac accept G-d as their King and as the pasuk says, “And they went together (Yachdav)”. There Isaac was bound not only to the physical altar there on Mount Moriah but to the service of his eternal and everlasting king. His binding was voluntary and the tighter the better.
May the memory of all those holy Jews, whose ultimate sacrifice, both on the battlefield of Israel defending our people or in the gas chambers and killing fields of Europe, be a reminder of our total acceptance of G-d as our king. When we cry out “God is, was, and always be our king” during the service it is to remember that we are His people and there is no other king beside Him.
Have a Ktivah Vechitamah Tovah. May you all have a sweet and happy New Year!
Dedicated as always to the memory of Joel Shulman A’H