ON THE THIRD DAY ABRAHAM LIFTED UP HIS EYES, AND SAW THE PLACE AFAR OFF. As we have already been told that Abraham went to the place, all this seems superfluous. But the truth is that “the third day” means the third generation, i.e. Jacob, and the words “he saw the place from afar” are parallel to the expression “from afar the Lord appeared unto me” (Jer. 31, 3).
Or again, “the place” alludes to Jacob, of whom it is written, “and he took one of the stones of the place” (Gen. 28, 11). For Abraham scrutinised the “third day”, which is the third grade, and he beheld Jacob, who was destined to descend from him. “Afar off’, to wit, at some distant time, and not soon.
R. Eleazar said to R. Judah: ‘What credit is herein ascribed to Abraham, if whilst about to bind Isaac he saw that Jacob was destined to descend from him?’
R. Judah replied: ‘Indeed Abraham did see Jacob, since even before that Abraham was endowed with the higher Wisdom; and now he scrutinised the third day, which is the third grade, in order to make sure. And indeed he did see him, but now only “from afar”, for the reason that he was going to bind Isaac, and he did not wish to question the ways of the Holy One.
“Afar off’, that is, he saw him through a “dim glass” only, and therefore only partially; for if the “clear glass” had been resting upon the “dim glass”, Abraham would have seen him properly.
The “clear glass” did not function on this occasion, because this is the grade of Jacob, who, not yet being born, had not reached that grade; and also in order that Abraham’s reward might be all the greater.
7
(ראייה בעינוי בהאי עלמא אלא מרחוק מגו האי דרגא דהא כד אתא יעקב הכא דאף על גב דאתו לההוא ראייה וחמא ליעקב, אמר אברהם ודאי קודשא בריך הוא ידע בגוונא אחרא דאתחזי, מיד ויבן שם אברהם את המזבח וגו'.
AND THEY CAME TO THE PLACE WHICH GOD HAD TOLD HIM OF, ETC. Here it is intimated that although Abraham had some vision of Jacob, yet he said to himself, “Assuredly the Holy One knows another way which will serve.’ Forthwith, therefore, ABRAHAM BUILT THE ALTAR THERE.
8
מה כתיב לעילא ויאמר יצחק אל אברהם אביו ויאמר אבי, הא אוקמוה. אבל מאי טעמא לא אתיב ליה (מדי)) מִיָּד. אֶלָא בְּגִין דְּהָא אִסְתַּלַּק מֵרַחֲמֵי דְאַבָּא עַל בְּרָא וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב הִנְּנִּי בְנִי, הִנְּנִּי דְאִסְתַּלָּקוּ רַחֲמֵי וְאִתְהַפַּךְ לְדִינָא:
Before this it is written: AND ISAAC SPOKE UNTO ABRAHAM HIS FATHER, AND SAID, MY FATHER. As explained elsewhere, the reason why Abraham did not respond to him immediately was because the normal compassion of a father towards a son left him, and hence he simply said: ‘Here I am, my son”, implying that the quality of mercy in him had been transmuted into rigour.
AND ABRAHAM SAID. It is not written: “and his father said”, which shows again that he was regarding him not as his father but as his adversary. GOD WILL PROVIDE FOR HIMSELF THE LAMB FOR A BURNT OFFERING, MY SON. He should have said: “provide for us”, but what he meant was, “God will provide for Himself when necessary, but for the present it is going to be my son and nothing else.” Forthwith, AND THEY WENT BOTH OF THEM TOGETHER.
R. Simeon discoursed here on the verse: Behold, angels cry abroad, the angels of peace weep bitterly (Is. 33, 7). ‘These angels’, he said, ‘are superior angels who “cried abroad” because they no longer knew what to make of God’s promise to Abraham at the time when “He brought him forth abroad” (Gen. 15, 5).
The “angels of peace” are those other angels who were destined to go forth to meet Jacob, for whose sake the Holy One promised them peace, as it is written, “And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him” (Ibid. 32, 2), and these are called “angels of peace”. All these wept when they saw Abraham binding Isaac, the upper and the lower beings trembled and shook, and all on account of Isaac.
בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַיִּשָּׂ"א אַבְרָהָ"ם אֶ"ת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחוֹק. בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְּמָר וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ הָאֱלהִים מַאי טַעְמָא בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחוֹק. אֶלָּא בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע וְדָא הוּא יַעֲקֹב דְּנָפַק מִנֵּיהּ וְהַאי הוּא בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי. וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחוֹק כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (ירמיהו ל״א:ג׳) מֵרָחוֹק יְיָ נִרְאָה לִי.
