Rosh Hashanah Day 2
Torah Reading: Genesis 22:1–24
Maftir: Numbers 29:1–6
Haftarah: Jeremiah 31:2–20
Genesis 22:1-24
22:1 After these things, Hashem tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!”
He said, “Here I am.”
2 He said, “Now take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”
3 Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey; and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which Hashem had told him. 4 On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off. 5 Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there. We will worship, and come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac, his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together. 7 Isaac spoke to Abraham, his father, and said, “My father?”
He said, “Here I am, my son.”
He said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
8 Abraham said, “Hashem will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together. 9 They came to the place which Hashem had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood. 10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to kill his son.
11 Hashem’s angel called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”
He said, “Here I am.”
2 He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now, I know that you fear Hashem, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
13 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 Abraham called the name of that place “Hashem Will Provide”. As it is said to this day, “On Hashem’s mountain, it will be provided.”
15 Hashem’s angel called to Abraham a second time out of the sky, 16 and said, “‘I have sworn by Myself,’ says Hashem, ‘because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gate of his enemies. 18 All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, because you have obeyed My voice.’”
19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
20 After these things, Abraham was told, “Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
Maftir: Numbers 29:1–6
29:1 “‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no regular work. It is a day of blowing of trumpets to you. 2 You shall offer a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma to Hashem: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without defect; 3 and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three tenths for the bull, two tenths for the ram, 4 and one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs; 5 and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 in addition to the burnt offering of the new moon with its meal offering, and the continual burnt offering with its meal offering, and their drink offerings, according to their ordinance, for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Hashem.
Haftarah: Jeremiah 31:2–20
31:2 Hashem says, “The people who survive the sword found favor in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.”
3 Hashem appeared of old to me, saying,
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love.
Therefore, I have drawn you with loving kindness.
4 I will build you again,
and you will be built, O virgin of Israel.
You will again be adorned with your tambourines,
and will go out in the dances of those who make merry.
5 Again, you will plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria.
The planters will plant,
and will enjoy its fruit.
6 For there will be a day that the watchmen on the hills of Ephraim cry,
‘Arise! Let’s go up to Zion to Hashem our Elohim.’”
7 For Hashem says,
“Sing with gladness for Jacob,
and shout for the chief of the nations.
Publish, praise, and say,
‘Hashem, save your people,
the remnant of Israel!’
8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country,
and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth,
along with the blind and the lame,
the woman with child and her who travails with child together.
They will return as a great company.
9 They will come with weeping.
I will lead them with petitions.
I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters,
in a straight way in which they won’t stumble;
for I am a father to Israel.
Ephraim is My firstborn.
10 “Hear Hashem’s word, you nations,
and declare it in the distant islands. Say,
‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,
and keep him, as a shepherd does his flock.’
11 For Hashem has ransomed Jacob,
and redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he.
12 They will come and sing in the height of Zion,
and will flow to the goodness of Hashem,
to the grain, to the new wine, to the oil,
and to the young of the flock and of the herd.
Their soul will be as a watered garden.
They will not sorrow anymore at all.
13 Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance,
the young men and the old together;
for I will turn their mourning into joy,
and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
14 I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness,
and My people will be satisfied with My goodness,” says Hashem.
15 Hashem says:
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation and bitter weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children.
She refuses to be comforted for her children,
because they are no more.”
16 Hashem says: “Refrain your voice from weeping,
and your eyes from tears,
for your work will be rewarded,” says Hashem.
“They will come again from the land of the enemy.
17 There is hope for your latter end,” says Hashem.
“Your children will come again to their own territory.
18 “I have surely heard Ephraim grieving thus,
‘You have chastised me,
and I was chastised, as an untrained calf.
Turn me, and I will be turned,
for you are Hashem your Elohim.
19 Surely after that, I was turned.
I repented.
After that, I was instructed.
I struck my thigh.
I was ashamed, yes, even confounded,
because I bore the reproach of my youth.’
20 Is Ephraim My dear son?
Is he a darling child?
For as often as I speak against him,
I still earnestly remember him.
Therefore, My heart yearns for him.
I will surely have mercy on him,” says Hashem.
Today’s Meditation:
According to some studies, the reason we read about Abraham’s story on Rosh Hashanah is to reflect on:
- Remembering Hashem’s mercy: Hashem spared Isaac from being sacrificed and Abraham from losing his son. We ask Hashem to bring mercy into our lives in the new year.
- A witness of devotion and faith: Abraham believed that if Hashem was asking Him to sacrifice his son, it was for a specific cause. His devotion to Hashem surpassed everything. It reminds us to be the same way.
- A reminder of Hashem’s redemption: If He would redeem Isaac in such an incredible way, we can have confidence He will do the same for our children and us.
- A test for life: This reminds us that in the trials of our life, Hashem will be faithful as long as we are obedient.
This story represents a promise to us. When times get rough, or we have to stand for Hashem, we must remember He will be with us and bring a greater outcome.
