Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Deuteronomy 18:13/רמב"ן על דברים י״ח:י״ג
אוְטַעַם תָּמִים תִּהְיֶה עִם ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, שֶׁנְּיַחֵד לְבָבֵנוּ אֵלָיו לְבַדּוֹ וְנַאֲמִין שֶׁהוּא לְבַדּוֹ עֹשֶׂה כֹל, וְהוּא הַיּוֹדֵעַ אֲמִתַּת כָּל עָתִיד, וּמִמֶּנּוּ לְבַדּוֹ נִדְרֹשׁ הָעֲתִידוֹת מִנְּבִיאָיו אוֹ מֵאַנְשֵׁי חֲסִידָיו, רְצוֹנוֹ לוֹמַר אוּרִים וְתֻמִּים, וְלֹא נִדְרוֹשׁ מֵהֹבְרֵי שָׁמַיִם וְלֹא מִזּוּלָתָם, וְלֹא נִבְטַח שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ דִּבְרֵיהֶם עַל כָּל פָּנִים, אֲבָל אִם נִשְׁמַע דָּבָר מֵהֶם, נֹאמַר הַכֹּל בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם כִּי הוּא אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים עֶלְיוֹן עַל הַכֹּל, הַיָּכוֹל בַּכֹּל, מְשַׁנֶּה מַעַרְכוֹת הַכּוֹכָבִים וְהַמַּזָּלוֹת כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, מֵפֵר אֹתוֹת בַּדִּים וְקֹסְמִים יְהוֹלֵל, וְנַאֲמִין שֶׁכָּל הַבָּאוֹת תִּהְיֶינָה כְּפִי הִתְקָרֵב הָאָדָם לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ. וּלְפִיכָךְ אַחַר אַזְהָרַת שְׁאֵלַת הָעֲתִידוֹת מִקּוֹסֵם וְדוֹרֵשׁ בְּעַד הַחַיִּים אֶל הַמֵּתִים אָמַר שֶׁתִּהְיֶה תָּמִים עִם הַשֵּׁם בְּכָל אֵלֶּה, וְלֹא תִּירָא מִמַּגִּיד עָתִיד, אֲבָל מִנְּבִיאוֹ תִּדְרֹשׁ וְאֵלָיו תִּשְׁמַע. וְזֶה דַּעַת אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על דברים י"ח:י"ג), שְׁלִים תְּהֵא בְּדַחְלְתָא דַּה' אֱלָהָךְ, שֶׁלֹּא תִּהְיֶה חָסֵר בְּיִרְאָתוֹ, כִּי תָּמִים הוּא הַשָּׁלֵם בְּדָבָר, כְּמוֹ שֶׂה תָמִים (שמות יב ה), שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מוּם וְשׁוּם חֶסְרוֹן. וְזוֹ מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה. וּכְבָר הִזְכַּרְתִּי זֶה בְּפָסוּק וֶהְיֵה תָמִים (בראשית יז א):
1THOU SHALT BE WHOLE-HEARTED WITH THE ETERNAL THY G-D. The meaning thereof is that we are to direct our hearts to Him only, and believe that He alone does everything. It is He Who knows the truth about all future events, and from His prophets, or from His pious ones, in other words the Urim and Thummim193 — are we to inquire about future events. We are not to inquire of the astrologers or from anyone else, or by any means to trust that their words will be fulfilled. Instead, if we hear any prediction [of the diviners] we should say, “Everything is in the hands of Heaven,194 for He is the G-d of gods195 Who is supreme above all, the Omnipotent One over everything, Who changes the set order of the stars and constellations at His Will, Who frustrateth the tokens of the imposters, and maketh diviners mad,”196 and we are to believe that future events will occur according to man’s drawing closer to His service. Therefore after the warning against inquiring about future events from diviners, and of seeking on behalf of the living to the dead,197 he stated that you are to be whole-hearted with G-d in all these matters and not be afraid of those who tell of things to come. Rather, you should inquire of His prophet and to him shall you hearken.185 And this is the opinion of Onkelos who translated, “You shall be whole-hearted in the fear of the Eternal your G-d,” meaning that you should not be deficient in the fear of Him, for tamim (whole) indicates perfection in a thing, just as ‘seh tamim’ (a lamb that is perfect)198 means one that is without blemish and any deficiency. This verse [before us] constitutes a positive commandment.199 I have already mentioned this in connection with the verse, and be thou whole-hearted.200