Akeidat Yitzchak - עקידת יצחק

To learn the story of Akeidat Yitzchak

To understand that Akeidat Yitzchak took place on what is now known as Har Habayit.

blindfolds (either two, or one for every two people- this just depends on if you want teams to compete two at a time, or all together)

Written By: Toronto

Objective

To learn the story of Akeidat Yitzchak

To understand that Akeidat Yitzchak took place on what is now known as Har Habayit.

To discuss the issue of faith and trust in both Hashem and other people in relation to Akeidat Yitzchak and our everyday lives.

Materials

blindfolds (either two, or one for every two people- this just depends on if you want teams to compete two at a time, or all together)

Chairs (four for each team competing at a single time)

Suitable for Shabbat

Suggested Age: Alef, Zach, Bet

Method

Each shevet meets separately to play various trust games. This will be followed by a sicha about why you just trusted your friends in the games just played, Akeidat Yitzchat and Emunah in Hashem. (see below)

Blindfolded Race

Each team consists of two people- one who is blind folded, and one who is not.

The blindfolded people line up at one side of the room, while the ones who can see stand opposite them at the other end of the room. Four chairs are lined up between the teammates. Each chair is about .5 - 1 meter apart. When the marich/a says go, the blindfolded person must weave in and out between the chairs to the other side of the room. To do this his/her partner calls out the direction in which the person should walk. ("slightly forward, to the right, you are going to crash into a chair, etc.") The first one to the other side after properly completing the challenge wins. This game can be played, two teams on two, all teams competing at once, or one team at a time (but then you must time them.)

Trust Falls

This is when a person falls straight back into the arms of another person. (with younger kids the catcher should probably be a madrich/a) Person A stands straight, and without bending his/her knees or moving his/her feet to brace his/her self, falls straight back into the outstretched arms of person B. Person B should not stand right in back of person A, but should not be dangerously far either. Person B can also move a little farther away from person A each time the trust fall is successfully completed. DO NOT let your kids be stupid about how far away they move, your chanichim can get hurt!

Discussion Points/ Conclusion

Ask your chanichim the following questions:

When playing the two games did you trust your friends?

Why or why not?

What makes you trust someone?

If someone you trusted in totally and completely told you to hurt someone you love would you still trust them?

If someone you trusted in totally and completely wanted to hurt you would you still trust them?

Using that last 2 questions launch into the story of Akeidat Yitzchak. Discuss both Avraham’s complete faith in Hashem and Yitzchak’s faith in both Avraham and Hashem. Explain to your chanichim how important this trust in Hashem really is. If you are a little rusty use the source sheets and tanach. Do not forget to mention how this took place on what today is known as Har Habayit- which you guessed it is in Jerusalem, and the fact that it is appropriate that we discuss this around Rosh HaShana, because on R"H we blow the horns of the ram (the shofar) which was Yitzchak’s sacrificial replacement.