5780 Rosh Hashana — Resurrection and Rosh Hashanah: Multivalent Perspectives on the Binding of Isaac

Introduction

There is no story as rich and complex, as troubling and inspiring, as Akedat Yitzchak, the binding of Isaac which is the Torah reading for the second Morning of Rosh Hashanah. Akedat Yitzhak is a great story precisely because there are so many ways of understanding it. Like a dream, it can be understood and interpreted on many different levels and in ways that are contradictory and not at all mutually exclusive.

This Rosh Hashanah podcast is sponsored by Ricki and David Bernstein in memory of Ricki’s parents, Beatrice and Murray Kirschblat, each a sole survivor of large families which perished in the Shoah.

So much to offer for the holidays, including our digital content on Rosh Hashana. For the holiday companion, podcast lists and other inspiring Torah please visit Pardes’s Rosh Hashana digital page.

Credits:
Rabbi Leon Morris – President of Pardes, Faculty and Host
Larry Kluger – Creative Consultant
Arlene Harel – Production Coordinator
Adam Titcher – Executive Producer and Director of Digital Media at Pardes

This podcast features a piyut known as עת שערי רצון (Et Shaare Ratzon) and this version is sung in the Sephardic traditional tunes. To listen to the full version, click here.

Leon Morris

Rabbi Leon Morris is President of Pardes and the first Pardes alumnus to lead the institution, having studied in both the Year (‘94-’95) and Summer (‘93, ‘94) Programs. Ordained by Hebrew Union College in 1997, Leon previously served as rabbi of Temple Adas Israel in Sag Harbor, founding director of the Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center in Manhattan, and Vice President for Israel Programs at the Shalom Hartman Institute.

Leon has taught at Orthodox, Conservative and Reform institutions and has worked extensively with the Jewish community of India since serving there as a Jewish Service Corps volunteer in 1990. A regular contributor to the Jewish, Israeli and American press, he is also an editor of the Reform High Holy Day machzor Mishkan HaNefesh.