Rosh Hashanah Drash
In
the tradition of our elders, the world was created on Rosh Hashanah
and is also called the Day of Judgment. At this time of year, the
portion that is read is the"Akeda Yitzchak" or the binding
of Isaac (Bereshit, Genesis 22) because this act took place on
Rosh Hashanah.
In
the Zohar, it is written that it is good to recall the Akeda since
all the merits of the Jewish people stem from this act -the sacrifice
of Yitzchak.
All
the sages agree that the merit of the Akeda has no end. Whenever
we have trouble and pray that G-d recalls the Akeda He has mercy
on us (Yafeh Toar, Meam Loez). This is one of the reasons why a
pious Jew reads this portion every morning. Until today we still
feed upon the merits of this night and enjoy the good of this world
(Orach Chaim 1). The knife used by Abraham is called tlkam
"ma'achelet". This word is derived from the root word
ochel - "eat" and can also mean "food maker".
It was the type of sacrificial knife used by the cohanim.
Why
is this reading so important for us to know at this time of year?
If we take a bird's eye view of Yitzchak according to the traditions
of the sages, they believe that Yitzchak really died at the hand
of his father, Abraham to atone for the sins of our people, that
G-d resurrected from the dead…and that this happened on Rosh
Hashanah. The exact date of the Akeda was actually determined by
a Sephardic Rabbi who stated that Abraham was in the Philistine
territory for 26 years and settled in Hebron 27 Elul 2084 or September
05 1677 BCE. He was 137 years old which would bring the age of
Isaac to be 37 years of age.( Bereshit Rabbah also Kessef Mezukak,
Ibn Ezra) For Messianic Jews, this information is exciting knowing
that everything written in the Torah is there for a reason. In
the Christian tradition, Yeshua was born in year 0 and died at
33 years old when he gave his life for us. There was a miscalculation
in the Gregorian calendar of the birth and death of Yeshua because
they have found archeological site with the date the year 4 BCE
for the death of Herod the Great. For that reason, Yeshua could
easily have died at the age of 37 just like Yitzchak.
Let
us look at the other aspects of the Akeda to see how Yeshua fulfilled
every one. In this portion "hineni"- "here I am"
is repeated 3 times-very important. It begins in Bereshit 22:1
where G-d calls Abraham who replies "hineni, here I am"
showing that he was always ready to serve and obey his G-d.
After
being told what he had to do, they began their 3 day walk to Har
Moriyah (Mount Moriya). From the moment Abraham and Yitzchak began
the journey, from the first "hineni", in Abraham's mind,
Yitzchak was already dead. Yeshua was dead for 3 days and 3 nights
before his resurrection.
The
fact that there were 2 witnesses is also very important. (Tradition
states that they were Eliezer and Ishmael.) It was later written
in Torah that the testimony of 2 witnesses was needed. There were
2 men crucified next to Yeshua as witnesses of what transpired.
Abraham
told Yitzchak to place the wood for the burnt offering on his shoulders
in the same way that Yeshua carried the cross bar for his execution
stake up to the exact same mount.
The
second "hineni" occurred in Bereshit 22: 7 when Yitzchak
called his father to ask the question, "Here
is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the offering?"
The response from Abraham is filled with trust for his Father in
heaven, "My
son, God will provide (Elohim yireh lo) himself a lamb…"
Yitzchak without question allowed his father to bind him and place
him on the altar; not a word of argument. Yeshua too gave up his
life without one word of complaint or argument. Here avinu Abraham
demonstrated a complete faith in the resurrection! Again fulfilled
as Yeshua prophesied his own resurrection.
The Angel of the Lord (Malach Adonai) called out from heaven and
Abraham replied with the 3rd hineni, Bereshit 22: 11 "Do
not lay your hand upon the lad…for now I know that you fear
G-d seeing that you have not withheld your son, your only son
from me." Was Yitzchak indeed Abraham's only son?
Yitzchak was not the only begotten son, but was called in that
way to point the way for Yeshua who was called the only begotten
of the Father.
