[Avodah] The Ram of the Akeida

[Michael Poppers]

In Avodah V43n73, RAMiller asked, "What was miraculous about that ram?"  On
a Mi Yodeya page (URL:
https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/48734/what-was-the-significance-of-the-ram-by-the-akeida),
I noticed a few answers:
-1-


   3. The special nature of this ram was exemplified by, possibly, making
   it to the list of items created at twilight, in the fifth chapter of Avos.
   ... I was wondering in general, what was so special about this ram and its
   slaughtering that it needed to be prepared at that point in time?

The Maharal (beginning of his piece on this Mishnah) quotes a Rambam who
writes that Hashem "made a condition" with nature that, at certain points
in time to be decided later, it should be altered for a neis to occur.
Thus, he interprets the Mishnah as saying that Hashem made a condition with
the land that in the days of Korach it should swallow his camp, and that
shortly after Krias Yam Suf, when the Bnei Yisrael would need water, Hashem
made a condition with the rock that it should give forth water, etc.
Likewise, Hashem made a condition with this ram that it should be there in
the zechus of Avraham Avinu, who would otherwise have been suffering from
not being able to fulfill Hashem's will.

Now, this entire p'shat still begs the obvious question: as the Midrash
(same source) attests to, Hashem's will was never that Yitzchak should be
shechted, but that he should be placed on the Mizbeiach. Thus, why did
Avraham need anything to take the place of Yitzchak? To that I do not have
an answer, but I still believe that this p'shat is firmly rooted in a
Midrash that clearly answers all of your questions.
-2- this ram is now recognizable as a great asset to the glorification of
Hashem's name. No less than a talking donkey's mouth or the earth's mouth
that swallowed the rebelious people in the desert. Being planned for during
twilight of the sixth day of creation seems appropriate.
-3- See the Kli Yakar's
<http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=9597&st=&pgnum=274> explanation
on that verse. He claims that the ram is *not* one of those created during
creation, but a special ram having one horn.

Although my Hebrew is good, my eyesight isn't too great to read small and
somewhat faded print in there. I couldn't completely follow what he's
proving. Readers, @user6591 and I (I think I included "der gantze oilem")
would appreciate if someone could edit this into my answer, or better,
provide in your answer so that YOU get the votes.
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answered Nov 25, 2014 at 23:17
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DanF <https://judaism.stackexchange.com/users/5275/danf>
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   - 1
   I don't think that's what he's saying. First he brings an opinion, that
   in Avos that 'this ram was not Thom the rams created during the six days of
   creation, but a different ram, because the ram of Yitzchok was created erev
   shabbos at twilight. Than he goes on a long explenation about korbanos with
   horns and who brings them but first he mentions the gemara that Adam's
   korban had a single horn on its forehead, as opposed to korbanos for all
   generation. That seems to exclude Avraham as well.
   – user6591 <https://judaism.stackexchange.com/users/6591/user6591>
    CommentedNov 25, 2014 at 23:59
   <https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/48734/what-was-the-significance-of-the-ram-by-the-akeida#comment129288_48740>
   -
   But it is interesting that he called it the ram of Yitzchok. One of the
   questions i left out (if you can imagine that) was why did the mishna call
   it Avraham's ram? Seems to put the focus of its miraculous nature on
   Avraham, not on Yitzchok. Now the kli yakar flips that.
   – user6591 <https://judaism.stackexchange.com/users/6591/user6591>
    CommentedNov 26, 2014 at 0:01
   <https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/48734/what-was-the-significance-of-the-ram-by-the-akeida#comment129289_48740>
   -
   Now i see the Pirkei DiRabi Eliezer in chapter 19 says ram of Yitzchok.
   Curiouser.
   – user6591 <https://judaism.stackexchange.com/users/6591/user6591>
    CommentedNov 26, 2014 at 0:19
   <https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/48734/what-was-the-significance-of-the-ram-by-the-akeida#comment129292_48740>


All the best from
*Michael Poppers* * Elizabeth, NJ, USA
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