Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Deuteronomy 26:14/רמב"ן על דברים כ״ו:י״ד

אלֹא אָכַלְתִּי בְאֹנִי מִמֶּנּוּ, אע"פ שֶׁהַוִּדּוּי בְּכָל הַמַּעַשְׂרוֹת, כְּמִדְרָשׁ וְגַם נְתַתִּיו לַלֵּוִי וְלַגֵּר וּלְיָתוֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָה (ספרי יג מעשר שני פ"ג ה"י), אֲבָל לֹא אָכַלְתִּי בְאֹנִי מִמֶּנּוּ, יַחְזֹר עַל הַקֹּדֶשׁ לְבַדּוֹ, שֶׁהוּא מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וְנֶטַע רְבָעִי, וְהֵם שֶׁאֲסוּרִין בְּאוֹנֵן וּבְטֻמְאָה:

1I HAVE NOT EATEN THEREOF IN MY MOURNING. Even though the avowal¹⁹ included all tithes, as the Rabbis interpreted:²⁰ “I have also given it unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow²¹ etc.,”²², this is the tithe of the Levite [i.e., the First Tithe]. I have ‘also’ given it, this is the terumah (the heave-offering), [given by the Israelite to the priest] and the heave-offering of the tithe [given by the Levite to the priest]. And unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, this refers to the Poorman’s Tithe, gleanings, the forgotten sheaf, and the corner of the field” (Maaseir Sheini 5:10). — the statement I have not eaten thereof in my mourning refers only to the hallowed things [mentioned at the beginning of the preceding Verse 13: I have put away ‘the hallowed things’ out of my house] which refers to the Second Tithe and fourth-year’s plantings which may not be eaten in mourning and in a state of impurity.²³

בוְלֹא נָתַתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ לְמֵת, לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ אָרוֹן וְתַכְרִיכִין, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על דברים כ"ו:י"ד). וְלֹא הֲבִינוֹתִי זֶה, שֶׁהֲרֵי מְפֹרָשׁ בַּכָּתוּב (לעיל יד כה כו) שֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי אֵין מְחַלְּלִין אוֹתוֹ חוּץ לִירוּשָׁלַיִם אֶלָּא עַל כֶּסֶף צוּרָה, וּבִירוּשָׁלַיִם יִתֵּן הַכֶּסֶף עַל דָּבָר הָרָאוּי לַאֲכִילָה, בַּבָּקָר וּבַצֹּאן וּבַיַּיִן וּבַשֵּׁכָר, וְיֹאכַל לִפְנֵי ה'. וְהָרַב רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה כָּתַב בְּחִבּוּרוֹ (הל' מעשר שני פ"ג ה"י), מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי נִתָּן לַאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאָכַלְתָּ שָּׁם לִפְנֵי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, וְסִיכָה כִּשְׁתִיָּה, וְאָסוּר לְהוֹצִיאוֹ בִּשְׁאָר צְרָכָיו, כְּגוֹן שֶׁיִּקַּח בּוֹ כֵּלִים וּבְגָדִים וַעֲבָדִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְלֹא נָתַתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ לְמֵת, כְּלוֹמַר לֹא הוֹצֵאתִי אוֹתוֹ בְּדָבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְקַיֵּם אֶת הַגּוּף. עָשָׂה מִלַּת לְמֵת בְּכָאן, כִּנּוּי לִדְבָרִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם בָּהֶם, וְאֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי הֲבַאי. וַאֲחֵרִים מְפָרְשִׁים שֶׁמִּתְוַדֶּה שֶׁלֹּא נָתַן מִמֶּנּוּ עַל אָרוֹן וְתַכְרִיכִין אֲפִלּוּ לְמֵת שֶׁהוּא מִצְוָה, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן לְחַי בְּטַלִּית וְחָלוּק. וּבְסִפְרֵי (תבוא יד), וְלֹא נָתַתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ לְמֵת, לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ אָרוֹן וְתַכְרִיכִין, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, אִם לְמֵת אָסוּר, אַף לְחַי אָסוּר, וּמָה ת"ל לֹא נָתַתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁלֹּא הֶחֱלַפְתִּיו אֲפִילּוּ בְּדָבָר טָהוֹר. פֵּרוּשׁ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא דּוֹרֵשׁ וְלֹא נָתַתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁלֹּא עָשִׂיתִי מִמֶּנּוּ חֲלִיפִין אֲפִלּוּ בְּדָבָר טָהוֹר הָרָאוּי לַאֲכִילָה, כְּעִנְיַן שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ (מעשר שני פ"א מ"א), אֵין מוֹכְרִין אוֹתוֹ וְאֵין מַחֲלִיפִין אוֹתוֹ, וְלֹא יֹאמַר אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם הֵא לְךָ יַיִן וְתֶן לִי שֶׁמֶן. וְיִהְיֶה לְמֵת עַל דַּעְתּוֹ מְחֻבָּר לְמַעְלָה, לֹא אָכַלְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ בְּאוֹנִי לְמֵת, שֶׁאֵין אֲנִינוּת אֶלָּא לְמֵת. וְרָאִיתִי בַּיְּרוּשַׁלְמִי (מעשר שני פ"ב ה"א), רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי סִימַאי