Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Deuteronomy 22:22/רמב"ן על דברים כ״ב:כ״ב

אוּמֵתוּ גַּם שְׁנֵיהֶם, לְהוֹצִיא לָעוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה חִדּוּדִים שֶׁאֵין הָאִשָּׁה נֶהֱנֵית מֵהֶם. גַּם, לְרַבּוֹת הַבָּאִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם, לְשׁוֹן רַבֵּינוּ שְׁלֹמֹה. וְלֹא הֲבִינוֹתִי מַהוּ, וְכִי בְּתוּלָה הִיא זוֹ שֶׁנְּמַעֵט אוֹ נִצְטָרֵךְ לְרַבּוֹת הַבָּאִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם, מָה לִי רִאשׁוֹן מָה לִי שֵׁנִי וּשְׁלִישִׁי, וְעוֹד הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר הַבָּאִים אַחֲרָיו. וּבַנֻּסְחָאוֹת שֶׁלָּנוּ בְּסִפְרֵי (תצא קב), שְׁנֵיהֶם, וְלֹא הָעוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה חִדּוּדִין, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר גַּם שְׁנֵיהֶם, לְרַבּוֹת הַבָּאִים מֵאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם, וְהִיא בִּיאָה שֶׁלֹּא כְּדַרְכָּהּ וְרִבָּה אוֹתָהּ הַכָּתוּב בְּכָאן, וְכָל הָעֲרָיוֹת לְמֵדוֹת זוֹ מִזּוֹ. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט גַּם שְׁנֵיהֶם, הָאִישׁ הַפּוֹשֵׁעַ בַּחֵטְא יוֹתֵר, שֶׁהוּא הַתּוֹבֵעַ וְהַמְּפַתֶּה וְהָעוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֶׂה, וְגַם הָאִשָּׁה. וְהִזְכִּיר זֶה הַכָּתוּב וּפֵרֵשׁ גַּם שְׁנֵיהֶם, הָאִישׁ הַשּׁוֹכֵב וְגַם הָאִשָּׁה, וְכֵן דֶּרֶךְ הַכְּתוּבִים לִתְלוֹת הַחֵטְא בָּאִישׁ, כַּאֲשֶׁר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי (ויקרא כ יז) בְּעֶרְוַת אָחִיו גִּלָּה עֲרִירִים יִהְיוּ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים כִּי טַעַם הָאִישׁ הַשֹּׁכֵב עִם הָאִשָּׁה וְהָאִשָּׁה תּוֹסֶפֶת בֵּאוּר, כְּמוֹ יְבִיאֶהָ אֵת תְּרוּמַת ה' (שמות לה ה), אוֹתוֹ אֶת נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר (ירמיהו כז ח). וּבְסִפְרֵי (שם) הָאִישׁ הַשֹּׁכֵב עִם הָאִשָּׁה, אע"פ שֶׁהִיא קְטַנָּה, וְהָאִשָּׁה, אע"פ שֶׁנִּבְעֲלָה לְקָטָן. אִם כֵּן טַעְמוֹ גַּם שְׁנֵיהֶם, גַּם כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם, הָאִישׁ אוֹ הָאִשָּׁה, הַמַּגִּיעַ מֵהֶם לְחִיּוּב:

1THEN THEY SHALL ‘GAM’ (ALSO) ‘SHNEIHEM’ (BOTH OF THEM) DIE. “This excludes unnatural gratification from which the woman derives no satisfaction. Gam (also) — this is intended to include in the death-penalty those who come after them” [as explained further on]. This is the language of Rabbeinu Shlomo [Rashi]. But I do not understand what this means. Is this the case of a virgin that we must exclude or include those who come after them [to commit adultery with her? The verse here speaks of a married woman, therefore] what difference is there between the first [adulterer] and the second and third? Moreover, the text should have read “those who come after ‘him’” [instead of “after ‘them’ “]! And in our versions of the Sifre it is stated:²¹³ 241. However, the text there is as Rashi has it. See Horovitz’s edition of Sifre, and his note there. “Both of them — this excludes unnatural gratification. Since the verse states ‘gam’ both of them it includes those who come from their backs,” meaning unnatural sexual intercourse [sodomy]. Scripture included it here, but all cases of adultery are deduced from this one.In line with the simple meaning of Scripture the phrase ‘gam shneihem’ (also both of them) means “[not only] the man who is the more responsible for the sin because he demands it, he seduces her, and commits the act — but ‘gam’ (also) the woman.” Scripture itself mentions this, explaining the phrase also both of them — the man that lay with the woman, and the woman. Such is the customary manner of Scripture to ascribe the sin to the man, as I have explained in connection with the verse, he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.²¹⁴, the text here should read: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness (ibid., Verse 17), the thought here alluded to by Ramban is developed there.And some scholars²¹⁵ say that the phrase the man that lay with the woman, and the woman is but an additional explanation [of the pronoun — both of them], like let him bring it, the Eternal’s offering;²¹⁶ [the kingdom which will not serve] him, Nebuchadnezzar.²¹⁷ And in the Sifre it is stated:²¹⁸ 241. “The man that lay with the woman — even if she was a minor; and the woman — even if she had intercourse with a minor.” If so, the meaning of also both of them is “also either one of them, the man or the woman who has reached the age to be culpable of punishment.”