|
|
Article: Thoughts on reading the Akedah -- again.(binding of Isaac)
- Article from:
- Midstream
- Article date:
- January 1, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Theodor Herzl Foundation. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
The Akedah has played such an important role in Jewish tradition and culture, history, and liturgy, that one is impelled -- even challenged -- to continually rethink its meaning to be sure we have it right. (1)
Doing so, it occurred to me that the secret of this challenge is the paradox that the Akedah presents, that national salvation requires that a cherished son of God, as all of humanity is, must be sacrificed to God. (2) If cherished, why sacrificed; and if sacrificed, in what way cherished?
It then occurred to me that the real paradox of the story may not be in the message but in the means necessary to convey that message -- a very different ...