Unbinding Isaac takes readers on a trek of discovery for our times
into the binding of Isaac story. Nineteenth-century Danish
philosopher Søren Kierkegaard viewed the story as teaching
suspension of ethics for the sake of faith, and subsequent Jewish
thinkers developed this idea as a cornerstone of their religious
worldview. Aaron Koller examines and critiques Kierkegaard’s
perspective—and later incarnations of it—on textual, religious,
and ethical grounds. He also explores the current of criticism of
Abraham in Jewish thought, from ancient poems and midrashim to
contemporary Israel narratives, as well as Jewish responses to the
Akedah over the generations. Finally, bringing together these
multiple strands of thought—along with modern knowledge of human
sacrifice in the Phoenician world—Koller offers an original
reading of the Akedah. The biblical God would like to want child
sacrifice—because it is in fact a remarkable display of
devotion—but more than that, he does not want child sacrifice
because it would violate the child’s autonomy. Thus, the high
point in the drama is not the binding of Isaac but the moment when
Abraham is told to release him. The Torah does not allow child
sacrifice, though by contrast, some of Israel’s neighbors viewed
it as a religiously inspiring act. The binding of Isaac teaches us
that an authentically religious act cannot be done through the harm
of another human being. Download a Study Guide
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