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The Gemara brings a baraita that tells the story of Nehunia Hofer Shihin‘s daughter who fell into a cistern (some manuscripts have “the great cistern,” which would be a reference to a particular cistern that was in the Temple precincts).
When the report reached Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa, he reported that all was well, and after a time that she had been saved. When questioned about it, Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa said that throughout the ordeal he was certain that Nehunia Hofer Shihin‘s daughter was safe because she would not be punished with the very object that her father devoted his life to.
The daughter said that a ram with a Zaken leading it pulled her out of the Bor and Rashi explains that it was the ram of Yitzchak Avinu that was led by Avraham Avinu.
The Pnei Yehoshua explains that it was already decreed from Heaven that she will die and therefore it was no longer possible for her to be saved without someone else dying in her place.
Therefore when R. Chanina Ben Dosa prayed that she would live it was decreed that someone else must die in her place. This concept is hinted to with the ram of Akeidas Yitzchak: the ram was brought in place of Yitzchak on the Mizbe'ach. Yitzchak's life could not have been spared if the lamb would not have been brought instead of him.
We analyze this wonderful story.