Friday, November 2, 2012

Sacrifice


As a mother, and a civilized human being, there is a specific story in the Torah that I have always had difficulty with. G-d tells Abraham to take his son Isaac and bring him up as a sacrifice. We all know that at the last second, G-d tells Abraham to stop, for now Abraham has passed his final test from G-d, and instead a ram is sacrificed. We also know that Isaac was not a young child, he was 37 years old at that time, and quite capable of figuring out what was going on. He did not question his father, and he did not question 
G-d. He asked that his father tie him down so he would not struggle and make it harder. We also understand that G-d never intended Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, He was only testing him.

This morning, while driving my kids to school, I was listening to music from one of my favorite groups, 8th Day. They sing a song about our father Abraham that really got me thinking.

We are the children of Abraham and Isaac, and because of this story we have survived 3000 years of wandering. Our ability to put our own logic and preconceived notions aside and do what G-d asks of us, is inherited from Abraham. Our ability to drive 200 miles a day to give our children a G-dly education, comes from Abraham. His actions in this story infused his children with this ability – forever! As long as it is required of us, we can do what it takes for our children.

From Isaac we have inherited the trait of self sacrifice. We have the ability to sacrifice our own comfort and desires and fears, for G-d. Many of us have obstacles getting in the way of our spirituality, our dreams, and many other successes. From Isaac we have inherited the strength to tie ourselves down, so we don't flinch. Get past ourselves, and do what needs to be done.

As a daughter of Abraham and Isaac, I have inherited the strength to do whatever it takes to hold my head up straight and walk the path G-d has lead me on. Had Abraham not been asked to sacrifice Isaac, these gifts would not be part of our inheritance. As G-d made Abraham the father of our nation, he gave our future nation the tools we would need to survive.

To all of my brothers and sisters out there, struggling along the way, do not flinch! Deep within your soul's DNA, you have all of the tools you need to walk straight and proud!

And YES, Abraham, we are the children you dreamed about!

Change#: No change is necessary. You already have it in you, just take a deep breath and recognize it.

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