Chukas 21:9 · unit 1 — Moshe chose copper by verbal association
Parashas Chukas · Passuk 21:9
The Complete Passuk
וַיַּ֤עַשׂ מֹשֶׁה֙ נְחַ֣שׁ נְחֹ֔שֶׁת וַיְשִׂמֵ֖הוּ עַל־הַנֵּ֑ס וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־נָשַׁ֤ךְ הַנָּחָשׁ֙ אֶת־אִ֔ישׁ וְהִבִּ֛יט אֶל־נְחַ֥שׁ הַנְּחֹ֖שֶׁת וָחָֽי׃
And Moshe made a copper serpent and set it upon the pole; and it was that if a serpent had bitten a man, and he looked at the copper serpent, he lived.
Chabad.org — 21:9
Source Citation
Torah Temimah: TT on 21:9
Sefaria — TT Numbers 21:9
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, בְּאַרְבָּעָה מְקוֹמוֹת נֶאֱמַר עֲשֵׂה לְךָ, בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה פֵּרֵשׁ וּבְאֶחָד לֹא פֵּרֵשׁ… אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, אֶעֱשֶׂנּוּ שֶׁל נְחֹשֶׁת.
English: R. Yose said: in four places it says “make for yourself”; in three it specified and in one it did not… Moshe said, I will make it of copper.
Type of Learning Moshe’s inference of material where the command was silent.
What Is Learned Where the Torah said only “saraf,” Moshe chose copper (nechoshet) by affinity with nachash.
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