Rabbi Samuel, son of Nahamani, said in the name of Rabbi Johanan: What is the meaning of the verse, "For Thou art our father; For Abraham knoweth us not, and Israel doth not acknowledge us"? (Is. 63.16). Thou Isaac, art our father. How so? I will explain. In later times when Israel will commit sins, God will say to Abraham, "Abraham, thy children have sinned."

And Abraham will reply, "Let them be blotted out for the sake of Thy name," and will not pray for forgiveness of the sins of Israel.

Then the Lord, blessed be He, will say, "I will go to Jacob and hear what he will say, for Jacob is sure to have compassion on Israel, since he had much trouble in his lifetime in bringing up his children."

So He will say to Jacob, "Thy children Israel have sinned,"

and Jacob will reply, "Let them be blotted out for the sake of Thy holy name," and

he also will not pray for the forgiveness of the sins of Israel.

Then the Lord, blessed be He, will say, "Old men have no sense (this refers to Abraham, who is called an old man); and children have no counsel" (this refers to Jacob, who was the youngest of the patriarchs), meaning that God did not obtain from these two a satisfactory answer on behalf of Israel.

Then the Lord will say, "I will go to Isaac and hear what he will reply."

Then he will say, "Isaac, thy children have sinned."

And Isaac will reply, "O Lord of the universe, are they only my children? Are they not also Thy children? Why then dost Thou call them my children? At the time when they received the Torah and said, 'We will do and obey' (Ex. 24.7), Thou didst call them, 'Israel, My son, My first born' (ibid. 4.22). But now, when they have sinned, Thou callest them my children and not Thy children. Moreover, how many are the days of man in which he can sin in this world? Threescore years and ten, and, if he live long, fourscore. Take off twenty years during which a man is not responsible for his actions, for a man under twenty is not commanded to fulfill all his duties. Take off, therefore, twenty years, and there remain only fifty. Then take off twenty-five years more, the time which one spends in sleeping and during which one does not sin. Only twenty-five years remain. Take off twelve and a half years which he spends in praying and eating and in all the natural functions, and there remain only twelve and a

half years. Now, if Thou art willing to take these upon Thyself and forgive them, it, is well. But if Thou art not willing to take them upon Thyself, then let us divide. Thou take half and I will take half, and we shall thus free Israel from their sins. But If Thou wishest me to take them all upon myself, then remember that I have offered myself entirely as a sacrifice to Thee upon the altar, and I will take them over."

When the children of Israel heard all this, they said, "Isaac, thou art our father."

Then Isaac, replied, "O children of Israel, praise ye the Lord, blessed be He, and point to Him with your eyes."

They then lifted up their eyes to Heaven and said, "Thou art our Father, Thou hast redeemed us from everlasting. Amen" (cf. Is. 63.16).