Bereshit 22:12 states: וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַל־תִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָֽדְךָ֙ אֶל־הַנַּ֔עַר וְאַל־תַּ֥עַשׂ ל֖וֹ מְא֑וּמָּה כִּ֣י ׀ עַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־יְרֵ֤א אֱלֹהִים֙ אַ֔תָּה וְלֹ֥א חָשַׂ֛כְתָּ אֶת־בִּנְךָ֥ אֶת־יְחִידְךָ֖ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ And he said, “Do not raise your hand against the boy, or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear Gd, since you have not withheld your son, your favoredContinue reading “Rabbi Menahem Mendel Schneerson: “Now I know that you fear Gd” as consolation”
Tag Archives: rashi
The Binding of Isaac from Abraham’s Perspective — a Great Pink Slip From the Sky?
Human sacrifice, as horrible as it is, has a certain logic to it. There are times when an ultimate price is needed to be paid to the divine in order to obtain great salvation, and for any parent, that ultimate price would be their own child. Even among the scholars who hold that the CarthaginiansContinue reading “The Binding of Isaac from Abraham’s Perspective — a Great Pink Slip From the Sky?”
What is a “Jewish” approach to the Binding of Isaac?
Even within traditional rabbinic literature, there is no one Jewish approach to the Akedah. Rather, there is a range of approaches and a continuing conversation over the ages. Rabbis famously disagree about everything, so it’s not a surprise that they also disagree about the Akeidah. While the disagreements are bounded by the text of BereshitContinue reading “What is a “Jewish” approach to the Binding of Isaac?”
Did Abraham criticise G-d during the Akeidah? Rashi vs. The Shnei Luchot Habrit
Abraham during the Akeidah is often brought as the prime example of a man with unshakeable faith. Abraham, according both scholarly and popular imaginations, is viewed as being enthusiastic and unhesitating in rising to fulfill of G-d’s divine command to sacrifice his son Isaac despite the command giving rise to a deep moral quandary andContinue reading “Did Abraham criticise G-d during the Akeidah? Rashi vs. The Shnei Luchot Habrit”
Avraham’s feelings in sequence
A close reading of Rashi’s comments through the Akeidah narrative in Bereshit 22:1-19 reveals that Rashi provides a running commentary on Avraham’s feelings and thoughts during the Akeidah, which can be broken up into four distinct phases: I – During the night vision II – The morning after III – Climbing Mount Moriah IV –Continue reading “Avraham’s feelings in sequence”
Akedat Yitzhak as Limmud Torah
Woody Allen famously asks how Abraham knew it was G-d (and not, say, his neighbor who likes practical jokes) who ordered him to kill Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham certainly does appear to be quite certain about the source of the awful command. In fact, the episode of Akedat Yitzhak (the Binding of Isaac) isContinue reading “Akedat Yitzhak as Limmud Torah”
Akedat Yitzhak Takes 