THE AKEDAH

   The most profound and most perplexing chapter in our Torah is the one that speaks of the Akedah. Hashem was testing Avraham's faith and loyalty to הקב״ה by directing him to take his son Yitzchak and offer him as a sacrifice.

  When I study this episode in our Chumash class on Shabbat morning, many are prone to think of this directive as being barbaric, and many are ambivalent regarding Hashem's will to put Avraham to such a drastic test of his loyalty. 

   The Rav, Rav  Soloveitchik זצ׳ל, directs our attention to the words Hashem uses to Avraham, "והעלהו שם, take your son, יצחק and go to Eretz Hamoriah and elevate him there". The Rav emphasizes the word והעלהו, to elevate him,to indicate that G-D did not use the word והקרבתו, and you shall offer him, because G-D did not intend for Avraham to sacrifice him. He wanted him to perform this act as a means of elevating his son to a higher state of קדושה. Avraham misconceived what Hashem wanted of him. It was only later, when the Malach said to him,אל תשלח ידך אל הנער, that Avraham realized what Hashem really wanted all along and never did G-D have in mind to sacrifice his son. 

   The Rav asked, "Who was this Angel." The answer the  Rav  gave was, "This Angel represents Torah, which is our director on earth. It is only through the Torah and our Holy Tradition that man,woman and the Jewish family can elevate themselves to a higher and much greater state of holiness.

   I find this analysis so meaningful in reference to the Akedah. 

   This is a true lesson in Yahadus - a lesson of what we are to achieve in our journey through life. We are instructed to live a life of Torah , thereby "elevating" ourselves to a higher state of Kedusha, which can only be achieved when we observe the Mitzvot, 

  בין אדם למקום ובין אדם לחברו 

   Today, more than ever, this lesson must be brought home to all of us, especially at this crucial time in our homeland, our State of Israel. 

    Hashem is not searching for Sacrifices. He is asking us to elevate ourselves to a life of  חסד, of kindness and, above all, a life of אחדות. 

   This is our call today. "Are we up to this call as Avraham was in showing his strong loyalty and  commitment to a vibrant and dynamic Judaic way of life?"

  Our answer must be in the affirmative.  It must be a strong yes, a yes that says, "We are the children of Avraham and Sarah  and their legacy is our accepted way of life."

    הי יברך את עמו בשלום 

                                 שבת שלום