25^th of Cheshvan, November 12, 2009

The Midrash Tanchuma relates that when G-D created the world, the ministering angels asked: “What then is man [enosh] that You remember [zachor] him? And the son of man that You are mindful [pakod] of him (Psalm 8:5).”  G-D defends His greatest creation, man, by bringing Avraham and Sarah as His rejoinder.   “You speak of man referring to the generation of Enosh, who was unworthy.   But I will show you the glory of Avraham, who truly merited remembrance.  As is stated in Bereishit 19:29: “And G-D remembered Avraham so He sent Lot from the upheaval.”   You say, “And the son of man that You should be mindful [pakod] of him.”   Bereishit 21:1-2 states: “And Hashem remembered [pakad] Sarah as He had said, and Hashem did for Sarah as He had spoken.  Sarah conceived and bore a son unto Avraham in his old age.”   In the future, you will see a father who will sacrifice his son and a son who will allow himself to be sacrificed all for the sanctification of My Name.”

Copyright, 2009 Rachel Lerner