Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Deuteronomy 16:21/רמב"ן על דברים ט״ז:כ״א
אלֹא תִטַּע לְךָ אֲשֵׁרָה, כָּל אִילָן הַנָּטוּעַ עַל פִּתְחֵי בֵּית אֱלֹהִים יִקָּרֵא אֲשֵׁרָה, אוּלַי בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהוּא שָׂם דֶּרֶךְ מַרְאֶה אוֹתוֹ לָעָם יִקְרָא כֵן, מִלְּשׁוֹן תָּמֹךְ אֲשׁוּרַי בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתֶיךָ (תהלים יז ה). יַזְהִיר הַכָּתוּב שֶׁלֹּא יִטַּע אִילָן אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח ה' לְנוֹי, וְיַחְשֹׁב שֶׁהוּא כָּבוֹד וְהָדָר לְמִזְבַּח הַשֵּׁם, וְאָסַר אוֹתוֹ בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהוּא מִנְהַג עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה לָטַעַת אִילָנוֹת בְּפִתְחֵי בָּתֵּי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלָּהֶם, וּכְעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים ו כה) וְהָרַסְתָּ אֶת מִזְבַּח הַבַּעַל וְגוֹ' וְאֶת הָאֲשֵׁרָה אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו תִּכְרֹת. וְרַשִׁ"י כָּתַב (רש"י על דברים ט"ז:כ"א) לֹא תִטַּע לְךָ אֲשֵׁרָה, לְחַיְּבוֹ עָלֶיהָ מִשְּׁעַת נְטִיעָתָהּ, וַאֲפִלּוּ לֹא עֲבָדָהּ עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה עַל נְטִיעָתָהּ, וְלֹא תִּטַּע כָּל עֵץ אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אַזְהָרָה לַנּוֹטֵעַ וְלַבּוֹנֶה בְּהַר הַבַּיִת. וְאִם כֵּן יֹאמַר לֹא תִטַּע לְךָ אֲשֵׁרָה וְכָל עֵץ אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח ה', אֲבָל הַבּוֹנֶה בְּהַר הַבַּיִת אַסְמַכְתָּא מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם, כִּי הַכָּתוּב לֹא אָסַר אֶלָּא הַנְּטִיעָה, לֹא תִטַּע לְךָ אֲשֵׁרָה וְלֹא תִטַּע לְךָ כָּל עֵץ אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ:
1THOU SHALT NOT PLANT THEE AN ASHEIRAH. Any tree planted at the entrance of a house of G-d is called asheirah. Possibly because it ordereth the way aright,31 G-d is called etc.” Ramban’s further language about the prohibition of planting a tree near the altar of G-d, clearly shows that he is speaking here of a House of G-d. directing people’s “steps” [to worship], it is called [asheirah] from the word ‘ashurai’ (my steps) have held fast to Thy paths.32, 17:5. Scripture thus admonishes not to plant a tree beside the altar of G-d for beauty and to think that it is an honor and glory to G-d’s altar. He prohibited it because it was a custom of the idolaters to plant trees at the entrances of their idol’s temples, as it is written, further, and throw down the altar of Baal that belongs to thy father, and cut down the asheirah that is by it.33Now Rashi wrote: “Thou shalt not plant thee an asheirah. This is intended to make one liable [to punishment] from the very moment of planting; and even if he does not worship it, he transgresses a negative commandment for planting it. And thou shalt not plant any kind of tree beside the altar of the Eternal thy G-d. This is an admonition against planting [trees] or building a [wooden] house on the Temple mount.” If so, Scripture is stating: “thou shalt not plant thee an asheirah ‘nor’34 missing in the word kol (any) which should be v’kol (nor any). Thus, Rashi interprets the verse: we may not plant a tree for an idolatrous purpose anywhere, “nor any” tree, even for beauty’s sake, beside the altar of G-d. Ramban agrees to all that. However, Rashi adds that “building a [wooden] house on the Temple mount” is likewise prohibited; Ramban points out that this is forbidden only by law of the Rabbis. any kind of tree beside the altar of the Eternal.” But building a [wooden] house on the Temple mount is [prohibited by] Rabbinic ordinance based on Scriptural support, for Scripture prohibited only the “planting” — “thou shalt not plant thee an asheirah [prohibiting the planting anywhere of trees intended for idol-worship], nor shalt thou plant thee any tree [for whatever purpose] beside the altar of the Eternal thy G-d.”