This past week, we marked the twenty third anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, who was the prime minister of Israel. This week's Torah portion Vayera, is the same Torah portion that was read the Shabbat following his assassination. President Bill Clinton referenced it when eulogizing Prime Minister Rabin at his funeral, twenty three years ago. He said:

 

"This week, Jews all around the world are studying the Torah portion in which God tests the faith of Abraham, patriarch of the Jews and the Arabs. He commands Abraham to sacrifice Yitzhak. "Take your son, the one you love, Yitzhak." As we all know, as Abraham, in loyalty to God, was about to kill his son, God spared Yitzhak. Now God tests our faith even more terribly, for he has taken our Yitzhak. But Israel's covenant with God for freedom, for tolerance, for security, for peace - that covenant must hold. That covenant was Prime Minister Rabin's life work. Now we must make it his lasting legacy. His spirit must live on in us."

 

Here we are twenty three years later and we are still being tested. Just two weeks ago, two Israelis were gunned down in an act of terror. But as President Clinton said our covenant with God for freedom, for tolerance, for security and for peace must hold.

 

Harachaman, Who yevi Shalom Bein Bnai Yizchak Uvein Benai Yishamel. May we see the day when there is peace between the children of Isaac and the children of Ishmael, Yehi Zichronah Lebaruch, may the memory of Yizchak Rabin be for a blessing. And let us say, Amen.