The Bagel: Examination. During the Ten Days of Awe many are examining their last year's activities to see areas that need "damage control." There are relationships to mend, offences to be reconciled, and restitution to be made for any hurts to another. The Rosh HaShannah Bet (Day 2) portion speaks of another examination, the test of Abraham's faith. It was traumatic. He had to give up Isaac to be a sacrifice. He bound up Isaac and placed him on the altar. He raised the knife. Isaac had already died in Abraham's heart. This was enough for a lifetime of weeping, but G-d! Abraham passed! G-d raised Isaac from the dead!

The Haftarah portion speaks of the ultimate demonstration of that all-powerful action of Abraham's G-d combined with Abraham's faith, so that Israel would be saved in that great day, the day of redemption, like Isaac was saved from the knife in his day. As Abraham bound Isaac, so Adonay will rebuild Israel. As Abraham lifted Isaac and placed him on the altar, so Adonay will restore Israel. As Abraham's faith prevailed, and Isaac was delivered by G-d, so Adonay will redeem Israel from its troubles.

The inner-core of divine examination is the soundness of faith. One of the purposes of the Torah should be to teach us the Holiness of G-d. G-d's holiness cannot fellowship with human sinfulness. Walking on the surface of the sun is safer than mixing sin with righteousness.

The reading from the Brit Chadashah is another examination. This test looks at congregational life, which in turn examines the personal life. We simply cannot survive before G-d without that permanent atonement made available through Yeshua's death on the Roman cross. The mighty power of that kind of faith is eternal life, forever with G-d. This also revitalizes personal and congregational life. It is no wonder that the Brit Chadashah emphasizes the need for Yeshua's atonement and the great danger if there is a lack of it:

"And I saw a great white throne, and I saw the one who was sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to the things written in the books, according to what they had done. The sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the grave gave up the dead in them. They were all judged according to their deeds. And death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death-- the lake of fire. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:11-15).