Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Deuteronomy 32:20/רמב"ן על דברים ל״ב:כ׳
אוַיֹּאמֶר, ה' אֶל לִבּוֹ אוֹ אֶל הַמַּלְאָכִים. אַסְתִּירָה פָנַי מֵהֶם, כְּדֶרֶךְ לְשׁוֹן בְּנֵי הָאָדָם, וְכֵן אַעְלִים עֵינַי מִכֶּם (ישעיהו א טו), וְהַטַּעַם כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יְבַקְשׁוּנִי לֹא יִמְצָאוּנִי. אֶרְאֶה מָה אַחֲרִיתָם, יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אֲנִי אַסְתִּיר אֶת פָּנַי מֵהֶם בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה מָה יַעֲשׂוּ בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה. וְהַנָּכוֹן שֶׁהוּא כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, עַד שֶׁאֶרְאֶה מָה יַעֲשׂוּ בַּצַּר לָהֶם, דִּבְרֵי ר"א. וְאֵין טַעַם וַיֹּאמֶר רַק הַמַּחְשָׁבָה וְהָרָצוֹן לְפָנָיו לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, כְּדֶרֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית, וּכְבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי (בראשית א ג). וְטַעַם פָנַי עַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת, פֵּרַשְׁתִּיו (שמות ג ב שם כ ג). וְהִנֵּה אַסְתִּירָה פָנַי, שֶׁאֲסַלֵּק שְׁכִינָתִי. וְטַעַם אֶרְאֶה מָה אַחֲרִיתָם, כְּטַעַם אֵרְדָה נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה (בראשית יח כא), וּכְבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּיו. כִּי דוֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת הֵמָּה, וְלֹא יַעַמְדוּ בְּפָנַי. בָּנִים לֹא אֵמֻן בָּם, כִּי אֵין לָהֶם אוֹמֵן וּמְגַדֵּל, וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין. וְהִנֵּה עַד הֵנָּה בְּשִׁירָה זוֹ מֹשֶׁה יָשִׁיר בָּהּ וְהוּא מְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן עַצְמוֹ, וּמִן הַכָּתוּב הַזֶּה וְאֵילָךְ שֶׁהִזְכִּיר וַיַּרְא ה' וַיִּנְאָץ וְגוֹ' וַיֹּאמֶר אַסְתִּירָה פָנַי, כֻּלָּם דִּבְרֵי הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד, הֵם קִנְאוּנִי כִּעֲסוּנִי, וְכָל הַשִּׁירָה כֵּן:
1AND HE SAID — “that is, and G-d said in His heart, or to the angels. I WILL HIDE MY FACE FROM THEM. This expression is according to the language of man; so also, I will hide Mine eyes from you.71 And the meaning thereof is that when they will seek Me they will not find Me. I WILL SEE WHAT THEIR END SHALL BE. Some scholars say: ‘I will hide My face from them because I see what they will do in the end.’ But the correct interpretation is as its simple implication: ‘[I will hide My face] until I will see what they do in their distress.’” Thus far are the words of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra. Now the word vayomer (and He said) applies only to the thought and the will before Him to do so, [rather than to an actual statement], similar to the expression and G-d said72 in the account of Creation. I have already explained it.73 (Vol. I, pp. 27-28). I have also explained the expression My face by way of the Truth.74 Thus, I will hide My face means that I will remove My Divine Presence. I will see what their end shall be is similar to I will go down now, and see,75 which I have already explained.76, Verse 20 (Vol. I, pp. 243-245). For they are a generation of perversity77 and they will not be able to stand up before Me. Children in whom is no ‘eimun’ (training),77 for they have no nurse nor tutor. The person learned in the mysteries of the Cabala will understand.78Now, up to this point Moses utters the Song and speaks in the first person. From this verse onward, wherein he mentioned, And the Eternal saw, and spurned,79 And He said: ‘I will hide My face’77 — they are all the words of the Glorious Name:80 They have roused Me to jealousy;81 they have provoked Me,81 and similarly the entire Song [to the end].