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The Power of Forgiveness (September 2010)

For over 2000 years, the Akedah, the story of Abraham's almost sacrifice of his beloved son Isaac, has been read from our Torah on Rosh Hashanah. And for every one of those years, it has captured the imagination and the curiosity of the Jewish people. The number of commentaries and explanations written about this short passage of just 22 verses fills volumes. And each commentary, each explanation, gives us greater insight not only into Abraham, and Isaac, but into ourselves.

In one Midrash, written in the first few centuries after the destruction of the Second Temple, we encounter the following conversation between Abraham and G-d, one that takes place after the ram has been sacrificed in the place of Isaac. In it we again see Abraham's willingness to argue with the Divine. Abraham asks why he had to endure such a terrible test, since G-d already knew the outcome.

G-d replies that the nations of the world needed to witness how faithful and obedient Abraham was, so that they would know why G-d chose him to be the father of a great nation. But Abraham continues to challenge G-d, and says the following: "I could have reproached You when You asked this of me, because You did tell me that through Isaac my seed will become as numerous as the sands of the shore. And now You asked me to offer him as a burnt offering! But I refrained myself and I said nothing. Therefore, when the children of Isaac commit sins…You should remember the offering of their father Isaac, and forgive them." G-d then replies, "Your children will sin before Me in the time to come, and I will sit in judgment upon them on the New Year's Day. If they desire pardon, then they shall blow the horn of the ram, and I will be mindful of the ram that was substituted for Isaac, and I will indeed forgive their sins."

This Midrash carries a critical lesson for us, even as we read it centuries later. Abraham does not demand a reward for his act of faith and obedience; instead, Abraham demands forgiveness – forgiveness for all of his descendents in the centuries to follow. And G-d agrees to this extraordinary request, promising to forgive those who sincerely seek G-d's pardon. The power of Abraham's and Isaac's obedience is indeed strong – but the reward Abraham seeks is stronger still. For Abraham demands that the power of forgiveness must be strong enough to extend for thousands of generations, strong enough to touch the lives of all who will come after him, strong enough to redeem every repentant person in the future. Such is the power of the forgiveness Abraham demands.

This power of forgiveness must be strong enough to touch our lives as well. May we overcome the power of anger and resentment to forgive those who have wronged us in the past year. May we overcome the power of pride and jealously to seek forgiveness in others. And may we overcome the power of self-doubt and blame to learn how to forgive ourselves. The power of forgiveness - this is the power granted to us by G-d, and by the story of the Akedah. May we use it wisely, and with love.