Why do we read about the birth of Isaac on Rosh Hashanah?
Table for Five: Rosh Hashanah
In partnership with the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles
Edited by Nina Litvak & Salvador Litvak, the Accidental Talmudist
And Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. – Gen. 21:2
Ilan Reiner
Architect & Author of “Israel History Maps”
On the first day of Rosh Hashana, we read about the miraculous birth of Yitzchak, destined to continue the covenant between Hashem and Avraham. That covenant is not abstract—it is rooted in the charge that Avraham’s descendants, the Jewish people, “keep the way of Hashem, to do righteousness and justice” (Gen. 18:19).
Sarah, barren for decades, conceives and gives birth exactly when Hashem had promised. Hashem fulfilled His word. Yet what becomes of this child is not predetermined. It depends on Avraham and Sarah—on how they raise Yitzchak, guide him, and transmit to him the path of Hashem.
This message speaks directly to Rosh Hashana. We often think of the day as one when Hashem, as Creator, decrees what will happen in the coming year, and we respond by asking for blessing. But the Torah reading teaches us something deeper. Just as Hashem kept His covenantal promise in bringing Yitzchak into the world, so too Hashem has already established His kingship and chosen us as His people. That reality is not in question. The real question is: what will we do with it?
On Rosh Hashana we proclaim Hashem as King—not in order to receive, but to accept our role in the covenant. Our task is to live as Yitzchak’s heirs: to embody justice, righteousness, and faithfulness to Torah. Hashem fulfills His word; now the responsibility rests with us. May this new year be one where we, too, keep our word—to Hashem, to each other, and to ourselves.
Rabbi Michael Barclay
Senior Rabbi, Temple Ner Simcha, Westlake Village. www.NerSimcha.org
Faith over fear. If there’s only one lesson that all of Western culture, and especially Jews need to remember, it is this one.
The opposite of fear is not courage, it is faith. It is a psychological and spiritual truth that faith and fear cannot exist in the same place at the same time: the more of one, the less of the other. And this verse reminds us why it can and should be so easy for all Jews to choose faith over fear: our faith is not blind, but based on over 3,500 years of history, beginning with this verse in Genesis.
In Gen. 18:10, Abraham and Sarah are promised a child within a year. In Gen. 21:2, this promise is fulfilled, against all odds, given their advanced age. This is only the first of many promises that God makes that are seemingly impossible, and yet come true. Most significantly, given the circumstances of the last 2 years, is God’s promise that the land of Israel, as defined in the Torah, is to be the Jewish homeland forever.
This Promised Land has been and always will be ours. Hamas and Hezbollah will fade to a whisper on the wind in the same way that all of Israel’s enemies have disappeared over the millennia. This verse reminds us to always put our faith in God, and not in any human ally, for it is God alone who has always been, and always will be there for us… protecting the people, land, and State of Israel now and always.
Denise Berger
Freelance Writer
Rosh Hashana. The Day of Judgement. Nearly half a day spent at shul, praying for our lives, crowning G-d as our King. Just before the halfway point of the service, we have the Torah reading. According to the themes of the day, we might expect something grand, like the creation of the world, or maybe some Hallachic passages, reminders of our expected behavior. Instead, we have this story about a family —– and in that story we see the essence of who our Judge and King really is.
The fact of Sarah conceiving and bearing a son to Avraham is nothing short of miraculous. In terms of biology, it is physically impossible for a woman to become pregnant in her later years. Yet here she is, and while the Torah is acknowledging the importance of this event, it does so casually, without fanfare.
For Avraham, becoming a father in his old age isn’t the same sort of biologic miracle that it is for Sarah. It’s an emotional miracle. Giving up on dreams is one of the most common, and one of the saddest, aspects of aging. Yet here is Avraham, having his dream come true. Again, the Torah shows restraint when noting the significance.
Hashem had promised Avraham and Sarah that they would be parents. Our Judge issues decrees based on love. Our King uses limitless powers to bring us joy. That’s the centered awareness we bring to our Rosh Hashana prayers. That’s how we start the year.
Miriam Mill – Kreisman
President, Tzaddik Foundation, Mother of 4
On Rosh Hashanah, we read these words not as a quaint miracle of the past, but as the very essence of the day. Rashi reminds us that Yitzchak was born exactly at the time promised—down to the second. Ramban emphasizes that Abraham and Sarah were far beyond childbearing age, making this not just unlikely but impossible by nature. Sforno explains that Sarah’s lifetime of barrenness made it clear: Isaac’s birth was from Hashem alone. Malbim notes that both Abraham’s and Sarah’s promises were fulfilled, showing Hashem’s word applies with precision to each individual. And the Midrash tells us that Hashem ensured the miracle was public, undeniable.
But why on Rosh Hashanah? Because this day itself celebrates Hashem’s mastery of creation. Just as mankind was created on Rosh Hashanah—something out of nothing—so too was the Jewish people. What looks “natural” in hindsight was, in truth, completely miraculous. Both humanity and Israel were not only acts of kindness, but also of exactness, perfection, and above all, divine love and intention.
When we crown Hashem as King on Rosh Hashanah, we remember that His rule is not distant or abstract. It is precise, timely, personal. The same God who created Adam and brought life to Sarah and Abraham at the appointed moment continues to guide every detail of our lives. Our task is to recognize the miracles, trust the timing, and embrace His kingship with joy and awe.
Rabbi Scott N. Bolton
Congregation Or Saura, New York, NY
This verse is more than a story of miraculous birth—it’s a promise: after years of longing and uncertainty, better days can and will come. Abraham and Sarah’s journey wasn’t only about their personal hope for a child. Rashi teaches that their true legacy lay in welcoming others into God’s covenant, spreading the message that forms the spiritual foundation of Am Yisrael. For decades, their private dreams stayed unrealized, yet as partners devoted to a higher purpose, they modeled persistence and unity—planting seeds of hope for generations to come. Isaac’s birth marks the fruition of divine promise. The laughter in his name echoes the enduring spirit of the Jewish People, whose joy arises even amid exile and hardship, assured that redemption ultimately awaits. Blessings, the Torah teaches, do not simply come to those who yearn, but to those who serve with purpose and unwavering dedication. When we take inspiration from Abraham and Sarah and commit ourselves to building families, uplifting our communities, and pursuing tzedakah and mishpat—righteousness and respect for the law—we invite God’s promise into our lives and into the story of our people. The fulfillment of divine promise springs not only from hope, but from the enduring labor and steadfast faith of every Jewish generation committed to the covenant. In every act of unity and spiritual growth, we carry forward Abraham and Sarah’s legacy, trusting that, even after long waiting, blessing will come.
With thanks to Ilan Reiner, Rabbi Michael Barclay, Denise Berger, Miriam Mill-Kreisman and Rabbi Scott N. Bolton.
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