Rosh haShanah

Hi,

On the two days of Rosh haShanah we read sections from Bereishit (Genesis) 21 and 22. In addition, on both days, we read a "Maftir" section describing the Temple offerings of Rosh haShanah.

The section for the first day records the birth of Yitzchak (Isaac) to Sarah and Avraham. There are many reasons to read this on Rosh haShanah; the chief reason is that Gd answered Sarah's prayer for a child on Rosh haShanah.
During the period when Sarah could not give birth, Sarah had asked Avraham to marry her maid, Hagar, that he might have a child through her. Avraham and Hagar had a son, Yishmael, who was about 14 years old when Yitzchak was born.
Yishmael was wild, and involved in various sins. Further, he threatened Yitzchak. As such, Sarah asked Avraham to evict Yishmael and Hagar. Avraham was repulsed by the idea, but Gd backed up Sarah. Hagar and Yishmael ran out of water in the desert, but Gd rewarded Yishmael's prayer by sending a well.
The reading concludes with an attempt by Avimelech, a Philistine king, to make a pact with Avraham.

The section for the second day records Gd's instruction to Avraham to "raise up" Yitzchak on a mountain. "Raise up" is a term uniquely associated with sacrificial offerings, and so Avraham prepared to offer Yitzchak to Gd on an altar. Yitzchak, who was 37 years old at the time (based on the recording of Sarah's death right after this story; she was 90 when he was born, and 127 when she died), went along with it.
As Avraham was about to offer up Yitzchak, Gd called to him to stop, and he did so. Gd declared that Avraham had proved his dedication to Gd, and that the result would be that his descendants would receive great blessings. Avraham offered up a ram to Gd; the horn of that ram is our first "Shofar" image in the Torah.
Avraham was then informed of the birth of Rivkah (Rebecca), who would later marry Yitzchak.

May we all be inscribed and sealed for a great new year of health and happiness,
Mordechai