During the times in our lives when we feel vulnerable, scared or alone, do you ever wonder whether there is anyone out there who can come to your rescue and save you from despair? The "knight in shining armor" is a dream which I believe is embedded in our psyche. When we have "faith" we believe our caring rescuer is there, and when we lack belief, we fall into a state of hopelessness and think no one will ever come.
Last Month I shared a teaching about "Truth" (with a capital "T") from a new book by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso called, God's Echo-Exploring Scripture with Midrash. In this insightful text there is another teaching on the "Akedah" the near sacrifice of Isaac, called "What if the Angels Should Come Too Late?"
Our Parsha, the Torah portion for our November service, is "Chayei Sarah" the "life" of Sarah. It is called the life of Sarah even though she has already died and is about to be buried! The rabbis asked what caused her death and answered with a Midrash, that when she heard the news of her son's near sacrifice, she died instantly!
Let's look at the teaching about the Akedah, one of the most challenging stories in our Torah. What kind of God would ask a father to take his son up to a mountain to sacrifice him? And what kind of God would wait until the very last moment to intervene, sending an angel to stop the hand with the plunging knife!
The late 20th century philosopher, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, remembered being taught the story of Isaac's binding when he was a child. When he heard that the angel called out to Abraham not to kill Isaac, Heschel remembers he began to weep. Despite his teacher's reassurance that Isaac was saved, the young Heschel was not consoled. He asked, "But rabbi, supposing the angel had come a second too late?"
The rabbi explained that an angel can never come late. But Heschel concluded," An angel cannot be late, but man, made of flesh and blood, may be."
The teaching of the Akedah is our question. How can we face our greatest fear that when we are most vulnerable and helpless, no one will be there to rescue or help us!
Isaac was saved at the last moment, but what if the angel had come too late? How could Isaac ever trust his father Abraham or any one else, again? Where could he find the faith to go on?
In her book, Sasso writes, "I often wonder how Isaac managed to get up after being tied down. How did he succeed in living when he had come so close to death? He was able to walk up the mountain with his father because he had faith and trust. But Isaac walked down the mountain alone. Going up the mountain he held his father's hand. What did he hold coming down? In what and in whom could he still believe?"
This is one of life's most persistent questions. After illness, death, loss or depression, whose hand helps lift us up? How do we go on when everything we know is gone. Sometimes I don't think we ever get over it, but as Sasso teaches, we learn to heal and get on with it.
Sasso believes that Isaac's name, which means "laughter", was one way to healing. "The angels," Sasso states, "taught Isaac to laugh in the face of the unknown and wrestle joy out of despair...and they also taught Isaac to forget some things and forgive others. Lastly, the angels gave Isaac hope. When we face trauma, when everything we believe in is turned upside down. Hope is all there is to keep us from giving up or giving in."
When we face our personal challenges let us heed the wisdom of Isaac's healing angels. As Sasso concludes, "Find support in another. Forget some things and forgive others. Laugh whenever possible and celebrate whenever you can. Embrace the present moment and never, never give up hope."
I HOPE to see you all at our 8:30 Breakfast and at our dynamic Lev Eisha November service. B'shalom
All the generous people who opted for upgraded membership levels can pick up this year's premiums starting at the December 3 service. Julie, our membership chair, will have them ready for us after kiddush has been said. Thanks to all of you!
The premiums this year, based on your level of membership, are a custom Lev Eisha heart keychain, a cd of our sacred music, or a copy of The Bridge to Forgiveness: Stories and Prayers for Finding God and Restoring Wholeness by Karyn D. Kedar, chosen by Rabbi Toba August. It's not too late to upgrade! Just let Julie know.
Time's getting short to submit your recipes for our Pesach cookbook! Our beloved Robin is the editor and she needs your help so she can compile the text over Winter vacation.
Submit your recipe TODAY! Passover is coming! Our Passover cookbook will be distributed at our Women's Seder Fundraiser on March 30, 2008. Please submit your recipe to us via the form in your mailing or at recipe@leveish.org., or pick up a form at Adat Shalom. By your submission you certify that this recipe is written in your own words and not copied from some other source.
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Mazal Tov to:
Smadar Knobler on the birth of her first grandchild Asher Dylan Taylor.
Marla Osband has a new granddaughter! Sarah Daniella, 6 lbs 13oz 19 inches, born on October 28
Condolences to Diane Sternfels on the passing of her mother Sylvia Olefsky z"l.
If you have a milestone to share please send it to: editor@leveisha.org. Our newsletter gets printed about a week before each service. Please send the info ASAP.
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