Commentary for Genesis 22:13

והנה איל BEHOLD, A RAM — It was predestined for that purpose from the six days of Creation (Avot 5:5; Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 23).

וירא והנה איל, passing by in front of him

And behold, a ram after (achar) it had been caught in the thicket by its horns: The meaning of the word achar is as if there were two rams here, and it wanted to distinguish between them; so it said that this ram was other (acher) then the first one. For even though, according to this, it should have been vocalized with a tzeri under the [letter], chet, it should nevertheless be understood as it if was vocalized with a tzeri. As the chet being vocalized by a patach does not fit so well, since the word, after (achar), is written between, "ram," and, "thicket." And some say that this ram was not from those rams that were created on the six days of creation, but it was rather another ram. For the ram of Yitzchak was created on the eve of Shabbat at twilight.

והנה איל אחר נאחז בסבך, this incident indicated to him that G’d must have arranged for this ram to be at his disposal, and that there could be no question of his committing robbery if he took this ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering. The fact that there had been no such ram when he prepared the altar and bound Yitzchok and suddenly this ram materialised, was ample evidence of its purpose.

וישא, he raised his eyes in order to see if there was some pure animal suitable for a sacrifice which he could offer in lieu of his son.

And behold, a ram after it had been caught: The word, after, has no meaning [here]. And Rashi explained, [it means] after the words [of the angel]. And likewise did Onkelos translate [it]. But if so, "after," should have been written before, "and behold, a ram." Rather it is referring to, "had been caught," such that it was not caught in the thicket at first, but rather Avraham saw in front of his eyes that it got caught in the thicket. And the reason according to the straightforward meaning is that he would have had to have been concerned lest one of the passers-by stuck him there until he would return. But this would not be the case when he sees a ram walking wildly - it would be obvious that it is ownerless. But if so, it would be difficult to take it. Hence it was caught in the thicket in front of his eyes and he went and got it.

והנה איל אחד, “and lo there was a ram, etc.” According to Ibn Ezra, Avraham had not seen the ram until it had become enmeshed in the thicket with its horns. Other commentators hold that Avraham had observed the same ram previously when it was unencumbered and grazing, whereas now he saw it suddenly caught in the thicket by its horns. He assumed that this was in order for him to be able to secure it easily as a substitute for Yitzchok.

וירא והנה איל, “and he saw, and here there was a ram, etc.” This ram was one of the ten things which were created on the original sixth day of creation at dusk (according to Avot 5,6). This is why this animal was called איל instead of כבש. Normally, when the Torah refers to these types of animals in connection with their being used as sacrificial animals they are always referred to as כבש or כבשים בני שנה “one year old sheep.” The word כבש suggests that this animal (when offered as a sacrifice) is כובש, “suppresses” the sins of the Jewish people. When this animal grows to maturity it is known as איל, when it is only a day old it is referred to as כבש, as we know from Leviticus 22,27 שור או כשב או עז כי יולד, “when an ox, a sheep or a goat is born, etc.” Another reason why this ram which was sacrificed as a burnt-offering was called איל is the similarity of this word with the word אילת השחר, a complimentary name applied to the כנסת ישראל, “the spiritual concept represented by the Jewish people” (compare Psalms 22,1). Allegorically speaking, this ram represents Israel which receives its spiritual input via שחר which protects it generation after generation due to the merit accumulated by Avraham as a result of his having bound his son. [The word describes something which precedes the light of the morning. G’d preceded everything in this world. Israel receives its spiritual and material input from such pre-historic sources. Ed.]

It was prepared for this purpose from the Six Days of Creation. [Rashi knows this] because it should have said וירא איל אחר נאחז. Why does it say והנה? Perforce, to teach that “it was prepared for this purpose...”

