Sermons and Divrei Torah
Akedat Yitzchak
by Gary Opolsky
(Dvar Torah - Rosh Hashanah 5762)
Before delving into the specific parsha of the Akaida, one of
the best known if not the best known story in the Bible, it is
important to review a bit about our forefather Abraham.
It is clear that Avraham was a Righteous Man and he believed in
the basic goodness of people. We know this from the story of S’dom.
God told him he would destroy Sdom because everyone there was
bad. Avraham questions God and begs for mercy. God is willing
to negotiate and finally agrees to save the city if there are
10 Good people. We all know the rest of that story.
Today’s parasha is the Binding of Issac or Akedat Yitzchak.
God says to Avraham “ Take your son up.” He never said “kill your
son”. But Avraham hears that it is a sacrifice that God wants.
Many people interpret these words as Avraham did. In fact one
of our modern singer songwriters, Bob Dylan, wrote a song in
which he says: God said to Abraham “kill me a son”
Avraham does as he is told, because he knows from Sodom that God
doesn’t mess around. Why doesn’t he beg or argue like he did
about Sodom? The sages answer that for Avraham, God was everything,
such was his devotion.
We, the readers are told that this is a TEST.
But why test a man who:
- Circumcises himself at 100 (ouch)
- Circumcises his child and all of his people
- Argues on behalf of Sodom
Truly this is a good man. It must seem to Avraham that God is
punishing his goodness.
One Explanation of Why God Tests Avraham
According to the Sages, God knows that Avraham is righteous.
But God is leading Avraham to monotheism from polytheism, and
feels he must keep testing Avraham because talking the talk, ain’t
walking the walk.
God knows that to inculcate the love and devotion of
God in Avraham, Avraham needs constant reminders and tests. To
us it seems strange that God would act this way as it seems clear
that Avraham is 100% committed to God. But we need to remember
that, like us in our world today, Avraham was subject to many
outside influences all the time, such as idolatry, human sacrifice
etc. It would be easy to stray from God’s way. God wanted to constantly
keep him on the short and narrow.
Final Point
Rosh Hashanah is a time to consider some of our faults and some
of our actions that hurt people during the year.
This Parasha is very suitable. Avraham was a man of action. When
God told him to take Yitzchak, he did so without hesitation “early
the next morning”. Here is a man with firm resolve to do as God
bids him, no matter what.
Most of us talk to ourselves or people we know about changes we’d
like to make or things we’d like to do in our lives. Such as:
- Spend more time with the kids and spouse
- Give money to Kolel
- Visit Mom and Dad more often
- See friends more regularly
- Donate something to the New York disaster, etc.
How many of us walk the walk on the things that we talk the talk?
I believe few of us do.
Avraham is a shining light for us. A man who hardly talked the
talk, but really walked the walk every day of his life, even when
he was given the ultimate test for any parent, giving up a child.
He loved God. Avraham was a man of action, a model for us all.
Shana Tovah.
Sermons and Divrei Torah
Additional Resources
Elul: Period of Preparation
Yamim Noraim: Days of Awe
Rosh Hashanah: Introduction
Shofar Symbolism
The Custom of Tashlich
Yom Kippur: Introduction
G'mar Chatima Tova...
