The Conversation Starter: A Ten Commandments’ Tale

to start a conversation, i often will bring up a topic and ask the individual what they think of it. this tends to work out well. there are times, however, when i know, if i bring up a certain topic, things will not go well. knowing this, i mentally shelve the topic and come up with something else.

every year, bible readings are scheduled. portions or parshas of the torah are read throughout the year at designated times. topics, via the schedule, are brought up regardless of the audience’s sensitivities.

the new year’s readings offers two power and uncomfortable moments. abraham, sarah, hagar, ishmael and isaac are all caught up in the notions of both sacrifice and legacy.

as mothers, both sarah and hagar are concerned with their children’s legacies. sarah asks abraham to send hagar and ishmael away to protect her son isaac’s legacy. this was requested after “sarah saw the son of hagar the egyptian, whom she had borne to abraham, making merry.” genesis 21:9. impliedly, this activity, whatever it was, was a perceived threat to isaac’s legacy. she feared for her son.

having been sent away from the family to the desert with little resources, bread and water, hagar, abraham’s concubine who had ishmael, abraham’s first born, suffered despair over her son’s life. in hearing this, god pronounced that she should “rise, pick up the lad and grasp your hand upon him, for i shall make him into a great nation.” genesis 21:18. prior to sending the child away, god had already assured abraham of his son’s positive fate. genesis 21:13.

abraham had been commanded to sacrifice his son. this sacrifice would end his legacy through isaac. abraham’s sacrifice attempt of isaac was stopped by an angel. “and an angel of god called to him from heaven and said, “abraham! abraham!” and he said, “here i am.” and he said, “do not stretch forth your hand to the lad, nor do the slightest thing to him, for now i know that you are a god fearing man, and you did not withhold your son, your only one, from me.” genesis 22:11-12

presently, the advent of gender affirmation surgeries are taking place on young children. these children may have procedures that may prohibit them from being able to biologically reproduce. with this, both the biological legacy of both parent and child is permanently compromised. these children are likely too young to appreciate that they are forgoing on one of most rewarding and greatest acts in life. these children, who have received these procedures, may be beset with a lifelong of regret.

is it not time for parents who are confronting this issue? is it time for them to understand that they are in fact participating in child sacrifice? abraham was told firmly to “…not stretch forth your hand to the lad, nor do the slightest thing to him.” is it time for parents to appreciate that they have created a beautiful child and allow the child to not be sacrificed for an ideology? a child becoming an adult will have a lifetime to make their own personal and permanent decisions.

with the time of the year, gender ideology may become a household discussion. parents may engage in the uncomfortable conversations of sacrifice and legacy. with this, the master of the universe, with these two episodes, displayed that having faith matters with respect to both one and one’s child’s legacy. the creator of the universe has plans for children. they are the fulfillment of blessings and prayers.

be well!!

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