אוֹמֵר, לֹא נָתַתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ לְמֵת, מָה אֲנַן קָיְמִין, אִם לְהָבִיא אָרוֹן וְתַכְרִיכִין דָּבָר שֶׁאָסוּר לְחַי, לְחַי אָסוּר כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְמֵת, אֵיזֶה דָּבָר שֶׁמֻּתָּר לְחַי וְאָסוּר לְמֵת, זוֹ סִיכָה. גַּם זֶה לֹא יָדַעְתִּי מַהוּ, שֶׁאִם סָךְ בְּשֶׁמֶן מַעֲשֵׂר לְמֵת, הֲרֵי בִּעֲרוֹ בְּטֻמְאָה, וּכְבָר הִתְוַדָּה עָלָיו לֹא בִעַרְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ בְּטָמֵא. וּבַגְּמָרָא בְּפֶרֶק הֶעָרֵל (יבמות עד), אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי סִימַאי, מִנַּיִן לְמַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי שֶׁנִּטְמָא שֶׁמֻּתָּר לְסוּכוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְלֹא נָתַתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ לְמֵת, לְמֵת הוּא דְּלֹא נָתַתִּי הָא לְחַי דּוּמְיָא דְּמֵת נָתַתִּי, אֵיזֶהוּ דָּבָר שֶׁשָּׁוֶה בַּחַיִּים וּבַמֵּתִים, הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר זוֹ סִיכָה. וְשָׁם הִקְשׁוּ, וְאֵימָא לִקַּח לוֹ אָרוֹן וְתַכְרִיכִין, וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מֻתָּר בְּחַי לִקַּח לוֹ חָלוּק כְּשֶׁנִּטְמָא כֵּוָן דְּלָא קָרֵינָא בֵּהּ וְאָכַלְתָּ שָּׁם לִפְנֵי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, וּפֵרְקוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, מִגּוּפוֹ. נִשְׁאַר עַכְשָׁו כִּי הַוִּדּוּי בְּלֹא נָתַתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ לְמֵת, מְחֻבָּר עִם לֹא בִעַרְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ בְּטָמֵא, יִתְוַדֶּה עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא אָכַל מִמֶּנּוּ טָמֵא וְלֹא נָתַן מִן הַטָּמֵא לְמֵת לָסוּךְ אוֹתוֹ. אֲבָל בַּמִּשְׁנָה (מעשר שני פ"ה מי"ב) שָׁנִינוּ כְּדִבְרֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, לֹא נָתַתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ לְמֵת, לֹא לָקַחְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ אָרוֹן וְתַכְרִיכִין לְמֵת, לֹא נְתַתִּיו לְאוֹנְנִים אֲחֵרִים. וּמַשְׁמָעוּת זֶה שֶׁהֵם דּוֹרְשִׁים בּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא נְתָנוֹ לַמֵּת, לֹא לְגוּפוֹ שֶׁל מֵת בְּאָרוֹן וְתַכְרִיכִין וְלֹא לְאוֹנְנִים שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁהוּא מִתְוַדֶּה עַל אֲנִינוּת שֶׁלּוֹ וְשֶׁל אֲחֵרִים, וּמִפְּנֵי אֲנִינוּת שֶׁל אֲחֵרִים יִתְוַדֶּה עַל הָאָרוֹן וְהַתַּכְרִיכִין אע"פ שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ לְחַי אָסוּר:

2NOR HAVE I GIVEN THEREOF FOR THE DEAD — “to prepare a coffin and shrouds for it.” This is Rashi’s language. But I have not understood this, for Scripture explicitly states that we are not to exchange the fruits of the Second Tithe outside Jerusalem except for coined silver.²⁴ In Jerusalem we are to spend the money on edible things, for any of the herd, or any of the flock, or for wine, or for strong drink²⁵, Verse 26. and eat them before the Eternal. [It is, therefore, clear that it is forbidden to use the money to purchase a garment even for the living — hence it is pointless to make such an avowal with respect to the dead!]Now, Harav Rabbi Moshe [ben Maimon] wrote in his work²⁶ “The Second Tithe is designated for use as food and drink, for it is said, and thou shalt eat there before the Eternal thy G-d.²⁵, Verse 26. Anointing is like drinking. It is forbidden to spend it on his remaining necessities, such as buying vessels, clothes and servants, for it is said, nor have I given thereof for the dead, that is to say, I have not spent it on anything which does not sustain the body.” [Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon] thus interpreted the phrase for the dead here as being an expression for any thing through which a person does not live. But these are words of mere exaggeration.