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yitzchak

The Loyal and Joyful Optimist

Rabbi Dr. Richard Hidary

itzchak’s name means “he nature. Unlike Avraham, who journeys Anyone holding a plank position for
who will laugh” and actu- to a new land, fights wars and argues two minutes would tell you they
ally precedes his birth, with G-d’s justice, Yitzchak submis- would much rather do jumping jacks.
Yderiving from the incred- sively follows the way of his father A successful movement cannot begin
ulous laugh by both Avraham and and mimics his actions. Father and son without a pioneering and charismatic
Sarah upon hearing the news that they both pass off their wives as their sis- visionary. But after that comes the real
would bear a child in old age (Bereishit ters during their stay in Gerar (20:2 and hard work of sustaining the momen-
17:17 and 18:13). Yitzchak thus symbol- 26:7) and become wealthy while living tum, thwarting threats to continuity,
izes hope and continuity even when there (20:14 and 26:14). Yitzchak re-digs and ensuring future growth. This was
all prospects seem bleak. His legacy the wells that Avraham had first dug Yitzchak’s greatness.
inspires optimism beyond logic and but that the Philistines stopped up
trust in an occurrence so unlikely that (26:18). Benjamin Franklin was one of the
the absurdity of it coming true makes Even Yitzchak’s courtship highlights world’s greatest inventors, inventing
it laughable. swimming fins, bifocal glasses, the
his absence. Yaakov and Moshe meet odometer and electricity. Interest-
Yitzchak’s name also foretells the their brides at a well where they each ingly, most of Franklin’s innovations
story of Yitzchak and Rivka caught in save the maidens in distress. Com- preceded the great inventor in some
a moment of playfulness (ק ֵח ַצ ְמ) while pare this with Yitzchak, whose father form. Franklin’s genius was in per-
Avimelech spies them out from his arranges for a servant to go seek a fecting these earlier inventions and
palace window (Bereishit 26:8). This suitable bride. While Rivka heroically applying them to practical use. Some-
rare moment of marital intimacy in serves the thirsty servant and his one before him had already held out a
the Torah follows the scene of Yitzchak camels at a well, Yitzchak remains at rod in a lightning storm. But Franklin
praying alongside and on behalf of his home, patiently awaiting the delega- was the first to direct electrical energy
barren wife, displaying his care and tion’s return. from clouds into a Leyden bottle, an
devotion to her. Yitzchak is unique Yitzchak’s passive role begins already early battery. In science, the person
among the patriarchs in that he mar- as a child, when his father binds him who repeats, verifies and perfects an
ried only one woman, although that to an altar as a sacrifice to G-d. Deserv- experiment may be just as crucial as
did not prevent rivalry between his edly, Avraham emerges in future lit-
twin sons. the first inventor of an idea. The same
urgy as the hero of the story for his is true for the origins of a movement or
His monogamous relationship with willingness to sacrifice his son. Nev- nation. There can only be one founder,
his wife parallels his absolute com- ertheless, Yitzchak’s innocent inquiry, one Avraham. But all future genera-
mitment to the Land of Israel, which “Where is the lamb for slaughter?” and tions who continue and build upon the
he never left even when there was a his willingness to trust his father, “G-d chain of tradition before them will find
famine in Canaan. This contrasts with will see to the lamb, my son” (Bereishit a role model in Yitzchak.
his father, Avraham who left to Egypt 22:7–8), certainly becomes a paradigm
when famine struck and turned to an of fortitude, bravery, and selfless
Egyptian woman, Hagar, to bear him a devotion. Yitzchak was miraculously
child when his wife, Sarah, was barren. saved at the last moment with the
Instead, Yitzchak remained uncompro- knife about to slit his throat; future
mising in his loyalty to the promised generations of martyrs and victims Rabbi Dr. Richard Hidary is a professor of
land, his wife, and his family’s future of pogroms who took strength from Judaic Studies at Yeshiva University and a
even in the face of enormous doubt. Yitzchak’s example would not be so rabbi at Sephardic Synagogue in Brooklyn. He
lucky. is an author currently writing a commentary
However, the uniqueness of his sin- on Talmudic discussions of Jewish holidays,
gle-minded commitment may be just Nobody should mistake Yitzchak’s pas- and he runs the websites teachtorah.org,
one symptom of his generally passive sivity as weakness. Quite the opposite. pizmonim.org, and rabbinics.org.

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