ON THE THIRD DAY ABRAHAM LIFTED UP HIS EYES, AND SAW THE PLACE AFAR OFF. As we have already been told that Abraham went to the place, all this seems superfluous. But the truth is that “the third day” means the third generation, i.e. Jacob, and the words “he saw the place from afar” are parallel to the expression “from afar the Lord appeared unto me” (Jer. 31, 3).
וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם. דָּא הוּא יַעֲקֹב דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית כ״ח:י״א) וַיִּקַּח מֵאַבְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם. אִסְתַּכַּל אַבְרָהָם בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי דְּאִיהוּ דַרְגָּא תְּלִיתָאָה וְחָמָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב דְּזַמִּין לְמֵיפַק מִנֵּיהּ. מֵרָחוֹק כְּמָה דְאֲמָרָן מֵרָחוֹק וְלָא לִזְמַן קָרִיב.
Or again, “the place” alludes to Jacob, of whom it is written, “and he took one of the stones of the place” (Gen. 28, 11). For Abraham scrutinised the “third day”, which is the third grade, and he beheld Jacob, who was destined to descend from him. “Afar off’, to wit, at some distant time, and not soon.
אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר מַאי שְׁבָחָא אִיהוּ לְאַבְרָהָם כַּד אִסְתַּכַּל וְחָמָא דְּזַמִּין לְמֵיפַק מִנִּיהּ יַעֲקֹב. דְּהָא כַּד אָזִיל לְמֶיעֱקַד לֵיהּ לְיִצְחָק, לָאו שְׁבָחָא כָּל כָּךְ אִיהוּ דִילֵיהּ.
R. Eleazar said to R. Judah: ‘What credit is herein ascribed to Abraham, if whilst about to bind Isaac he saw that Jacob was destined to descend from him?’
אָמַר לֵיהּ וַדַּאי (והא) חָמָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב דְּהָא מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא יָדַע אַבְרָהָם חָכְמְתָא, וְאִסְתַּכַּל הַשְׁתָּא בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי דְּאִיהוּ דַרְגָּא תְּלִיתָאָה לְמֶעְבַּד שְׁלִימוּ וּכְדֵין חָמָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם. אֲבָל הַשְׁתָּא קַיְימָא לֵיהּ מִלָּה מֵרָחוֹק בְּגִין דְּאָזִיל לְמֶיעֱקַד לֵיהּ לְיִצְחָק וְלָא בָּעָא לְהַרְהֵר אֲבַתְרֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
R. Judah replied: ‘Indeed Abraham did see Jacob, since even before that Abraham was endowed with the higher Wisdom; and now he scrutinised the third day, which is the third grade, in order to make sure. And indeed he did see him, but now only “from afar”, for the reason that he was going to bind Isaac, and he did not wish to question the ways of the Holy One.
מֵרָחוֹק חָמָא לֵיהּ גּוֹ אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאה דְּלָא נָהֲרָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, וּבְגִין כָּךְ חָמָא לֵיהּ וְלָא אִתְגְּלִי כֹּלָּא, דְּאִלּוּ אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאה דְנַהֲרָא הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ עַל הַאי אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאה דְּלָא נַהֲרָא אִתְקְיַּים עֲלֵיהּ אַבְרָהָם כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת, אֲבָל מֵרָחוֹק, בִּלְחוֹדוֹי הֲוָה, מֵרָחוֹק.
“Afar off’, that is, he saw him through a “dim glass” only, and therefore only partially; for if the “clear glass” had been resting upon the “dim glass”, Abraham would have seen him properly.
מַאי טַעְמָא אִסְתַּלַּק מֵהַאי מִלָּה אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאה דְּנַהֲרָא בְּגִין דְּהַאי דַּרְגָּא דְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה. וּבְגִין דְּיַעֲקֹב עַד לָא אִתְיְילִיד לָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח הַשְׁתָּא עַל הַאי דַרְגָא. וְתוּ בְּגִין דִּיהַךְ וִיקַבֵּל אַגְרָא. וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחוֹק דָּא יַעֲקֹב כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר מֵרָחוֹק דְּלָא זָכָה בֵּיהּ.
The “clear glass” did not function on this occasion, because this is the grade of Jacob, who, not yet being born, had not reached that grade; and also in order that Abraham’s reward might be all the greater.