²⁷Other scholars²⁸ have explained that the avowal is that he did not spend therefrom for a coffin and shrouds even for the dead — which [spending] is a religious duty — and certainly not for the living for a cloak or shirt. And in the Sifre it is stated:²⁹ 303. “Nor have I given thereof for the dead — to prepare a coffin and shrouds for it. These are the words of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Akiba said to him: If it is forbidden for the dead, it is likewise forbidden for the living. Why then is it stated nor have I given thereof [‘for the dead’]? It means that I have not exchanged the Second Tithe even for something which is clean.” Thus Rabbi Akiba interprets the expression neither have I given thereof, as meaning that “I have not even used it in exchange for clean, edible things.” This is similar to what we have been taught in a Mishnah:³⁰ “Second Tithes may not be sold or bartered. Nor may a man say to his fellow in Jerusalem, ‘Here is wine, and give me oil [in exchange].’” In the opinion of Rabbi Akiba, the expression for the dead is thus connected with the above statement, ‘I have not eaten thereof in my mourning — for the dead,’ for the term “mourning” applies only to the dead. [And the expression nor have I given thereof thus stands as a complete independent statement, meaning “I have not sold it or bartered it even for clean food fit to be eaten.”]Now, I have seen the following text in the Yerushalmi:³¹, V, 5. “Rabbi Eliezer said in the name of Rabbi Simaie: Nor have I given thereof for the dead. How are we to interpret this? Shall we say that it forbids the bringing of a coffin and shrouds for the corpse — if something like this for the living [e.g., a cloak or shirt] is forbidden, need we be told that something which is prohibited for the living may not be done for the dead? What then is there that is permissible for the living [with the Second Tithe] and is forbidden for the dead? It is anointing.” But I do not understand this text either, for if he anointed a corpse with the oil of the Second Tithe, he has consumed it in impurity, and he has already confessed that, neither have I consumed any thereof unclean! And in the Gemara of Tractate Yebamoth, Chapter He’arel,³² we find: “Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said in the name of Rabbi Simaie, Whence do we know that, if the oil of Second Tithe was rendered impure, we may use it for anointing?³³ Because it is stated, nor have I given thereof for the dead — ‘I have not given it for the dead,’ but for the living akin to the dead I may give it. What use is there for the living and the dead alike? I must say this is anointing.” [The verse thus teaches us that if the oil of the Second Tithe has been rendered impure, it may still be used to anoint the living.] There [the Sages of the Gemara] have asked, “Perhaps I should say that this verse is an avowal that he did not buy a coffin and shrouds [for the dead],” meaning it would be permissible for a living [person] to buy himself a shirt if the Second Tithe was rendered impure, because then, [since it may not be eaten] we cannot apply the verse, and thou shalt eat there before the Eternal thy G-d!³⁴ To this the Rabbis replied, “The verse states thereof [nor have I given ‘thereof’ for the dead] — from the very oil itself” [i.e., I have not used the Second Tithe oil itself to anoint the dead, thus signifying that if that oil becomes impure I may still use it to anoint myself]. It now remains that the avowal, nor have I given thereof for the dead is attached to the statement neither have I consumed any thereof unclean, the person avowing that he did not eat from it in impurity, and did not use the impure [oil of the Second Tithe] for a corpse, to anoint it. However, in a Mishnah we have been taught in accordance with the words of Rabbi Eliezer [mentioned above in the Sifre²⁹ 303. that nor have I given thereof for the dead means to prepare a coffin and shrouds for a corpse]:³⁵ “Nor have I given thereof for the dead — I have not bought a coffin and shrouds for the dead with it, nor have I given it to other mourners.” This interpretation which the Rabbis [here in the Mishnah] deduced, that he did not give it for the dead — neither for the corpse itself such as for a coffin and shrouds, nor for his mourners [to eat while in mourning] — includes his own mourning as well as that of others. And because of the mourning of others, he avows already about the coffin and shrouds, although such uses [as buying a cloak or shirt] are forbidden even for the living.