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Mizrachi Rabbi Reuven Taragin
Educators
SThIeLSEoNundCoEf
W hy do we blow the shofar continued looking for opportunities to G-d not only by heeding His stated
on Rosh Hashanah? Our serve. Just like at the beginning of the word, but by being alert to His ‘silence’
intuitive answer is that is parsha, where Avraham looks (note the and seeing the additional opportunities
reminds us of the Akeidah, Avraham’s exact same phrase – “Avraham raised He sends our way.
willingness to sacrifice his son his eyes and saw”) for guests despite his Even the rams in our lives – the
Yitzchak. But the shofar is symbolic of pain and the intense heat. challenges, the tests, the curve balls –
a ram’s horn, reminding us of Avraham’s Interestingly, the Torah tells us that the are there for our benefit, to help us grow
sacrifice of the ram after G-d told him to ram was caught in the thicket. What as individuals and to help us come closer
desist from sacrificing Yitzchak. difference does it make where the ram to G-d.
Shouldn’t we be commemorating his was? Chazal understood this as an Everything inside and outside of our
willingness to sacrifice his beloved son? indication that G-d placed the ram there lives is there because G-d runs the
What’s so hard about sacrificing a ram? for Avraham to find. They even list the world.
Isn’t Avraham’s readiness to sacrifice ram as one of the objects created during This is the aspect of the Akeidah that
his son at G-d’s behest a far more the six days of creation, specifically for we commemorate – and celebrate –
meaningful expression of his acceptance this purpose. with the mitzvah of shofar. Because
of G-d’s Will? What does this mean? It means that completely accepting the yoke of heaven,
I think the answer lies in the difference G-d wanted Avraham to follow up his recognizing G-d’s Malchut, his Kingship
between how Avraham arrives at the willingness to sacrifice Yitzchak with over the world, means wholly seeing
decision to sacrifice the ram and how he an actual sacrifice of the ram. Avraham ourselves as His creations charged with
agrees to sacrifice Yitzchak. The latter needed no words to infer this. He the mission of fulfilling His will.
is of course a result of G-d’s express knew. The fact that he named the place If we see ourselves this way, we
request. For the former though, there is “Hashem Yir’eh” (G-d has shown/been will strive not only to fulfill G-d’s
no command or request. After showing shown) indicates that Avraham saw the commandments, but we will be
appreciation for Avraham’s willingness ram as something G-d had intentionally constantly aware of the sound of His
to sacrifice Yitzchak and then telling put there for him. silence as well.
him not to “stretch out your hand And indeed, he only receives the Divine And that is a totally different level of
against the youth,” G-d is silent. There blessings as reward for his commitment living.
is no mention of another sacrifice; no after sacrificing the ram, not after
mention of a ram. showing his readiness to kill his own Rabbi Reuven Taragin is Educational
So what now? son. Director of World Mizrachi and Religious
It’s a dramatic biblical pause. This is a very powerful idea. G-d directs Zionists of America–Mizrachi. He is also
The Torah then tells us it was Avraham us not only through his spoken word Dean of the Yeshivat HaKotel Overseas
who “raised his eyes and saw,” found, and (the Torah and Halacha), but also Program
decided to sacrifice the ram. G-d had through the events and circumstances
relieved him of his duties, but Avraham in our lives. It is all part of His Divine
Providence. We are expected to serve
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