Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Deuteronomy 33:11/רמב"ן על דברים ל״ג:י״א
אוְטַעַם בָּרֵךְ ה' חֵילוֹ, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ חַיִל גָּדוֹל, וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁיִּרְבּוּ וְלֹא יִמְעֲטוּ בְּבוֹאָם אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ, כְּטַעַם אַל תַּכְרִיתוּ אֶת שֵׁבֶט מִשְׁפְּחֹת הַקְּהָתִי (במדבר ד יח), וְכֵן נֶאֱמַר בָּאַזְהָרוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶן (שם פסוק יט) וְלֹא יָמוּתוּ. וְאוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על דברים ל"ג:י"א) אָמַר, נִכְסוֹהִי, מִלְּשׁוֹן וְאֶת כָּל מִקְנֵהֶם וְאֶת כָּל חֵילָם (שם לא ט), יִתְכַּוֵּן לְמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (יומא כו) בַּקְּטֹרֶת שֶׁהִיא מְבָרֶכֶת, וְהוּא דָּבֵק אֶל יָשִׂימוּ קְטוֹרָה בְּאַפֶּךָ, כִּי מִמֶּנָּה יִתְבָּרֵךְ חֵילוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ (שם) חֲדָשִׁים לַקְּטֹרֶת. וּבְסִפְרֵי (ברכה שנב), בָּרֵךְ ה' חֵילוֹ, בִּנְכָסִים, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ, רֹב כֹּהֲנִים עֲשִׁירִים הֵם. מִשּׁוּם אַבָּא דּוֹרֵשׁ אָמְרוּ, נַעַר הָיִיתִי גַּם זָקַנְתִּי וְלֹא רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק נֶעֱזָב (תהלים לז כה), זֶה זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן:
1BLESS, ETERNAL, ‘CHEILO’ — that they be a great chayil (army). And the meaning thereof is that they should increase and not decrease when they enter the Holiness, similar in meaning to the verse, Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites.186 It is similarly stated in the admonitions concerning [the Levites], and that they may not die.187, Verse 19. And Onkelos rendered cheilo — “his possessions,” from the expression and all their flocks, and all ‘cheilam’ (their possessions).188, 31:9. He means what our Rabbis have said concerning the incense — that it bestows a blessing [upon the priest that performs that service].189 The phrase [before us] is connected with the expression in [the preceding verse], they shall put incense before Thee,185 because, as a result of it, his possessions will be blessed, as we have been taught:189 “Fresh priests come and draw lots for the incense.”190 And in the Sifre it is stated:191 352. “Bless, Eternal, ‘cheilo’ — his possessions. From here the Rabbis have deduced: Most priests are wealthy. In the name of Abba the Preacher the Rabbis have said: I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken192 — this refers to the seed of Aaron.”