Daf 120a (דַּף ק״כ ע״א)

And He said: “Please take your son” (וַיֹּאמֶר קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ). And how could Avraham, who was elderly, bear this? (וְכִי הֵיאַךְ יָכִיל אַבְרָהָם דְּאִיהוּ סָבָא). If you say: because Yitzchak had never departed from his domain at all—this is fitting (אִי תֵימָא בְּגִין דְּיִצְחָק לָא נָפִיק מֵרְשׁוּתֵיהּ כְּלָל – יָאוֹת). But as you say in (Numbers 20): “Take Aharon and El‘azar his son” (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: קַח אֶת אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ)—rather, it is to draw them with words and to incline them toward the desire of Kudsha Berikh Hu (אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְאַמְשָׁכָא לוֹן בְּמִלִּין וּלְאַדְבָּרָא לוֹן לִרְעוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). So too here: “Take”—in words (אוּף הָכָא קַח בְּמִלִּין). “Your son, your only one, whom you love”—this has already been explained (אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידְךָ אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ – הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). “And go for yourself to the land of Moriyah” (וְלֶךְ לְךָ אֶל אֶרֶץ הַמּוֹרִיָּה), as it is said (Song of Songs 4): “I will go for Myself to the mountain of mor” (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: אֵלֵךְ לִי אֶל הַר הַמּוֹר)—to rectify in the place which shall be seen (לְאַתְקָנָא בְּאַתְרָא דְּיִתְחֲזֵי). “On the third day, Avraham lifted his eyes and saw the place from afar” (בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַיִּשָּׂא אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחוֹק). “On the third day”—this has already been explained (בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי – הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). Rather, since it says: “And he rose and went to the place that the Elohim told him,” what is the reason it says: “On the third day… he saw the place from afar”? (אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְּמַר: וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים – מַאי טַעְמָא: בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחוֹק). Rather, because it is written: “For in Yitzchak shall seed be called to you” (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּכְתִיב: כִּי בְּיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע), and that refers to Ya‘akov who would come from him (וְדָא הוּא יַעֲקֹב דְּנָפַק מִנֵּיהּ), and this is what is meant by “on the third day” (וְהַאי הוּא בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי). “And he saw the place from afar” (וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחוֹק), as it is said (Jeremiah 31): “From afar Hashem appeared to me” (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: מֵרָחוֹק יְיָ נִרְאָה לִי). “And he saw the place”—this is Ya‘akov, as it is written (Bereshit 28): “And he took from the stones of the place” (וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם – דָּא הוּא יַעֲקֹב דִּכְתִיב: וַיִּקַּח מֵאַבְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם). Avraham looked on the third day—which is the third level—and he saw Ya‘akov who was destined to come from him (אִסְתַּכַּל אַבְרָהָם בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי דְּאִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא תְּלִיתָאָה וְחָמָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב דְּזַמִּין לְמֵיפַּק מִנֵּיהּ). “From afar”—as we have said: from afar, and not from near time (מֵרָחוֹק – כְּמָה דְּאֲמָרָן: מֵרָחוֹק וְלָא לִזְמַן קָרִיב).

