Shabbat Sermon: Bound with Rabbi Wes Gardenswartz

From the Bimah: Jewish Lessons for Life

What does Naftali Herstik, a pre-eminent cantor at the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem for 30 years, have in common with Bobby Allison, who was one of the greatest race car drivers in American history, who won 85 NASCAR races over 30 years? One is an all-time great cantor. The other is an all-time great race car driver. They both recently passed away. But they share something important in common in how they lived which speaks to one of the greatest mysteries of the Torah—the meaning of the binding of Isaac, akeidat Yitzchak, in our portion this morning. This terrifying story is famously incomprehensible. God commands Abraham to bind his own son Isaac and offer him up as a burnt offering. How could God command such a thing? How could Abraham have been prepared to do it? Perhaps the wisest word I ever heard about this story was from Rabbi Simon Greenberg, a great teacher at the Seminary, who taught rabbinical students: don’t even try to teach this story. It makes no sense. Teach something else. But then this summer, while in Israel, I had something of a breakthrough. I think I finally understand the meaning of the binding of Isaac. This story is about how parents and children are bound. Decisions of parents shape the lives of children. All of us are bound by our parents. Who they are, what they do, shapes who we are, what we do.