וישא. Er sah sich danach um. Es war ihm Bedürfnis, die Hinopferung dieses עקוד und הֵעָקֵד, dieses freie Hinopfern des ganzen Wesens mit Hand und Fuß auf dem Altar, das er faktisch zu üben bereit gewesen, nun durch ein symbolisches Opfer zum Inhalt des ganzen künftigen Lebens seines Sohnes und der Nachkommen desselben zu machen. —

והנה איל אחר, נאחז בסבך בקרניו, “and behold, behind him a ram had been caught with its horns in the thicket;” according to B’reshit rabbah, 56,9, the strange word “behind” in this verse is interpreted as G–d having said to Avraham, that He could foresee that his descendants would likewise be caught up in various kinds of sins at different times, and that by using the ram’s horn on designated days of the year and blowing its horn, they would be able to secure for themselves atonement as their founding father Avraham had willingly offered his beloved son as an offering to Him. Ram’s horns which are open ended at both ends are to remind the Jewish people that though they will seemingly enter a dark tunnel when sinning, there is light at the end of the tunnel if they do penitence; blowing the ram’s horns when asking G–d for forgiveness is one of the means of obtaining forgiveness. The ram’s horn may therefore be viewed as an advocate on our behalf.

And he saw; and behold, a ram: And he nevertheless would not have taken it, as he was afraid lest another person lost it; and he would not extend his hand [to take the property] of others. But "after it was caught in the thicket by its horns," he knew that it was a sign to him that he should take it and that it was stuck there for his sake. So he went and took it.

אחר נאחז בסבך, “subsequently he saw a ram that had become entangled in the thicket.” We find a similar construction (using the preposition אחר) in Psalms 68,26: קדמו שרים אחר נוגנים, “the singers preceded the musicians,” or in Kohelet 12,2: ושבו העבים אחר הגשם, “and the clouds return after the rain.”According to Rashi, Avraham saw the ram as it became entangled. This is why he understood that it was not there accidentally, but that G-d had given him a hint to use it as a substitute for the offering he had been prevented by the angel to complete. If that ram had been standing there as did others, he would have thought it was privately owned by someone else and would not have touched it. A different interpretation: “he noticed it after it had become entangled by its horns.” (Ibn Ezra).

אחר AFTER the angel had said to him “Lay not thy hand upon the lad” he saw it being caught in the thicket. And that is what we mean when we translate it in the Targum by “And Abraham lifted up his eyes after these (i.e. after these words)”. Other versions of Rashi have: according to the Midrashic explanation, after means after all the words of the angel and the Shechinah, and after all the arguments of Abraham.

אחר נאחז בסבך בקרניו, getting enmeshed in the thicket with its horns after Avraham had seen it. He reasoned that surely this must be a message from the angel who had caused this ram to become entangled at the command of G’d so that he, Avraham, could offer it in place of his son Yitzchok. This is also the meaning of Psalms 68,26 קדמו שרים אחר נוגנים, “first come the singers, afterwards the musicians.” A similar meaning of the word אחר is found in Ecclesiastes 12,2 ושבו העבים אחר הגשם, “the clouds return after the rain.” Another example of the word אחר having the same meaning as here is found in Exodus 5,1 ואחר באו משה ואהרן, “after (what had occurred before) Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh.”

And what appears likely to me about this is that anyone who is a sinner and very rebellious is compared to a person with horns. He gores upwards with sins between man and God, may He be blessed. It is as Rashi explained on Parashat Lech Lecha (Rashi on Genesis 14:2), "Shemever: He placed a limb (Sam ever) to jump and to fly against the Above." And likewise is it stated with the nations (Daniel 8:20), "The two-horned ram that you saw, etc." So the analogy is raised by the two-horned ram here [as well]: As there is one that gores upwards - that is one that sins to the Heavens. But the majority of animals' horns point to the right and the left. For this is how a person who sins injures his fellow - either in the 'length of days which is to his right,' or in 'wealth and honor which is to his left.' Hence Adam who was alone in the world and sinned only to the Heavens - that is why an ox that had only one horn on his forehead chanced upon him as an atonement. Meaning, from the aspect of its being on his forehead, it pointed upwards. Such that [in this way,] he fixes that which he sinned. And it is from this that our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, learned to say that it had one horn and that it was specifically on his forehead (Chullin 6oa). But for [all] the generations, all sinners bring an ox, a lamb or a goat, with two horns - to the right and to the left - to atone for that which he sinned to his fellow. For even one who sins with things that are between a man and God, may He be blessed, nevertheless also injures the creatures - whether it is from the angle that all of Israel are guarantors for each other and many bear the punishment of his sin, as is known; or whether it is from the angle that he causes others to learn from his deeds, to do like his deeds. Hence his law is to bring animals that have two horns to the right and to the left, to atone for what he sinned against the creatures, whereas the Holy One, blessed be He, forgives His portion [of the sin]. For 'if they rebelled greatly, what does it to Him,' may He be blessed? But to a person that is similar to him, he may inflict great damage, according to the magnitude of his power. Hence their laws are differentiated with the sacrifices. For the power of an anointed priest and of the Great Court is great, and they have the power to inflict great damage on others. Hence their law is to bring a bull, whose goring is great and very dangerous. But the goring of every plain individual is not so great to his fellow; hence their law is to bring a lamb or a goat. However a poor person's power is weak to [cause] damage, so he is similar to a fowl which strikes with its wings, according to [the idea of] Shemever. Hence his law is to bring doves or young pigeons. This is to say that he is pursued like them, yet he strikes others with his wings. Yet the very poor are considered like the dead. Hence his sacrifice is fine flour, which does not have a living soul. And, with God's help, this will be explained further later in Parashat Vayikra. [This pattern] is because everything that atones must be similar in its description to the one getting atoned. This is what the verse states (Psalms 75:5-6), "I said to the mockers, 'Do not mock'; and to the wicked, 'Do not raise the horn.' Do not raise your horn on high." "Do not raise the horn," implies one [horn], such that they should not sin to the Heavens alone. "Do not raise your (plural) horn on high," implies two - corresponding to one who also sins to man. Hence it stated, "Do not raise on high" - two raisings, one to the right and one to the left, as mentioned.

