On Rosh Hashana, we read the story of the Akeida – the ‘almost’ sacrifice of Isaac by his father Abraham. Traditionally, the reason given is the connection between the ram sacrificed at the end of the story, and the ram’s horn that we blow as the shofar on Rosh Hashana.

Rabbi Dunner challenges this tenuous connection, and delves into the very disturbing child-sacrifice elements of the Akeida story. What are we really to learn from this disturbing narrative and why do we read it on Rosh Hashana? The answer may not be what you think.