וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר, דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ'. יְלַמְּדֵנוּ רַבֵּנוּ, כַּמָּה דְּבָרִים הָאָב חַיָּב לַעֲשׂוֹת לַבֵּן. כָּךְ שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים הָאָב חַיָּב לַעֲשׂוֹת לַבֵּן, לָמוּל אוֹתוֹ, וּלְלַמְּדוֹ תּוֹרָה, וְלִפְדּוֹתוֹ, וּלְלַמְּדוֹ אֻמָּנוּת, וּלְהַשִּׂיאוֹ אִשָּׁה. הָאָב, זֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְהַבֵּן, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל. כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָאָב חַיָּב לָמוּל אֶת בְּנוֹ, כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מָל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יְדֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ וְגוֹ' (יהושע ה, ג). מָה הָאָב לִפְדּוֹת אֶת בְּנוֹ, אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא פָּדָה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּמִי כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר הָלְכוּ אֱלֹהִים לִפְדּוֹת לוֹ לְעָם (דה״א יז, כא). לְלַמְּדוֹ תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אֹתָם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם לְדַבֵּר בָּם (דברים יא, יט). אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִמֵּד תּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב: אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מְלַמֶּדְךָ לְהוֹעִיל מַדְרִיכְךָ (ישעיה מח, יז). לְלַמְּדוֹ מִצְוֹת. אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִמֵּד אֶת הַמִּצְוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֵלֶּה הַמִּצְוֹת אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' (ויקרא כז, לד). לְהַשִּׂיאוֹ אִשָּׁה, שֶׁכֵּן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר לִבְנֵי נֹחַ, פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ. וּמָה הָאָב זָקוּק לִבְנוֹ לְהַאֲכִילוֹ וּלְהַשְׁקוֹתוֹ, לְרַחְצוֹ וּלְסוּכוֹ וּלְהַלְבִּישׁוֹ, כָּךְ עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וָאֶרְחָצֵךְ בַּמַּיִם וָאֶשְׁטֹף דָּמַיִךְ וָאַלְבִּשֵׁךְ רִקְמָה וָאֶנְעֲלֵךְ תָּחַשׁ (יחזקאל טז, ט-י). לְהַאֲכִילוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְלַחְמִי אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לְךָ וְגוֹ' (יחזקאל טז, יט). לְהַשְׁקוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עֲלִי בְאֵר עֱנוּ לָהּ (במדבר כא, יז). מָה הָאָב נוֹתֵן לִבְנוֹ נְכָסָיו, אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָשָׂה כָּךְ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וָאֶתֵּן לְךָ אֶרֶץ חֶמְדָה נַחֲלַת צְבִי צִבְאוֹת גּוֹיִם (ירמיה ג, יט). וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהָאָב כּוֹתֵב נְכָסָיו לִבְנוֹ וְאַף בְּנוֹ חַיָּב לְהַעֲלוֹת לוֹ דּוֹרוֹן, וְכָךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי תָּבֹאוּ אֶל אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לָכֶם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם עוֹלָה לַה'. כָּךְ פָּתַח בּוֹ רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם בַּר אַבָּא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, אָבִיו שֶׁל רַבִּי אַחָא, הַפָּרָשָׁה הַזּוֹ, שֶׁל נְסָכִים הִיא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אוֹ לָאַיִל תֵּעָשֶׂה מִנְחָה סֹלֶת, וְיַיִן לְנֶסֶךְ חֲצִי הַהִין, הֲרֵי הִיא שֶׁל נְסָכִים. וּמִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ הַחַלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהָיָה בַּאֲכָלְכֶם מִלֶּחֶם הָאָרֶץ רֵאשִׁית עֲרִיסוֹתֵיכֶם חַלָּה תָּרִימוּ תְּרוּמָה, הֲרֵי חַלָּה לְמַטָּה, וּנְסָכִים לְמַעְלָה. לְפִיכָךְ פָּתַח רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, לֵךְ אֱכֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה לַחְמֶךָ וְגוֹ' (קהלת ט, ז). מַהוּ כִּי כְּבָר רָצָה הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת מַעֲשֶׂיךָ (שם). כֵּיצַד הַפָּסוּק מְדַבֵּר. כְּנֶגֶד אַבְרָהָם. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאַבְרָהָם, קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידְךָ (בראשית כב, ב), הִשְׁכִּים אַבְרָהָם, נְטָלוֹ בִּזְרִיזוּת וְהוֹלִיכוֹ וְהֶעֱלָהוּ לְהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אֶל תִּשְׁלַח יָדְךָ אַל הַנַּעַר (שם פסוק יב). אָמַר אַבְרָהָם לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, לְחִנָּם אָמַרְתָּ לִי, קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ. אָמַר לוֹ: לָאו, אֶלָּא לְהוֹדִיעַ טִבְעֲךָ בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן וְגוֹ' (שם יח, יט). אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, חַיֶּיךָ, שֶׁאֲנִי מַעֲלֶה עָלֶיךָ, שֶׁאִם אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ שֶׁתִּשְׁחֹט אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ לְפָנַי, שֶׁלֹּא הָיִיתָ מְעַכֵּב עַל שְׁמִי וְשׁוֹמֵעַ הָיִיתָ לִי לְהִשָּׁחֵט עַל שְׁמִי. מִנַּיִן, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב: וְלֹא חָשַׂכְתָּ אֶת בִּנְךָ (שם כב, יב), הֲרֵי כְּבָר פֵּרֵשׁ, יִצְחָק. מַאי אֶת יְחִידְךָ. אֶלָּא זוֹ נַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם. שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה קְרוּיָה יְחִידָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הַצִּילָה מֵחֶרֶב נַפְשִׁי וְגוֹ' (תהלים כב, כא). אָמַר אַבְרָהָם לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֶפְשָׁר לִי לֵירֵד מִכָּאן בְּלֹא קָרְבָּן. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הֲרֵי קָרְבָּנְךָ מְתֻקָּן מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית, מִיָּד, וַיִּשָּׂא אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה אַיִל (בראשית כב, יג). שֶׁכָּךְ שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, אֵילוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם נִבְרָא מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נְטָלוֹ אַבְרָהָם וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ לְעוֹלָה תַּחַת בְּנוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר, וַיִּקַּח אֶת הָאַיִל וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ לְעוֹלָה (שם), חָסֵר הַמִּקְרָא כְּלוּם. מַהוּ תַּחַת בְּנוֹ (שם). אָמַר אַבְרָהָם, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, הֲרֵינִי שׁוֹחֵט אֶת הָאַיִל, כָּךְ תִּהְיֶה רוֹאֶה כְּאִלּוּ בְּנִי שָׁחוּט לְפָנֶיךָ. נָטַל דָּמוֹ, אָמַר, כָּךְ תְּהֵא רוֹאֶה כְּאִלּוּ דַּם יִצְחָק זָרוּק לְפָנֶיךָ. נָטַל אֶת הָאַיִל וְהִפְשִׁיטוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ: כָּךְ תְּהֵא רוֹאֶה כְּאִלּוּ עוֹר יִצְחָק הֻפְשַׁט לְפָנֶיךָ עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. שְׂרָפוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ: כָּךְ תְּהֵא רוֹאֶה כְּאִלּוּ אֶפְרוֹ צָבוּר לְפָנֶיךָ עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ לְעוֹלָה. חָסֵר הַמִּקְרָא כְּלוּם. מַהוּ תַּחַת בְּנוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, חַיֶּיךָ, בִּנְךָ הוּא שֶׁנִּתְקָרֵב רִאשׁוֹן, אֶלָּא הָאַיִל הַזֶּה תַּחְתָּיו. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר אַבְרָהָם לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֵינִי זָז מִכָּאן עַד שֶׁתִּשָּׁבַע לִי, שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה מְנַסֶּה אוֹתִי עוֹד לְעוֹלָם. שֶׁאִם חָס וְשָׁלוֹם לֹא הָיִיתִי שׁוֹמֵעַ לְךָ, אִבַּדְתִּי אֶת כָּל מַה שֶּׁיָּגַעְתִּי מִיָּמַי. אָמַר רַבִּי חַנִּין, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, חַיֶּיךָ, כָּךְ הוּא. שֶׁאִלּוּ לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ לִי, לֹא הָיָה בְּיָדְךָ כְּלוּם. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נִשְׁבַּע לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁלֹּא יְנַסֵּהוּ עוֹד לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי נְאֻם ה' (שם פסוק טז). אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, חַיֶּיךָ, יִסּוּרִין קָשִׁין וְנִסְיוֹנִים אֲחֵרִים הָיוּ רְאוּיִים לָבֹא עָלֶיךָ, וְעַכְשָׁו אֵינָן בָּאִין. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן הַיִּסּוּרִין, אוֹתָן שֶׁבָּאוּ עַל אִיּוֹב, הָיוּ רְאוּיִם לָבֹא עָלֶיךָ. וְעַכְשָׁו אֵינָן בָּאִין, שֶׁכֵּן הוּא נִסְמָךְ לַפָּרָשָׁה, וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַיַּגֵּד לְאַבְרָהָם וְגוֹ', אֶת עוּץ בְּכוֹרוֹ (בראשית כב, כ-כא), וְהוּא אִיּוֹב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אִישׁ הָיָה בְּאֶרֶץ עוּץ (איוב א, א). בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאַבְרָהָם, לֵךְ אֱכֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה לַחְמֶךָ (קהלת ט, ז). (Numb. 15:1-2:) “Now the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak unto the Children of Israel ….’” Let our master instruct