תחת בנו, in exchange for what he had had in mind to do with his son. The phrase reminds us of Psalms 15,2 ודובר אמת בלבו, “he spoke truthfully in his heart.” [the author justifies the use of the word תחת, “in lieu of,” for something which had not actually happened, i.e. Yitzchok had not been slaughtered. The verse from Psalms proves that the intention is as good as the deed when such an intention was sincere, wholehearted. Ed.]

וירא והנה איל אחר נאחז, after it had become enmeshed in the thicket.

אחר נאחז בסבך בקרניו, “subsequently, caught by its horns in the thicket.” The plain meaning of the text is that after the angel had told Avraham not to touch Yitzchak he saw this ram. The word בסבך suggests that the part of the mountain on which the binding took place was full of trees and low brush, a place also known in Kings I 7,2 as יער לבנון, a type of Cedar forest. In Psalms 132,6 David said of the שכינה, G’d’s benevolent presence, מצאנוה בשדי יער, “we found it in the fields of Yaar.” This place was within the boundaries of the territory of Benjamin of whom it is said (Genesis 49,27) בנימין זאב יטרף. These words are translated by Onkelos as “G’d’s benevolent presence will reside in the territory of Benjamin, and His Holy Temple will be built there.”

After the angel had said to him... I.e., אחר is connected to an earlier phrase. It is out of place. The verse means to say: “Avraham looked up afterward, and beheld a ram that had been caught...” Rashi proves it from Onkelos, who translates: “And Avraham looked up after these [words].”

Wie Isaak bereit gewesen, sich auf Gottes Altar zu opfern und vom Gottesaltare erneut zum Leben erstanden: so soll dieselbe Gesinnung und dieselbe opferfreudige Bereitwilligkeit fortan von ihm und seinen Kindern im Opfer gelobt und im Leben verwirklicht werden. Isaaks und seiner Kinder Leben soll eine ewige Akeda bilden. —

בסבך IN A THICKET— a tree.

