- Torah and Jewish Thought
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Question
Dear Rabbis, I have been studying the Akeida in great detail using many seforim, listening to and reading shiurim etc.
I have a ’gut’ feel that there is a very close link between the Akeida and Churban Europe at a very deep level, but have not been able to find much discussion specifically on this point. Do you agree with my suspicion regarding a very direct link, or do you have any recommended seforim or other links which I could explore on this?
I am aware of Chief Rabbi Lau’s autobiography ’ Al tishlach yadecha el ha-naar’ - the translator of his sefer asked him about the concept and terminology. While the holocaust victims can be equated with Yitzchak as the ’ victim ’ , or rather ’sacrifice’ at the Akeida, the analogy breaks down when one considers that it is Avraham Avinu intending to do the Akeida, while it is the barbaric Nazi Germans carrying out the Churban Europe murders. Rav Lau answered that the symbolic analogy is intended to extend only as far as Yitzchak the victim, and not beyond that.
I have , I think, found one source and approach which I feel can integrate the Akeida episode and Churban Europe into two parts of a continuum, but I would like to know if there are sources in recent Torah Literature which perhaps deal with this in depth or more directly.
Many thanks,
Dr. Milton Tobias Johannesburg
( PS: I have so far 53 pages of notes on the Akeida and expanding as I go along)
Answer
I do not know of such source however I strongly encourage you to walk your path in understanding the Akedah and its relevancy to our generation regardless to any other commentary.
All the best

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