Parashat VaYera 5782: Human Sacrifice – Problematic or Profound?

Introduction

Parashat VaYera 5782: Human Sacrifice – Problematic or Profound?

Description: Why would Avraham’s 10th and final test be to participate in a cruel and despicable act of human sacrifice which blended him with the polythe,istic and immoral world that surrounded him? Is Avraham a madman or a hero? In what way does the test of the Akeda require us to rethink the way we serve God today? Is sacrifice good, and is there a possibility for a Win-Win in a relationship with a demanding God? This podcast presents three faces of the Akeda – historical, contextual, and midrashic/exegetical, in response to the question: Human sacrifice – Problematic or Profound?

Download the Source Sheet

Please let us know your comments and thoughts about the podcast, write to us at elmad@pardes.org.il. We appreciate you leaving us a review with 5-stars if you enjoy these podcasts.

For more information about Pardes, visit our website www.pardes.org.il.

Credits
Tovah Leah Nachmani – Faculty and Host for Pardes from Jerusalem
Adam Titcher – Lead Consultant and Producer
Arlene Harel – Faculty Coordinator

Tovah Leah Nachmani

Tovah Leah Nachmani teaches Tanakh, Biblical Hebrew, and prayer at Pardes, also serving as the Student Faculty Advisor. Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Tovah Leah graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Indiana University with a degree in Near Eastern Languages and Literature. She moved to Israel in 1991, where she received a degree in Tanakh and Jewish Thought and teaching certification from the Herzog Institute.

Tovah Leah has written and guided experiential learning programs for decades, for Jews of all backgrounds and affiliations. She is also a holistic health practitioner, promoting physical and emotional health. Tovah Leah and her husband Gabi live in Gush Etzion, are the grateful parents of seven children, and are the active, loving grandparents of many grandchildren.