Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Deuteronomy 22:8/רמב"ן על דברים כ״ב:ח׳

אוְעָשִׂיתָ מַעֲקֶה, מִצְוַת הַמַּעֲקֶה מְחֻדֶּשֶׁת, אוֹ מְבֹאֶרֶת מְלֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ (ויקרא יט טז). אֲבָל מִצְוַת הַכִּלְאַיִם מְבֹאֶרֶת, שֶׁכְּבָר אָמַר (שם פסוק יט) שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרַע כִּלְאָיִם. וְהִנֵּה בַּמַּשְׁמָע הַהוּא כָּל מָקוֹם הַנִּזְרָע, וְהוֹסִיף בְּכָאן כִּי אִם יִזְרַע הַכֶּרֶם כִּלְאַיִם יִקְדַּשׁ הַזֶּרַע אֲשֶׁר יִזְרַע וּתְבוּאַת הַכֶּרֶם, לוֹמַר שֶׁיֵּאָסֵר בַּהֲנָאָה כְּהֶקְדֵּשׁ. וְטַעַם פֶּן, כְּמוֹ כִּי תִּקְדַּשׁ, וְכֵן וּמִפֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לֹא תֵצְאוּ פֶּן תָּמֻתוּ (שם י ז), וְכֵן וְלֹא תִגְּעוּ בּוֹ פֶּן תְּמֻתוּן (בראשית ג ג). וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁפֵּרוּשׁוֹ כְּמוֹ פֶּן יְנַכְּרוּ צָרֵימוֹ פֶּן יֹאמְרוּ יָדֵינוּ רָמָה (דברים ל"ב:כ"ז), כְּעִנְיַן שֶׁמָּא, לוֹמַר לֹא תִּזְרַע אוֹתוֹ כִּלְאַיִם פֶּן יִצְמַח וְיֶאֱסֹר עָלֶיךָ הַכֹּל, כִּי אֵינָן נֶאֱסָרִין אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ (כלאים פ"ז ה"ז) תְּבוּאָה מִתְקַדֶּשֶׁת מִשֶּׁתַּשְׁרִישׁ וַעֲנָבִים מִשֶּׁיֵּעָשׂוּ כְּפוֹל הַלָּבָן:

1THEN THOU SHALT MAKE A PARAPET FOR THY ROOF. The commandment of the parapet is newly-declared, or it may be explanatory of the prohibition, Neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbor.¹⁸⁰ But the commandment concerning mixed seeds¹⁸¹ is explanatory, for He has already stated, Thou shalt not sow thy field with two kinds of seed.¹⁸² Now, this [prohibition] implied any place where they are sown; here he added that if a vineyard be sown with mixed seeds that which has been sown ‘tikdash’ (will be forfeited) together with the increase of the vineyard,¹⁸¹ meaning to say that any benefit is forbidden just like hekdeish [“holy things” belonging to the Sanctuary from which we are prohibited to derive any benefit]. The meaning of ‘pen tikdash’ (‘lest’ thou forfeit) is like ki tikdash (“for” you shall forfeit). So also, And ye shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting ‘pen tamuthu’ (‘lest’ ye die)¹⁸³, 10:7. [is like ki tamuthu — “for” you shall die]. Likewise, Neither shall ye touch it ‘pen t’muthun’ (‘lest’ ye die)¹⁸⁴ [is like ki t’muthun — “for” you shall die]. It is possible that the meaning of pen tikdash is similar to ‘pen’ their adversaries should misdeem, ‘pen’ they should say, Our hand is exalted¹⁸⁵ which is like “perhaps.” The verse thus states: Do not sow the vineyard with mixed seeds, for perhaps they will sprout and the whole vineyard will be forbidden to you, for they do not become forfeit [unless they sprout] as we have been taught,¹⁸⁶ “A grain crop [sown near a vine] is rendered forfeit after it has struck root, and grapes, after they have grown to the size of a white bean.”