The Ram of Twilight Whose Every Part Served Israel

"And Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a ram" (Genesis 22:13). Rabbi Zechariah says: that ram which had been created at twilight was running and coming to draw near in place of Isaac, and Samael was standing and accusing it in order to nullify the offering of Abraham our father, and it was caught by its two horns among the trees. What did that ram do? It stretched out its leg and caught Abraham's prayer-shawl, and he looked behind him and saw the ram, and released it [Isaac] and offered it. Rabbi Berekhiah says: the pleasing fragrance of Isaac ascended and was sweet to Him. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He stretched out His right hand and grasped the head of Isaac and swore to bless him in this world and in the world to come, as it is said, "For blessing" - in this world; "I will bless you" - in the world to come; "and multiplying" - in this world; "I will multiply your seed" - in the world to come. Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa says: from that ram which was created at twilight nothing came forth in vain. The sinews of the ram - these are the ten strings of the harp on which David played. The hide of the ram was the girdle around the loins of Elijah. The left horn of the ram is the one He sounded on Mount Sinai, "And the sound of the shofar" (Exodus 19:19). The right horn, which is larger than the left, is the one He is destined to sound in the time to come, as it is said, "And it shall be on that day, a great shofar shall be sounded" (Isaiah 27:13).