us: How many things is a father obligated to do for a son?58Numb. R. 17:1. Thus have our masters taught: A father is obligated to do five things for a son: to circumcise him, to teach him Torah, to redeem him (according to the redemption of the first-born), to teach him a trade, and to take a wife for him.59See TQid. 1:11; yQid. 1:7 (61a); Qid. 29a; Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Pisha, 18 (on Exod. 13:13); Eccl. R. 9:9:1. The father is the Holy One, blessed be He, and the son is Israel. Just as a [human] father is obligated to his son, so does the Holy One, blessed be He, do for Israel. The [human] father is obligated to circumcise his son. Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, circumcised Israel at the hands of Joshua (according to Josh. 5:2), “And he made for himself….” The father is obligated to redeem his son. Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, did so for Israel. He redeemed them, as stated (in I Chron. 17:21), “And who is like Your people Israel, a unique nation on earth, whom God went to redeem as a people for Himself.” [The father is obligated] to teach him Torah, as stated (in Deut. 11:19), “And you shall teach them to your children by talking about them.” And the Holy One, blessed be He, also taught Torah to Israel, as stated] (in Is. 48:17), “I am the Lord your God, teaching you for your own good.” [The father is obligated] to teach him commandments. The Holy One, blessed be He, taught the commandments to Israel (in Lev. 27:34), “These are the commandments which the Lord commanded.” [Regarding marriage,] the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the Children of Noah (in Gen. 1:28), “Be fruitful and multiply.” [Moreover,] just as a father has a responsibility to his son to feed him, to give him drink, to wash him, to anoint him and to dress him, so does the Holy One, blessed be He, do for Israel, as stated (in Ezek. 16:9-10), “I bathed you in water, and washed the blood off you […]. I clothed you with embroidered garments, and gave you sandals of dolphin leather (tahash) to wear.” To feed him, as stated (Ezek. 16:19), “And My bread that I had given to you.” To give him to drink, as stated (in Numb. 21:17), “Spring up O well, answer it.” Just as a father bequeaths his properties to his son, so did the Holy One, blessed be He, do for Israel, as stated (in Jer. 3:19), “and I gave you a desirable land, the fairest heritage of all the nations.” Just as the father wills his property to his son, and [as] his son also is obligated to offer him a gift60Gk.: doron.; so also did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Israel (in Numb. 15:2-3), “When you come unto the land of your habitations [….] You shall make a burnt offering to the Lord […].” R. Tanhuma bar Abba opened [his discourse] in the name of R. Hanina the father of R. Aha bar Hanina [as follows]:61Numb. R. 17:2. This parashah concerns libations. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 15:6–7), “Or for a ram you shall make a meal offering […]. And for the oblation [you shall offer] a third of a hin of wine.” See it is about libations. From here on, it is in regard to the hallah, as stated (in vss. 19-20), “And it shall be that, when you eat from the bread of the land, [you shall set aside an offering for the Lord]. Of the first of your dough you shall set aside a loaf (hallah) as an offering….” Thus hallah [is mentioned] last, and libations first. For this reason R. Hanina opened (with Eccl. 9:7), “Go, eat your bread with gladness, [and drink your wine with a joyful heart].”62Cf. below, Numb. 4a:17. What is the meaning of (Eccl 9:7, cont.), “God has already approved your works?” It is with reference to Abraham. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Gen. 22:2), “Please take your son,” Abraham rose early, took him promptly, led him on, and brought him up to Mount Moriah. