January 4, 2026
Emily Mlcak
In one of the most troubling stories from the Hebrew Bible, Yahweh commands Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah. This story has inspired centuries of commentary—and it still has something to say for our lives today. As philosopher Jacques Derrida notes, every choice we make involves the sacrifice of something else: responding to one call means forsaking another. We’ll explore how we might find ourselves as Abraham, Isaac, the ram—or even the angel — and consider what each role reveals about the choices we face. Drawing on Jewish midrash, the Quran, and contemporary scholarship, we’ll look at both the tragedy of Isaac’s journey, as well as the possibilities for healing after tragedy.
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