The Torah portion for the 2^nd day of Rosh Hashanah is the binding of Isaac. Since it is such a well-known story, I assumed that there would be lots of good information on the internet and so I agreed to do the D'var Torah. A few days later, I Googled the phrase "Abraham and Isaac" and came up with 3,650,000 matches. I quickly decided that that was way more information than I needed to know so I Googled the phrase "Binding of Isaac" and came up with only 884,000 matches. I didn't actually read all of them, but I did peruse enough to get a great education on the subject. Jews refer to Chapter 22 in Genesis as the Aqedah ("Binding") and place the event on Mt. Moriah, which is traditionally considered the site of the Temple in Jerusalem. The story is the last of the 10 trials that Abraham must undergo to prove his faith in God.

So, I have a little problem that I need to reveal. Actually, I have a big problem. I'm caught in a little bit of a trap.

When I told my mother that I had been invited to lead these services, her comment was "Inspire the Congregation. " Some of you have met my mother, who is 91 ½ years old, lives alone, works two days a week, and still is driving her 7 year old Toyota Corolla. She is the essence of a Jewish mother/grandmother, and, god willing, if my son hurries up and marries the beautiful and talented Raquel, she'll be a great grandmother. She is truly remarkable.

However, when she mentioned this to me, when she told me to Inspire you, I got just the teeniest bit reactive. I know, it's hard to imagine. But I did. (Someone said being an adult is doing something even though your parent asked you to. ) I huffed around and stomped my feet and immediately thought about the t-shirt that says, "My mother knows how to push all my buttons, because she installed them. "

“See: This day I set before you blessing and curse” With these words the torah begins Parashat Re’eh, a portion that surveys many of the mitzvot incumbent upon the Israelites as they entered the land of Israel and upon all Jews to this day. This Parsha sets the tone for the whole book of Deuteronomy. It opens with a reference to a covenant ceremony that is to take place as soon as the Israelites enter the Promised Land and closes with the assurance of the Divine blessing if they are obedient to God. In between it highlights what the covenant requires: the total rejection of pagan practices and customs, the establishment of a just and compassionate society, and the proper worship of God. Also included in this section of the Torah is a repeat of the prohibition against eating blood, reminding us that blood is sacred, carrying with it the life of each creature - things about which today we know much, yet have so little regard.