Passing Life's Tests
Spiritual Reflections on the Trial of Abraham, the Binding of Isaac
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- $18.99
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
Challenges you to go beneath the brief, shocking story and ask: who is the tester, who is the tested and what motivates the test?
Among stories so terrible they rend our hearts, so profound they touch the depths of our souls, and so exalted they reach to heaven, none is more poignant than the Bible story of Abraham's sacrifice of his son, Isaac. A story revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims, and turned over and over by great secular thinkers searching for meaning, this gripping tale shocks us into complete attention, then takes us—in nineteen short verses—on a roller coaster ride of emotion, challenge and hope.
Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, known widely for making the Hebrew Bible relevant to our lives, draws on generations of Jewish sages, philosophers and scholars to explore this ancient story, known as the binding of Isaac or the test of Abraham. He invites us to use this powerful tale as a tool for our own soul wrestling, to transcend its words to confront our own existential sacrifices and our ability to face—and surmount—life’s tests. By applying this tale’s lessons to everyday events, Artson compels us to pay closer attention to our lives and, through our priorities, responsibilities, mindfulness and faith, ask ourselves if we are passing our own tests.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
On the second day of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, Jews read Genesis, chapter 22, known in Hebrew as the akedah, the binding of Isaac, often referred to erroneously as the sacrifice of Isaac. This troublesome story is the source of endless sermons and commentaries, all trying unsuccessfully to explain God's ordering Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son; Abraham's silent readiness to comply; and Isaac's mildly reluctant acquiescence to his own demise. Bravely attempting to add his clarification of the story, Artson, dean of a California theological seminary and a rabbi, offers what he calls "illumination without resolution." He pays tribute to his forerunners who have struggled with the perturbing issues of the akedah, supplementing their efforts with his discussion of how evil can exist in a world created by God. Somehow, he moves from that unsolved dilemma to his conclusion that religion "can produce Godliness." Artson deserves an "A" for effort. He belongs high in the ranks of those who have valiantly tackled an enigmatic story that defies decoding.
