Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Deuteronomy 31:2/רמב"ן על דברים ל״א:ב׳

אוַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם בֶּן מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אָנֹכִי הַיּוֹם, וְזֶה לְנַחֵם אוֹתָם עַל עִנְיָנוֹ, כְּלוֹמַר אֲנִי זָקֵן וְאֵין לָכֶם עוֹד תּוֹעֶלֶת מִמֶּנִּי, וְעוֹד כִּי הַשֵּׁם צִוַּנִי שֶׁלֹּא אֶעֱבֹר שָׁם, וְאַל תִּפְחֲדוּ וְאַל תִּירְאוּ, כִּי ה' יַעֲבֹר עִמָּכֶם לֹא יְסַלֵּק שְׁכִינָתוֹ מִכֶּם בַּעֲבוּרִי, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ הוּא הָעוֹבֵר לִפְנֵיכֶם בִּמְקוֹמִי. ואע"פ שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ הָיָה בְּתָקְפּוֹ וּבִבְרִיאוּתוֹ, כַּאֲשֶׁר הֵעִיד הַכָּתוּב (דברים ל"ד:ז') לֹא כָהֲתָה עֵינוֹ וְלֹא נָס לֵחֹה, אָמַר לָהֶם כֵּן לְנַחֲמָם. וְרַשִׁ"י כָּתַב (רש"י על דברים ל"א:ב') לֹא אוּכַל עוֹד לָצֵאת וְלָבוֹא, לְפִי שֶׁה' אָמַר אֵלַי לֹא תַעֲבֹר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן. וְאֵינוֹ נָכוֹן. וְעַל דַּעַת ר"א (אבן עזרא על דברים ל"א:ב'), לָצֵאת וְלָבוֹא לַמִּלְחָמָה, כִּי חָלְשׁוּ כֹּחוֹתָיו בְּזִקְנוּתוֹ. וְגַם זֶה אֵינֶנּוּ נָכוֹן. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (סוטה יג) מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּסְתַּתְּמוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מַעְיְנוֹת חָכְמָה, וְהָיָה זֶה בְּמַעֲשֶׂה נֵס שֶׁלֹּא יִדְאַג לָתֵת גְּדֻלָּה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּפָנָיו:

1AND HE SAID UNTO THEM: ‘I AM A HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS OLD THIS DAY.’ This was to comfort them concerning his condition [i.e., about his approaching death], as if to say, “I am old and you have no more benefit from me. Moreover, G-d has commanded me that I should not go over there. Do not dread and do not be fearful, for the Eternal will go over with you; He will not remove His Presence from you on my account [i.e., because of my absence], and Joshua, he shall go over before³ you in my place.” Now, although Moses our teacher retained his vigor and health, as Scripture testifies, his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated,⁴, 34:7. he told them this [“I am old and you have no more benefit of me”] in order to comfort them [over the transfer of leadership to Joshua].Now, Rashi wrote: “I can no longer go out and go in, because the Eternal hath said unto me: Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.” But it is not correct.⁵ (‘and’ the Eternal) said unto me. Now, Rashi explains that the connective vav, which generally means “and,” signifies “because.” It is this interpretation which Ramban considers incorrect because vav always means “and,” not “because.” Mizrachi, too, raised this objection to Rashi and left it unanswered. See, however, in Ma’aravi where a different version of Rashi’s text is cited, in which the connective vav has its usual meaning. And in the opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra the expression I can no longer go out and come in means to war, because his powers weakened in his old age. This too, is not correct.⁶ (further, 34:7). And our Rabbis have said:⁷ “This teaches us that the well-springs of wisdom were stopped for him.” This was a miraculous event in order that Moses should not be troubled [about the transfer of leadership to Joshua] and [G-d] bestowing honor upon Joshua in his [Moses’] presence.⁸