(1) Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. (2) Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. (3) And he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. (4) He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut down the Asherah; and he broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made; for unto those days the children of Israel did offer to it; and it was called Nehushtan. (5) He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; (6) For he cleaved to the LORD, he departed not from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. (7) And the LORD was with him: whithersoever he went forth he prospered; and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not. (8) He smote the Philistines unto Gaza and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city.
(ח) והיה כאשר ירים משה ידו וגבר ישראל וגו' (שמות יז יא). וכי ידיו של משה עושות מלחמה או שוברות מלחמה? אלא לומר לך: כל זמן שהיו ישראל מסתכלים כלפי מעלה ומשעבדין את לבם לאביהם שבשמים - היו מתגברים, ואם לאו - היו נופלין. כיוצא בדבר אתה אומר (במדבר כא ח): עשה לך שרף ושים אתו על נס, והיה כל הנשוך וראה אתו וחי. וכי נחש ממית, או נחש מחיה? אלא בזמן שישראל מסתכלין כלפי מעלה ומשעבדין את ליבם לאביהן שבשמים - היו מתרפאים, ואם לאו - היו נימוקים. חרש שוטה וקטן אין מוציאין את הרבים ידי חובתן. זה הכלל: כל שאינו מחויב בדבר, אינו מוציא את הרבים ידי חובתן.
(8) “And so it was, when Moshe raised his hand, Israel prevailed…” (Exodus 17:11). And is it Moshe’s hands that make [success in] war or break [success in] war? Rather, [this comes to] tell you, [that] whenever Israel would look upward and subjugate their hearts to their Father in heaven, they would prevail; and if not, they would fall. Similar to this matter, you [can] say concerning the verse; “Make a [graven] snake and place it on a pole, and everyone bitten who sees it will live” (Numbers 21:8): And is it the snake that kills or [is it] the snake that [revives]? Rather, whenever Israel would look upward and subjugate their hearts to their Father in heaven, they would be healed; and if not, they would be harmed. A deaf-mute person, or a fool, or a minor, cannot relieve others from their obligation [for hearing the shofar they blew the shofar for them]. This is the general rule: all those who are not obligated to carry out a particular action, cannot release [others] from their obligation.
John 3
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[e]14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f] 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”[g]