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Gen. 22:12), “Do not raise your hand against the lad.” Abraham said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, did you tell me (in vs. 2), ‘Please take your son,’ for no reason?” He said to him, “No! Rather [it was] to make your character known in the world.” Thus it is stated (in Gen. 18:19), “For I have made him known,63This sense is required by the midrash. A more traditional translation would begin the verse: FOR I HAVE KNOWN HIM, or FOR I HAVE CHOSEN HIM. so that he may charge [his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord].” R. Simeon ben Johay said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘By your life, I ascribe [your obedience] to you [as proof] that, if I had told you to take your own life, you would not have refrained [from doing so] for the sake of My name, and would have obeyed [the command] to be killed for the sake of My name.’” Where is it shown? R. Simeon ben Johay said, “As so is it written (in Gen. 22:16), ‘and you have not withheld your son, your only one.’ See, [‘your son’] has already specified Isaac. [So] what is the meaning of ‘your only one?’ It is to imply Abraham's life. Thus the soul is called only one, where it is stated (in Ps. 22:21) ‘Deliver my life from the sword, [my only one from the power of the dog].’” Abraham said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Is it possible for me to go from here with no sacrifice?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham, “Here is your sacrifice. [It has been] prepared for you from the six days of creation.” (According to Gen. 22:13), “Then Abraham lifted his eyes to look, and there was a ram […].” As so did our masters teach, “The ram of Abraham was created from the six days of creation on the Sabbath eve at twilight.” So at that time, Abraham took it and (according to Gen 22:13, cont.) “he offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son.” Once it said, “he offered it up as a burnt offering,” was the verse missing anything? [So] what is the meaning of “in place of his son?” At that time Abraham said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, see that I am slaughtering the ram; You should so see it as if my son is slaughtered in front of You.” When he took its blood, he said, “You should so see it as if the blood of Isaac is sprinkled before You.” When he took the ram and flayed it, he said to Him, “You should so see it as if Isaac is flayed in front of You on the altar.” When he burnt it, he said to Him, “You should so see it as if his ashes were gathered in front of You on the altar.” [Once it said,] “he offered it up as a burnt offering,” was the verse missing anything? [So] what is the meaning of “in place of his son?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life, it is your son that is sacrificed first, but it is simply that this ram is after him.” At that time Abraham said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, I am not moving from here until You swear to me that You will never test me again; for if, heaven forbid, I had not obeyed you, I should have destroyed everything I had accomplished during my lifetime.” R. Hanin said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘By your life, so it is; for if you had not obeyed Me, you would have possessed nothing.’” At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, swore to him that He would never test him again. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 22:16), “And he said, ‘I by Myself have sworn,’ says the Lord.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life, severe afflictions and other trials had been designated to come upon you, but now they shall not come.” These were the same afflictions which came upon Job.64ySot. 5:8 (or 5) (20c); Gen. R. 57:4. They had been designated to come upon Abraham, for the following has been joined to the parashah (in Gen. 22:20–21), “And it came to pass after these things, that it was told to Abraham [saying, ‘Behold Milcah, she also has borne sons to your brother Nahor,] Uz his first-born….’” And this is Job, according to what is stated (in Job 1:1), “There was a man in the land (belonging to) Uz.”65So the midrash interprets LAND OF UZ. See BB 15a. At that time, The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham (in Eccl. 9:7), “Go, eat your bread with gladness, [… for God has already approved your works].”