Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Deuteronomy 11:2/רמב"ן על דברים י״א:ב׳

אאֶת גָּדְלוֹ אֶת יָדוֹ הַחֲזָקָה וּזְרֹעוֹ הַנְּטוּיָה, אָמַר ר"א (אבן עזרא על דברים י"א:ב') לְהוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם וְהָאוֹתוֹת וְהַמּוֹפְתִים שֶׁעָשָׂה לְפַרְעֹה, וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לָכֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר בִּדְבַר הַמָּן. וְאֵינֶנּוּ נָכוֹן בְּעֵינַי, כִּי עַתָּה לֹא יְדַבֵּר רַק בַּמּוּסָר אֲשֶׁר יְיַסֵּר בּוֹ הַשֵּׁם לְעוֹבְרֵי רְצוֹנוֹ, אֶת גָּדְלוֹ, שֶׁהָיָה מִתְרוֹמֵם וּמִתְגַּדֵּל לֵאמֹר הִתְפָּאֵר עָלַי (שמות ח ה), לְמָחָר יִהְיֶה (שם פסוק יט), וְשַׂמְתִּי פְדוּת (שם), לְמַעַן תֵּדַע כִּי לַה' הָאָרֶץ (שם ט כט). וְאֶת יָדוֹ הַחֲזָקָה, וְשָׁלַחְתִּי אֶת יָדִי וְהִכֵּיתִי אֶת מִצְרַיִם (שם ג כ), אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדֹלָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ה' (שם יד לא). וּזְרוֹעוֹ הַנְּטוּיָה, שֶׁלֹּא נָתַן לָהֶם רֶוַח וְהַצָּלָה מֵאָז הָיְתָה יָדוֹ נְטוּיָה עֲלֵיהֶם, וְלֹא הֵשִׁיב יָדוֹ מִבַּלֵּעַ עַד שֶׁאִבְּדָם. וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לָכֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר (דברים י"א:ה'), אֲשֶׁר נָגַף אֶתְכֶם בָּעֵגֶל וְאֵשׁ תַּבְעֵרָה וְהַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְּׂרָפִים וְקִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה וּמַגֵּפַת הַשִּׁטִּים וּגְזֵרַת הַמְרַגְּלִים, שֶׁהָיְתָה בָּהֶם יַד ה' עַד בּוֹאָם אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה. וְקִצֵּר בַּפֻּרְעָנוּת שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶם. וְאִם כֵּן וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת כָּל הַמִּצְוָה לְמַעַן תֶּחֶזְקוּ, כִּי יָדוֹ הַחֲזָקָה מַחְזֶקֶת שׁוֹמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו וְלֹא יַחֲזִיק בְּיַד מְרֵעִים:
1HIS GREATNESS, HIS MIGHTY HAND, AND HIS OUTSTRETCHED ARM. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented: “[His greatness etc.] to bring you out from Egypt; and the signs279 and wonders, which He did to Pharaoh; and what He did unto you in the wilderness,280 in the matter of the manna.” But in my opinion it is incorrect, for now he [Moses] speaks only of the chastisement with which G-d admonished those who transgressed His will; [instead, the correct interpretation of the verse is as follows:] His greatness in that He exalted and elevated Himself when saying, Have thou this glory over me;281 By tomorrow shall this sign be;282, Verse 19. And I will distinguish [between My people and thy people];282, Verse 19. that thou mayest know that the earth is the Eternal’s.283, 9:29. And His mighty hand [refers to], And I will put forth My hand, and smite Egypt;284, 3:20. the great work which the Eternal did [upon the Egyptians].285, 14:31. “Work” — literally: “hand.” And His outstretched arm [means] that He did not give the Egyptians relief and deliverance from the moment His hand was stretched out upon them, and He hath not withdrawn His hand from consuming286 until He destroyed them. And what He did unto you in the wilderness,280 [means] that He smote you [Israel] in the affair of the calf,287 in the fire that burned at Taberah,288 [in the affair of] the fiery serpents,289, 21:6. Kibroth-hattaavah,290, 11:35. the plague at Shittim,291, 25:9. and the decree in the affair of the spies so that the hand of G-d was upon them until they came to this place. He [Moses] shortened, however, the account of the punishments that He inflicted upon them. And if so, Therefore shall ye keep all the commandment etc. that ye may be strong,292 for His mighty hand strengthens those who keep His commandments, neither will He uphold the evildoers.293