(ראייה בעינוי בהאי עלמא אלא מרחוק מגו האי דרגא דהא כד אתא יעקב הכא דאף על גב דאתו לההוא ראייה וחמא ליעקב, אמר אברהם ודאי קודשא בריך הוא ידע בגוונא אחרא דאתחזי, מיד ויבן שם אברהם את המזבח וגו'.
AND THEY CAME TO THE PLACE WHICH GOD HAD TOLD HIM OF, ETC. Here it is intimated that although Abraham had some vision of Jacob, yet he said to himself, “Assuredly the Holy One knows another way which will serve.’ Forthwith, therefore, ABRAHAM BUILT THE ALTAR THERE.
מה כתיב לעילא ויאמר יצחק אל אברהם אביו ויאמר אבי, הא אוקמוה. אבל מאי טעמא לא אתיב ליה (מדי)) מִיָּד. אֶלָא בְּגִין דְּהָא אִסְתַּלַּק מֵרַחֲמֵי דְאַבָּא עַל בְּרָא וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב הִנְּנִּי בְנִי, הִנְּנִּי דְאִסְתַּלָּקוּ רַחֲמֵי וְאִתְהַפַּךְ לְדִינָא:
Before this it is written: AND ISAAC SPOKE UNTO ABRAHAM HIS FATHER, AND SAID, MY FATHER. As explained elsewhere, the reason why Abraham did not respond to him immediately was because the normal compassion of a father towards a son left him, and hence he simply said: ‘Here I am, my son”, implying that the quality of mercy in him had been transmuted into rigour.
וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם, וְלָא כְּתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר אָבִיו, דְּהָא לָא קָאִים עֲלֵיהּ כְּאַבָּא אֶלָּא בַּעַל מַחְלוֹקֶת הֲוָה בֵּיהּ. אֱלהִים יִרְאֶה לוֹ הַשֶּׂה. יִרְאֶה לָנוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי יִרְאֶה לוֹ. אֶלָּא אָמַר לֵיהּ אֱלֹהִים יִרְאֶה לוֹ לְגַרְמֵיהּ, כַּד אִיהוּ יִצְטְרִיךְ. אֲבָל הַשְׁתָּא בְּנִי וְלָא אִמְרָא. מִיָּד וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו.
AND ABRAHAM SAID. It is not written: “and his father said”, which shows again that he was regarding him not as his father but as his adversary. GOD WILL PROVIDE FOR HIMSELF THE LAMB FOR A BURNT OFFERING, MY SON. He should have said: “provide for us”, but what he meant was, “God will provide for Himself when necessary, but for the present it is going to be my son and nothing else.” Forthwith, AND THEY WENT BOTH OF THEM TOGETHER.
רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח וְאָמַר (ישעיהו ל״ג:ז׳) הֵן אֶרְאֶלָם צָעֲקוּ חוּצָה מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁלוֹם מַר יִבְכָּיוּן. הֵן אֶרְאֶלָם אִלֵּין מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי. צָעֲקוּ בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא וּבָעוּ לְקַיְימָא עַל הַהִיא מִלָּה דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית ט״ו:ה׳) וַיּוֹצֵא אוֹתוֹ הַחוּצָה. בְּגִין כָּךְ צָעֲקוּ חוּצָה.
R. Simeon discoursed here on the verse: Behold, angels cry abroad, the angels of peace weep bitterly (Is. 33, 7). ‘These angels’, he said, ‘are superior angels who “cried abroad” because they no longer knew what to make of God’s promise to Abraham at the time when “He brought him forth abroad” (Gen. 15, 5).
מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁלוֹם. אִלֵּין אִנּוּן מַלְאָכִין אָחֳרָנִין דְּהֲווּ זְמִינִין לְמֵיהַךְ קַמֵּיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב וּבְגִינֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב אַבְטַח לוֹן שְׁלִימוּ, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית ל״ב:ב׳) וְיַעֲקֹב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ וַיִּפְגְּעוּ בּוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלהִים. וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁלוֹם, כֻּלְּהוּ בָּכוּ כַּד חָמוּ לֵיהּ לְאַבְרָהָם דְּעָקִיד לֵיהּ לְיִצְחָק, וְאִזְדַּעְזְעוּ עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי וְכֻלְּהוּ עֲלֵיהּ דְּיִצְחָק:
The “angels of peace” are those other angels who were destined to go forth to meet Jacob, for whose sake the Holy One promised them peace, as it is written, “And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him” (Ibid. 32, 2), and these are called “angels of peace”. All these wept when they saw Abraham binding Isaac, the upper and the lower beings trembled and shook, and all on account of Isaac.