Tanach

Grade 12
Akedat Yitzchak
Objectives
1. At the completion of this activity, participants should be able to demonstrate an
understanding that we can learn from what is left out from the Torah and that the way the
story is told can affect the way we perceive it.
2. At the completion of this activity, participants should be able to describe at least one
purpose of the story of Akedat Yitzchak in light of the lack of emotion within the text.
Hook:
I will use Poll Everywhere and ask each student to call out one word that he or she think
describes what was going on in Avrahams head while preparing for and going through with the
Akeda.
Learning Process:
We will read a couple of the pesukim and I will ask what emotions are portrayed there.
Do the emotions portrayed match those projected on the board (from the Poll Everywhere)?
The students will have received a handout with a few quotes for Iphiginius in Aulis, a similar
story in which the Greek general Agamemnon is commanded by a goddess to sacrifice his
daughter. The quotes will be projected on the board as well. These quotes are full of emotion and
inner struggle. I will ask if these quotes would fit into our story of Akedat Yitzchak. Avraham
was human, its safe to say he experienced some form of these emotions.
So why are the emotions left out of this story?
Think, Pair, Share:
Transition:
I will lay out all instructions, here are the talking points that I will go through:
We are now going to work on this topic individually and then in pairs through an activity
called Think-Pair-Share
First I will give you all the instructions, and then, when I say to go, you will begin
First, you will spend 3 minutes collecting your thoughts and taking notes
Next, you will pair up.
When I finish with the instructions I will hand out a sheet that will have some questions
to guide your thinking and all the pairs so you can see who you are to pair with. The sheet
will also say where in the room each pair will meet.
When I say the individual time is up, you will go to this place in the room to meet your
pair.
These pairings are final and will not be changed.
With your partner, you will discuss each of your thoughts

Someone from each pair should write a few sentences detailing what you and your
partner come up with
Be prepared to share your pairs thoughts with the rest of the class
If you have any questions during this period, you should 1st ask the person you are paired
with. If he or she cannot answer, then you can raise your hand and wait for me to come to
you. I will be floating around during this time.

Then I will call on someone and ask if they can repeat the instructions for the class.
Afterwards, I will call on some individuals to share, in a sentence or two, the thoughts of their
group. I will segue into a discussion on the purpose of this story. This will hopefully blossom
into a conversation. If not, I have a list of questions that I can pull from to engage the students on
the topic. Regardless, I will insert some higher thought questions within this discussion.
I will at some point raise the issue of the story of the Akeda being the Torah reading for Rosh
Hashana and how that fits with this conversation.
Questions:
(in bold are higher thinking questions)
I may not get to all these questions, but will feel it out as the class proceeds with the discussion.

Are we meant to try to emulate Avrahams actions? Is this a level of emuna we are
meant to aim for? Is that realistic?
If not, what is the purpose of the story?
Is this a story to which you can relate?
What lesson do you take away from the story?
Was what Avraham did a good thing?
Does thinking about the absences change the way you view this story? How so?
Would Avrahams actions seem greater if he had to overcome emotional struggles to
perform the akeda?
We read this story on Rosh Hashana, in which we are focused on teshuva. Would
your reaction to this, specifically on Rosh Hashana, be different if it was more
relatable? How so?

Exit Ticket:
Students will receive a piece of paper with the following questions and space to answer:
Write at least one purpose or lesson of the story of Akidat Yitzchak.
Write at least 2 things that you think are absent from this text.
What do you think is accomplished specifically through what is left out from the story?

Handouts/Materials

Iphigenia in Aulis
Euripides, Greak tragedian
Written between 408 and 406 BCE

1. no, I will not murder my childrensuch a godless crime against them,

against my own flesh and blood.
2. What shall I say to my wife, then? With what face shall I receive hers?
Poor, sweet young girl!...
Oh, my girl! How I pity you! How I cry for you!
She will be begging me, my sweet young girl!
Daddy, do you want to kill me?...
3. I am the plaything of the gods.
4. You are going a long way away from your home and from your father. Oh
these soft cheeks! To hold you so close! Your golden hair! But I must stop.
When I hold you, tears flood my eyes.
5. I must gomake arrangements for the gods pleasure and for my pain.
6. Why me? Aaah! You cruel gods, why me?
Think-Pair-Share Sheet
Akedat Yitzchak
I would like you to think of the following questions in guiding your thoughts. These questions
will be on the board as well.
Why do you think the Torah framed the story in this way? Why was the emotional aspect
left out?
What is the purpose of this story? What does the absence of emotion show us regarding
what the purpose is?
Is this story is relatable to you? How does the way this story is told in the text speak to
you? Do you find it compelling?