We
also know that Abraham's first born son was Ishmael but he was
not the son of the promise; Yitzchak was. Instead he was the son
of the slave woman because Sarah couldn't wait for G-d. She wanted
to have a child and the birth of Ishmael through her servant Hagar
was through pure human effort. Yitzchak's birth through the free
woman, Sarah, was the result of G-d's miraculous intervention in
fulfillment of the promise to Abraham. Yeshua also was the product
of G-d's miraculous intervention in the life or Miriam and Joseph.
Both promises are fulfilled through the righteousness of G-d, not
through the self-righteousness of man.
We
read about these 2 covenants in Galatians 4:21-31- the covenant
of the slave woman and the covenant of the promise. Paul is explaining
according to rabbinic understanding that the covenant of the slave
woman represents our own efforts and our own merits by which we
create our own religion as a means to reach G-d. It also represents
how our people have perverted G-d's ways into a legalistic system
which has now placed them into bondage.
On
the other hand the covenant of the promise of Isaac demonstrates
that it is only G-d who can bring us into relationship with Him;
not a product of our own effort but the product of the promise
of G-d. As result we are free to obey and to follow his Torah.
Any
time we think that we can better G-d's work, we only destroy it.
How many religions are there today trying to defend G-d's honor.
For example, in Islam, if you do or say anything which is an insult
to Allah or to their prophet Mohammed, you reap the death penalty.
The Catholic Church in the same way murdered a multitude of people
who refused to believe in their way. Christianity today inherited
many of these traditions when they consider that they are the only
ones to hold the truth. Rabbi Shaul (Paul) believed that he was
doing G-d a favor when he would have the early Jewish believers
arrested and stoned to death.
So
to sum up, we see the first hineni when G-d called Abraham and
he responded. The second hineni was during the dramatic scene when
Yitzchak called on Abraham to ask about the whereabouts of the
lamb for sacrifice. And finally the third and last hineni was when
the Angel of the Lord called out to Abraham not to kill his son.
The first one is the response to G-d, the second is total faith
in G-d and the third is the reward for obedience to G-d.
According
to our rabbis, they do not admit that G-d would ever accept a human
sacrifice but the Tanach and their writings and traditions would
disagree with that since they write that Yitzchak was sacrificed
and was then resurrected. See also the reference to human sacrifice
in 2 Samuel 21: 1-14 where someone died to atone for the sins of
others.
Yeshua
completed all the requirements necessary for a pure sacrifice which
Yitzchak could not since he was not sinless.
When
Yeshua was on the execution stake, he cried out "Eli Eli lama
sabachtani". This phrase has been misunderstood and misinterpreted
by those who are trying to defend or explain G-d. He was not saying,
"My
G-d why have you abandoned me?" That word would
have been "azavtani"
The actual word in Hebrew from Genesis 22:13 "caught in the
bushes" is "sebach". Yeshua was actually pointing
out to all those who could see that he was the fulfillment of the
Akeda. He was the promised lamb caught in the thorn bush (he wore
a crown of thorns). G-d had provided a ram at the time of Abraham
since the lamb was yet to come. Yeshua also said that Abraham had
seen him and rejoiced (Yochanan 8:56).
To
repeat, the rabbis say that in the sacrifice of Isaac there is
the power of atonement for sins. This parallel between Isaac and
Yeshua is extremely important for us to remember at this time of
the year. During the tradition of searching our hearts from Rosh
Hashanah to afflicting our souls on Yom Kippur, let us remember
why we do this. These are not empty traditions but are filled with
hope and promise. Let us do nothing out of sheer obligation or
fear but because of the love of what our G-d has done for us. Let
us clear up our debts one to another and especially to G-d for
He knows our hearts. It is best to be honest in our teshuvah and
make things right before we come to stand before the King on these
High Holidays. Free yourself by dealing with whatever you are holding
against someone before you stand before the Almighty on Yom Kippur.
Let us remember that Yeshua fulfilled and completed all the Yitzchak
could not do and give G-d thanks for allowing us to have a new
life and a new beginning. He is the G-d of beginning again.
May
G-d add blessings to His Word!
Rabbi
Percy Johnson
Netanel
ben Yochanan
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©
2008 Use by Permission
Kehilat
She’ar Yashuv