Rabbi El‘azar said to him: What praise is there for Avraham if he saw that Ya‘akov was destined to come from him? (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מַאי שְׁבָחָא אִיהוּ לְאַבְרָהָם כַּד אִסְתַּכַּל וְחָמָא דְּזַמִּין לְמֵיפַּק מִנֵּיהּ יַעֲקֹב). For if he was going to slaughter Yitzchak, it was no great praise for him, since Ya‘akov would surely emerge (דְּהָא כַּד אָזִיל לְמֶעֱקַד לֵיהּ לְיִצְחָק – לָאו שְׁבָחָא כָּל כָּךְ אִיהוּ דִּילֵיהּ). He said to him: Indeed, he saw Ya‘akov (אָמַר לֵיהּ וַדַּאי חָמָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב), for from the outset Avraham knew Chokhmah (דְּהָא מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא יָדַע אַבְרָהָם חָכְמְתָא), and now he gazed on the third day, which is the third rung, in order to achieve completion (וְאִסְתַּכַּל הַשְׁתָּא בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי דְּאִיהוּ דַרְגָּא תְּלִיתָאָה לְמֶעְבַּד שְׁלִימוּ), and then he saw Ya‘akov, as it is written: “And he saw the place” (וּכְדֵין חָמָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם). But at that moment, the matter stood only “from afar” (אֲבָל הַשְׁתָּא קַיְימָא לֵיהּ מִלָּה מֵרָחוֹק), because he was going to slaughter Yitzchak (בְּגִין דְּאָזִיל לְמֶיעֱקַד לֵיהּ לְיִצְחָק), and he did not wish to ponder after the desire of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְלָא בָּעָא לְהַרְהֵר אֲבַתְרֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). He saw him “from afar,” meaning within an mirror that does not shine alone (מֵרָחוֹק חָמָא לֵיהּ גּוֹ אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאָה דְּלָא נָהֲרָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), and for that reason he saw but it was not fully revealed (וּבְגִין כָּךְ חָמָא לֵיהּ וְלָא אִתְגְּלִי כֹּלָּא). For had it been in a mirror that shines, it would have resided above the one that does not shine (דְּאִלּוּ אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאָה דְּנַהֲרָא הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ עַל הַאי אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאָה דְּלָא נַהֲרָא), and it would have been fulfilled in Avraham properly (אִתְקְיַּים עֲלֵיהּ אַבְרָהָם כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת), but it was only “from afar,” “from afar” (אֲבָל מֵרָחוֹק, בִּלְחוֹדוֹי הֲוָה, מֵרָחוֹק). What is the reason that the shining mirror was removed from this matter? (מַאי טַעְמָא אִסְתַּלַּק מֵהַאי מִלָּה אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאָה דְּנַהֲרָא) Because this was the rung of Ya‘akov (בְּגִין דְּהַאי דַּרְגָּא דְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה), and since Ya‘akov had not yet been born, it was not yet found on this rung (וּבְגִין דְּיַעֲקֹב עַד לָא אִתְיְילִיד לָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח הַשְׁתָּא עַל הַאי דַרְגָא). And furthermore, in order that he go and receive reward (וְתוּ בְּגִין דִּיהַךְ וִיקַבֵּל אַגְרָא). “And he saw the place from afar”—this is Ya‘akov, as it is said: “From afar”—he did not yet merit it (וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחוֹק דָּא יַעֲקֹב, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר מֵרָחוֹק – דְּלָא זָכָה בֵּיהּ). He saw the vision through suffering in this world, only from afar, within this rung (רְאִיָּיה בַּעֲנִיּוּי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, אֶלָּא מֵרָחוֹק מִגּוֹ הַאי דַּרְגָּא), for when Ya‘akov arrived at that place—though he did see the vision and saw Ya‘akov (דְּהָא כַּד אֲתָא יַעֲקֹב הָכָא, דַּאֲף עַל גַּב דְּאַתּוּ לְהַהוּא רְאִיָּיה וְחֲמָא לְיַעֲקֹב), Avraham said: Indeed, Kudsha Berikh Hu appeared in a different manner than what was seen before (אָמַר אַבְרָהָם: וַדַּאי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָדַע בִּגְוָונָא אַחֲרָא דְּאִתְחֲזֵי). Immediately: “And Avraham built there the altar…” (מִיַּד: וַיִּבֶן שָׁם אַבְרָהָם אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְגו׳). What is written above? “And Yitzchak said to Avraham his father: and he said: ‘My father…’”—this has already been established (מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָא וַיֹּאמֶר יִצְחָק אֶל אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו, וַיֹּאמֶר: אָבִי הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). But why did he not answer him immediately? (אֲבָל מַה טַּעְמָא לָא אֲתִיב לֵיהּ מִיָּד) Rather, because the mercy of the father upon the son had withdrawn (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּהָא אִסְתַּלַּק מֵרַחֲמֵי דְּאַבָּא עַל בְּרָא), and for that reason it is written: “Here I am, my son” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב: הִנְנִי בְּנִי) “Here I am,” meaning mercy had withdrawn and had turned into judgment (הִנְנִי דְּאִסְתַּלְּקוּ רַחֲמֵי וְאִתְהַפַּךְ לְדִינָא). And Avraham said (וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם), and it is not written: “his father said” (וְלָא כְּתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר אָבִיו), for he did not stand over him as a father—but rather, there was conflict within him (דְּהָא לָא קָאֵים עֲלֵיהּ כְּאַבָּא, אֶלָּא בַּעַל מַחְלוֹקֶת הֲוָה בֵּיהּ). “Elohim will see for Himself the lamb” (אֱלֹהִים יִרְאֶה לוֹ הַשֶּׂה). It should have said: “He will see for us” (יִרְאֶה לָנוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). What is “He will see for Himself”? (מַאי יִרְאֶה לוֹ)? Rather, he said to him: Elohim will see for Himself—for His own sake—when He shall need (אֶלָּא אָמַר לֵיהּ: אֱלֹהִים יִרְאֶה לוֹ לְגַרְמֵיהּ, כַּד אִיהוּ יִצְטְרִיךְ). But now, “my son”—there shall be no lamb (אֲבָל הַשְׁתָּא בְּנִי, וְלָא אִמְרָא). Immediately: “And the two of them went together” (מִיָּד: וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו).

Rabbi Shim‘on opened and said (רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח וְאָמַר): (Isaiah 33): “Behold, their mighty ones cried without; angels of peace wept bitterly” (הֵן אֶרְאֵלָם צָעֲקוּ חוּצָה, מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁלוֹם מַר יִבְכָּיוּן). “Behold, their mighty ones”—these are supernal angels (הֵן אֶרְאֵלָם – אִלֵּין מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי). They cried at that moment and sought to uphold that word which is written: (Bereshit 15): “And He brought him forth outside” (צָעֲקוּ בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא וּבָעוּ לְקַיְּימָא עַל הַהִיא מִלָּה דִּכְתִיב: וַיּוֹצֵא אוֹתוֹ הַחוּצָה). For this reason: “they cried outside” (בְּגִין כָּךְ צָעֲקוּ חוּצָה). “Angels of peace”—these are other angels who were destined to walk before Ya‘akov (מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁלוֹם – אִלֵּין אִנּוּן מַלְאָכִין אָחֳרָנִין דְּהֲווּ זְמִינִין לְמֵיהַךְ קַמֵּיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב), and for the sake of Ya‘akov, Kudsha Berikh Hu had assured them completeness (וּבְגִינֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב אַבְטַח לוֹן שְׁלִימוּ – קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as it is written (Bereshit 32): “And Ya‘akov went on his way, and the angels of Elohim encountered him” (דִּכְתִיב: וְיַעֲקֹב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ, וַיִּפְגְּעוּ בוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים). And these are called “angels of peace” (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁלוֹם). All of them wept when they saw Avraham binding Yitzchak (כֻּלְּהוּ בָּכוּ כַּד חָמוּ לֵיהּ לְאַבְרָהָם דְּעָקִיד לֵיהּ לְיִצְחָק), and the supernal and lower realms trembled (וְאִזְדַּעְזְעוּ עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי), and all on account of Yitzchak (וְכֻּלְּהוּ עֲלֵיהּ דְּיִצְחָק).