And this thing was hinted to Avraham because 'there is no righteous man on the earth who does good and never sins.' And all the more so according to the those that say (Nedarim 32) that the exile of Egypt was because of Avraham's sin, when he said, "with what will I know" (Genesis 15:8). So he caused his children affliction, slavery and the death of the sons in Egypt - as if he gored them right and left. And if so, his law is that he must offer another ram. And it was other from the first, as the first ram was a man who sins, who gores north and south. And with God's compassion, He took a ram that was caught in the thicket by its horns in his place. The matter of its being caught in the thicket - meaning a tree - is a hint that, so too is a sinner entangled in sin, which extends from the Tree of Knowledge, which is the cause of all sin. And the matter of [it being caught] by its horns is because the horns of a sinner are what caused him to become entangled. It is as if it said that a person is ensnared and caught in a trap because 'his horns are the horns of a ram' - 'he raises his horn on high,' or to the right and to the left. And in Bereishit Rabbah (56:9), they said, "'And behold a ram after (achar)' - what is after? [After] all that happened, Israel is [still] caught in sins and entangled in troubles; but in the end, they will be redeemed by the ram’s horns." Behold the simple meaning of this midrash agrees with our words, that this verse is speaking about a sinner and one very rebellious, whose 'horns are all around him.' And that which they said, "but in the end, they will be redeemed by the ram’s horns" - it appears to me that it can be explained as being about the shofar of Rosh Hashanah, which is from the horn of a ram. And through it, Israel is redeemed from the hands of their evil impulse, the trap of which is cast over all the living. But they are redeemed from his hands through the shofar, that comes to confuse the Accuser (Satan). For the shofar arouses a person to repentance, as it is written (Amos 3:6), "When a shofar is blown in a town, do the people not take alarm?"

בסבך בקרניו, this served Avraham as an invitation from G’d that seeing that this ram was caught in a thicket away from the flock it belonged to, something which its shepherd had not even become aware of. This is why we have learned in the Mishnah Avot 5,6 (according to some scholars) that among the things which had been created at dusk on the 6th day of creation was also this ram which would eventually serve as the sacrifice brought by Avraham instead of his son. If Avraham had been able to locate the shepherd of this ram, he would have compensated him for the value of the animal. He would not have wanted to offer an animal as a sacrifice without paying for it.

For it was running towards Avraham... [Rashi knows this] because it says נאחז in singular, which must refer to the ram itself. If so, why does it say בקרניו? Rashi answers that it tells us that the ram’s face, meaning its horns, was towards Avraham, as it was running to Avraham to be sacrificed, but the Satan entangled it to impede it. Perhaps the Re’m, too, meant this. (R. Meir Stern)

Die Identifizierung des Menschen im Opfer wird durch diesen איל תחת בנו in höchster Prägnanz für alle Zeiten dahingestellt. אותו היום, heißt es im תנא רבי אלי׳ ,שהעלה אבינו אברהם את יצחק בנו על גבי המזבח תיקן הב״ה שני כבשים אחד בשחרית ואחד ביו הערבים שנאי את הכבש אחד וגוי וכל כך למה שמשעה שישראל מקריבין תמידין על המזבח וקוראין את המקרא הזה צפונה לפני ד׳ הב״ה זוכר עקידת יצחק בן אברהם מעיד אני עלי שמים וארץ בין גוי בין ישראל בין איש בין אשה בין עבר בין שפחה קורא את המקרא הזה צפונה לפני ד׳ הב״ה זוכר עקידת יצחק בן אברהם.

בקרניו BY ITS HORNS — because it was running towards Abraham, but Satan caused it to be caught and entangled among the trees (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 31).

And that which our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Rosh Hashanah 16b) that the shofar confuses the Accuser (Satan) - from the aspect of his reasoning [that] perhaps it is the shofar of the messiah, the Accuser is not so devoid of knowledge. And does he not know that it is a law in Israel from days of yore, and yet the messiah has still not come? So it is more likely to say that since he has become accustomed, he has become accustomed. Except that he knows it is commandment from God upon us, and he also knows the reason of the commandment is to arouse to repentance and that repentance brings the redemption closer. Hence he is bewildered, lest the messiah come. For even though they did not become aroused to repentance according to its law in previous years, ultimately there will be a time when they will regret their evil and completely repent. Therefore he is afraid each and every year, lest they will now shudder and repent. And since the horn is the place of the sin, hence it will also be the place of the repair. An example of this is the fig leaves of Adam, since he repaired with that with which he corrupted. So too, [man was] corrupted with the horn and he will be repaired through it; such that the accuser will turn into a defender. For the willful sins of all penitents will turn into merits for him, so that the merits will come through it.

