Sound Bites: Sarah’s Scream

The Abudirham explains that the Binding of Isaac took place on Rosh Hashana. The cry of the shofar recreates Sarah’s scream when she learned what Abraham intended to do.

There is no record in the Bible of Sarah’s cry. As far as the verse is concerned, her cry was silent. The Midrash offers numerous opinions about when and how she cried. Most of them entail an interaction with Satan. When Sarah heard from Satan what Abraham intended to do with Isaac, she screamed in agony.

Does this imply that she was any less righteous than Abraham, who did not cry out in agony?

Sarah gave voice to her natural maternal instincts. Whether she would have joined Abraham or not, she would have still cried.

We are often told not to cry out to God when we are suffering or in pain, but rather, to trust in God. The Shofar gives voice to all those silent cries of pain, confusion, agony, and even anger. We too, would join with Abraham, but the Shofar gives voice to the silent inner cry, and pierces the Heavens and reaches the Divine Throne.