Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Deuteronomy 1:13/רמב"ן על דברים א׳:י״ג
אוִידֻעִים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם "שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִכָּרִים לָכֶם, שֶׁאִם בָּא לְפָנַי מְעֻטָּף בְּטַלִּיתוֹ אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מִי הוּא וּמֵאֵי זֶה שֵׁבֶט הוּא, אֲבָל אַתֶּם מַכִּירִים אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁגִּדַּלְתֶּם אוֹתוֹ" לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על דברים א':י"ג) מִסִּפְרֵי. וְאִם כֵּן, יִהְיֶה לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם קָשׁוּר עִם וִידוּעִים. אֲבָל עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט, טַעְמוֹ הָבוּ לָכֶם לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם אֲנָשִׁים חֲכָמִים. וְעַל דַּעְתִּי, טַעַם וִידוּעִים שֶׁהֵם יְדוּעִים לַשּׁוֹפְטִים, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁמַּעֲלָתָם יְדוּעָה וְנִכֶּרֶת לְמַנּוֹתָם בָּהּ שׁוֹפְטִים. וְכָלַל מַעֲלוֹת הַשּׁוֹפְטִים בְּמִלַּת וִידוּעִים, כִּי הַשּׁוֹפְטִים צְרִיכִין לִהְיוֹת (שמות כא יח): "אַנְשֵׁי חַיִל יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת שֹׂנְאֵי בָצַע" כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר יִתְרוֹ, וְאֵלֶּה הָיוּ יְדוּעִים לְשׁוֹפְטִים מִתְּחִלָּה, כִּי הָיוּ הַכֹּל אוֹמְרִים "רָאוּי זֶה לִהְיוֹת שׁוֹפֵט".
1VIDU’IM L’SHIVTEICHEM’ (AND KNOWN AMONG YOUR TRIBES) — “men who are known to you. For if he were to come before me [Moses] wrapped in his robe, I would not know who he is and of what tribe he is, but you know him for you have raised him.” This is Rashi’s language quoting the Sifre.86 13. And if so, ‘l’shivteichem’ (among your tribes) is connected with the word ‘vidu’im’ (and known).87 (and known) ‘l’shivteichem’ [literally: “‘to’ or ‘from’ each of your tribes”]. Now Rashi, on the basis of the Sifre, connects the last two words — “known to your tribes.” Ramban will explain l’shivteichem as referring to the first part of the verse: “Get you … from each of your tribes” and the word vidu’im he will explain as meaning and known to be judges and being qualified. But in line with the plain meaning of Scripture the purport of the verse is as follows: “Get you, from each of your tribes wise men.”86 13. And the meaning of the word vidu’im in my opinion is that “they are known as judges,” that is to say, their capability is known and recognized as qualifying them to be appointed judges. Now [Moses] epitomized the qualities of the judges in the word vidu’im, because the judges need to be able men, such as fear G-d; men of truth, hating unjust gain,88 as Jethro said. And these men [that were appointed] were known from the beginning to be judges, for everyone was saying, “This one is fit to be a judge.”