So wird auch hier das tägliche Opfer nur als eine nationale Fortsetzung der Akeda des Ahns und insbesondere die Bestimmung ׳צפונה לפני ד, dass die Opferung der allerheiligsten Opfer zur "Mitternachtseite" vor Gott geschehen musste, in Zusammen hang mit ihr begriffen. In der "Mitternacht des Lebens", die Sonne tief unter uns, um uns nur Finsternis, und doch sprechen: Wenn wir auch nicht sehen — Gott sieht, צפונה" - ,ד׳ יראה, in der Mitternacht, ׳לפני ד, vor Gott stehen" — "bei Gott wohnt die Einsicht, Gott hat das Auge für uns, brauchen keine Einsicht in die Einsicht Gottes, weder sein Gesetz noch seine Waltung braucht erst vor dem Richterstuhle unserer Einsicht zu plädieren, und wie sich auch auf Erden die Verhältnisse gestalten: ד׳ יראה!" — Das ist die Einsetzung des ewigen Opfers auf Moria.

תחת בנו IN THE STEAD OF HIS SON — Since it is written, “He offered it up for a burnt offering”, surely nothing is missing in the text; what then is the force of “in the stead of his son”? At every sacrificial act he performed on it he prayed saying, “May it be Thy will that this act may be regarded as having been done to my son — as though my son is being slain; as though his blood is being sprinkled; as though his skin were being flayed; as though he is being burnt and is being reduced to ashes” (Genesis Rabbah 56:9).

Und deshalb sucht hier Abraham ein Tier, denn Worte reichen für diesen Ausdruck nicht aus, und siehe, da steht ein Widder, und אחר, nachher, nachdem ihn Abraham gesehen, blieb er sestgehalten stehen. Da ging Abraham hin und brachte "ihn zum Opfer statt seines Sohnes". Diese von uns hervorgehobenen letzten Worte enthalten eine schlagende Widerlegung jener schmalstirnigen oder böswilligen Beschränktheit, die unserem Opfer die symbolische Bedeutung abstreiten, um sich in stolzer Herabwürdigung eines "blutigen Opferkultus" ergehen zu können.

Hätte das Opfer keine symbolische Bedeutung, spräche die Opferung dieses Widders nicht eine dreimal höhere und bedeutungsvollere Dahingebung im Leben aus, als die wirkliche Tötung Jizchaks gewesen wäre, welch eine Blasphemie, ja welche erbärmliche Lächerlichkeit wäre es nicht gewesen: תחת בנו — statt des Teuersten, für das man lieber selbst zehnmal den Tod erlitten hätte, ein Tier hinzugeben, das einem so zufällig in der Wildnis zuläuft, das somit nicht einmal den Wert hat, sein Eigentum zu sein!! Es hat uns jemand großmütig eine Million gelassen — wir greifen eine zufällig daliegende Stecknadel auf und bitten: dies wenigstens dafür anzunehmen!

Durch den Namen ד׳ יראה vermachte Abraham die הוראה, die der Moria durch die Erinnerung an diese Begebenheit seinen Nachkommen bringen soll. 1־׳ יראה([an- klingend an das אלקים יראה לו וגו׳) Gott siehet! Wenn wir und wo wir auch nicht sehen, sieht Gott, Ihm haben wir unsere Einsicht frei und willig unterzuordnen. "Gott siehet" — so allgemein sprach Abraham die Bedeutung des Moria aus. Heute aber, nachdem diese allgemeine Überzeugung von Gott sich in einer speziellen Offenbarungstat für uns manifestiert hat, Gott seine Einsicht für uns in seinem Gesetze uns gereicht, dem auf diesem Berge sein Heiliglum erstehen soll, damit es unsere Einsicht werde und wir danach unser ganzes Leben gestalten, heute spricht sich diese Wahrheit nicht bloß allgemein aus: Gott schaut, sondern: jeder von uns "wird von Gott geschaut" und hat sich Ihm auf diesem Berge wiederholt zur prüfenden Anschauung und Durchschauung vorzustellen. Dreimal im Jahre יֵרָאֶה jeder Sohn Abrahams und Isaaks auf diesem Berge und nicht ריקם, nicht bloß in innerer, vorüberrauschender Andacht, sondern mit dahingebender Weihe seines ganzen Wesens in עולת ראיה. Jeder, der fortan mit עולת ראיה auf dem Moria erscheint, schließt sich dem עולה an, das Abraham תחת בנו gebracht, und gelobt, seines Teils die Akedaaufgabe zu lösen, die der Ahn damit für seinen Sohn und dessen Nachkommen an dieser Stätte gelobt, und in deren Lösung er selbst für alle Ewigkeit mustergültig zur Moriahöhe hinangewandelt. —