This Portion

At the Appointed Time

Thought for the Week:

"Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son." (Genesis 18:14) God tells Abraham that Sarah will have a son “at the appointed time.” The Hebrew word for “appointed time” is moed (מועד). It is the same word that the Torah uses to refer to the biblical festivals, God’s appointed times. As such, its use in Genesis 18:14 and 21:2 invited the Sages to speculate that Isaac might have been born on a festival. The majority opinions are that Isaac was born either at the appointed time of Passover or at the appointed time of Rosh Hashanah (the Feast of Trumpets). Because of the latter opinion, Genesis 21 (which tells the story of the birth of Isaac) is the primary Torah reading for Rosh Hashanah.

Commentary:

The birth of Isaac can be compared to the coming of Messiah. Isaac is the promised and long-awaited son. Just as Isaac was born at the appointed time, so too Messiah will come at the appointed time. “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority,” (Acts 1:7) and “Of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” (Matthew 24:36) Nonetheless, we celebrate Messiah’s first coming in the appointed times of the spring festivals (Passover, Unleavened Bread, Pentecost) and we celebrate His anticipated second coming in the appointed times of the fall festivals (Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Booths). Redemption does come at the appointed time.

When Isaac was born, “Sarah said, ‘God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.’” (Genesis 21:6)

In Genesis 18, when she overheard the Angel of the LORD promise that she would conceive and bear a son, Sarah laughed a laugh of incredulity. In Genesis 21, she laughs the laugh of joy. She says, “God has made laughter for me.” Isaac (Yitzchak, יצחק) means “laughter.”

This teaches us about the Messiah. When Messiah comes, it is written, “Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful [song].” (Psalm 126:2) The Master tells us, “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.” (Luke 6:21) When will the mourner’s weeping turn to laughter? When Messiah comes, we will all laugh with joy. Then we will all declare, along with Sarah our mother, “God has made laughter for us.” Hence it is fitting that the promised son of Abraham should be named “laughter.”

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