What is the definition of ?Saraf??
Seforno: ?A snake that is made of a substance that hints at burning ? copper or gold 1 - so that the people should have in mind the burning sensation that a poisonous snake emits with the breath of its mouth, which is remeniscent of their sin (Lashon ha?Ra) and their punishment - which in turn, will cause them to do Teshuvah?.
Targum Onkelos: ?A serpent?
Targum Yonasan: ?A copper snake?.
Seforno: And Moshe made it out of copper, so as not to remind Hashem of the Chet ha?Eigel.
Why did Hashem instruct Moshe to make a snake?
Seforno: To remind them of their sin - the slander that they spoke with the breath of their mouths, just as the snake injects its venom with the breath of its mouth.
Ramban, Da'as Zekenim and Hadar Zekenim: It is Hashem's way to perform a miracle within a miracle, by removing the punishment using the very same object with which He dealt the stroke. 1
Ramban: See for example, Beshalach Sh'mos, 15:25, Melachim 2, 2:21 and Yoma, 84a. See also Ramban, who elaborates.
Seeing as Hashem instructed Moshe to make a Saraf, why did he make a Nachash?
Targum Yonasan: Refer to 21:8:0:1:3.
Yerushalmi 3:9: Moshe called it a Nachash, seeing as, when all?s said and done, a Saraf is a burning Nachash, 2 and this enabled him to go one step further, and, based on a play of words, he made it out of copper.
What are the implications of the word ?Asei l?cha Saraf??
Avodah Zarah, 44a: It implies that Moshe should pay for the snake out of his own pocket.
What is the definition of the word "ve'Sim oso al Neis"?
Rashi: It means 'Place it on a pole' 1 (called a ?Neis?, because, like a miracle, it is there as a sign - Rashi in Yeshayah, 5:26).
Rashi: As we find in Yeshayah, 30:17, 49:22 & 13:2, and as we say in the Amidah ?Vesa Neis Lekabeitz Galuyoseinu?.
Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfluous) word "Kol ha'Nashuch"?
Rashi: Because even dogs and donkeys bit the people, 1 wounding them and causing them to become weak.
See also Ba'al ha'Turim on Pasuk 6.
Since when does looking at a snake kill or cure?
Why did their declaration "Chatanu" combined with Moshe's Tefilah not suffice? Why did they also need to look upwards?
Because "Chatanu" is the first stage of Teshuvah, which is performed with the mouth. But one still needs to do Teshuvah with the heart - parficularly when the sin entails a lack of Emunah - which means reconnecting with Hashem by acknowledging His Sovereignty and rendering oneself totally subservient to Him.
Hashem sent "ha'Nechashim ha'Serafim." Why did the people ask Moshe to remove only the Nachash? Why did Hashem say to make a Saraf, and why did Moshe make a Nachash?
Moshav Zekenim, Riva and Rosh: Hashem sent two afflictions - Nechashim for speaking against Him, and Serafim for speaking against Moshe. 1 They people prayed about the Nachash, for speaking against Him; there was no need to pray immediately about the Saraf. Hashem was zealous for Moshe's honor, and commanded to make a Saraf 2 , so they would be careful not to speak against him again (Rosh). Moshe pardoned his honor, and made a Nachash, to remind the people that they sinned against Hashem.
Moshav Zekenim, citing R. Eliezer of Garmaiza: Moshe knew that it says about [the angels called] Serafim "v'Notzezim k'Ein Nechoshes Kalal" (Yechezkel 1:7). Hashem did not say Nachash, which hints to Moshe's sin, lest He frighten him. Moshe saw a Nachash at the Sneh after saying that Yisrael will not believe him (Shemos 4:3), and a snake swallowed him when he delayed circumcising his son (Rashi, Shemos 4:24). Also refer to 21:9:1:1*.
K'sav Sofer: The Nachash was for [speaking against] Hashem; it was the first to do so (in Gan Eden), and the Saraf for Moshe. It says about Chachamim (Avos 2:10) 'Lechishasan Lechishas Saraf.' Derech Chayim (2:10) ? this is anger against one who acted against them, even if the Chacham did not say a word.
Moshav Zekenim: Hashem already pardoned the sin against Himself. Riva implies that Hashem told Moshe to make also a Nachash. Kesav Sofer - they already confessed [and repented] for equating Moshe to Hashem ("we spoke against Hashem and you"), but not for speaking against Moshe, so they needed to atone for this. (If so, they needed to atone for speaking against Hashem! ? PF) Moshe, in his great humility, could not fathom that they would be punished for speaking against him. (Miryam was punished for this! Perhaps he could not fathom that they would die for this, or Hashem is more exacting with great Tzadikim ? PF.) He assumed that Hashem said Saraf, lest they get used to speaking against people who benefit them, and come to deny Hashem's benefits. Moshe made a Nachash, which resembles a Saraf, of Nechoshes, to hint that one who speaks against a Chacham will come to speak against Hashem, like the Nachash.
"L'cha" always means 'for your benefit' (See Rashi in Lech-L'cha Bereishis, 12:1). What benefit would Moshe gain from the snake?
Moshav Zekenim, citing R. Eliezer of Garmaiza: Also Moshe was afraid of the snakes, since once the destroyer has permission to destroy, he does not distinguish between Tzadik and Rasha. 1 Therefore Hashem said "Asei l'cha".
Rosh: The Saraf would make Yisrael careful not to speak against Moshe again.:
Avodah Zarah, 44a: "Asei l'cha" here means that Moshe should make the snake at his own expense.
The Midrash says so only regarding Zenus! Refer to Bereishis 6:13:2:1. (PF)
When Moshe Davened for the frogs to be removed, Hashem removed them. Why did Hashem not remove the snakes?
Chafetz Chaim: This shows that there is a cure for everything, except for Lashon ha'Ra (for which the snakes came).
