Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Deuteronomy 33:23/רמב"ן על דברים ל״ג:כ״ג

אנַפְתָּלִי שְׂבַע רָצוֹן, שֶׁהָיְתָה אַרְצוֹ שְׂבֵעָה כָּל רְצוֹן יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על דברים ל"ג:כ"ג). וְהַנָּכוֹן שֶׁהוּא נִמְשָׁךְ אֶל הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד, יֹאמַר שָׂבֵעַ וּמָלֵא רְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד וּבִרְכָתוֹ. אֲבָל בַּמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁל רַבִּי נְחוּנְיָה בֶּן הַקָּנָה אָמְרוּ בַּכָּתוּב הַזֶּה, אָמַר רַבִּי אָמוֹרָא, מַאי דִכְתִיב וּמָלֵא בִּרְכַּת ה' יָם וְדָרוֹם יְרָשָׁה, כָּךְ אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, אִם תֵּלֵךְ בְּחֻקּוֹתַי תִּירַשׁ הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא שֶׁהוּא נִמְשָׁל לַיָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב יא ט) וּרְחָבָה מִנִּי יָם, וְהָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה שֶׁהוּא נִמְשָׁל לַדָּרוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע טו יט) כִּי אֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב נְתַתָּנִי, וּמְתַרְגְּמִינַן אַרְעָא דָּרוֹמָא. וּמַאי דִכְתִיב יְרָשָׁה, יָרַשׁ הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ הקב"ה בִּכְלָל, וְהַיְנוּ רָשׁ יָהּ, לְמַה הַדָּבָר דוֹמֶה, לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ שְׁנֵי אוֹצָרוֹת וְהִקְצָה הָאֶחָד מֵהֶם, לְסוֹף יָמִים רַבִּים אָמַר לִבְנוֹ, טֹל מָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּשְׁנֵי אוֹצָרוֹת הַלָּלוּ, אָמַר הַבֵּן, שֶׁמָּא לֹא יִתֵּן לִי מָה שֶׁהִקְצָה, אָמַר לוֹ טֹל הַכֹּל, וְהַיְנוּ דִּכְתִיב יָם וְדָרוֹם יְרָשָׁה, יָהּ רָשׁ, הַכֹּל נָתוּן לְךָ, וּלְוַאי תִּשְׁמֹר דְּרָכָיו. וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ, וּמָלֵא בִּרְכַּת ה' יָם וְדָרוֹם יְרָשָׁה, אֵין יָם אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּרְחָבָה מִנִּי יָם. וְכָל הַמִּדְרָשׁ שָׁם. אִם כֵּן יִהְיֶה סוֹד הַכָּתוּב נַפְתָּלִי שְׂבַע הָרָצוֹן הַמְמַלֵּא בִּרְכַּת ה', שֶׁהִיא הַיָּם הַכְּלוּלָה בַּכֹּל מִן הַכֹּל, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב (קהלת א ז) כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם, וְהוּא בֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, מָשָׁל לַמְּבַקְשִׁים לִרְאוֹת אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ שׁוֹאֲלִים אָנָה בֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ שׁוֹאֲלִים אָנָה הַמֶּלֶךְ. וְגַם הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַנָּגוּב וְהַיָּבֵשׁ מִן הָרָצוֹן יִירַשׁ בְּיָ"הּ, וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין:

1O NAPHTALI, SATISFIED WITH FAVOR. “[This means] that his land satisfied every desire of its inhabitants.” This is Rashi’s language. The correct interpretation is that it is connected with the Glorious Name [mentioned later in the verse: and full with the blessing of ‘the Eternal’], the verse stating that “Naphtali is satisfied and full of the Will of the Glorious Name and His blessing.” But in the Midrash of Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah²⁴⁵ the Rabbis commented on this verse: “Rabbi Amora said: What is the meaning of this verse, And full with the blessing of the Eternal; ‘yerashah’ (possess thou) the sea and the south? Thus said Moses: If you will walk in my statutes you will inherit the World to Come which is likened to the sea, as it is said, and broader than the sea,²⁴⁶ and this world which is likened to the south, as it is said, for that thou hast set me in the land of the ‘negev’²⁴⁷ [that is, a dry land], and is rendered by the Targum: ‘the southern land.’ And why is it written yerashah [‘possess thou’ — in the feminine], it should have said yerash [in the masculine]? Because even the Holy One, blessed be He, is included [in Naphtali’s inheritance], for the word yerashah consists of two words: resh Y-ah (possess G-d). To what may this be compared? To a king who had two treasures [i.e., the two worlds], and set one of them aside. At the end of many days he said to his son, ‘Take the contents of these two treasures.’ The son said, ‘Perhaps he will not give me the one he set aside.’ Thereupon the father said, to him, ‘Take everything.’ It is this which is written ‘yerashah’ (possess thou) the sea and the south — Y-ah resh. Everything is given you — if only you keep His ways!” They have further said:²⁴⁸ “And full with the blessing of the Eternal; possess thou the sea and the south. The ‘sea’ is an allusion to the Torah alone, as it is said, and broader than the sea,”²⁴⁶ and [so they continue] the entire Midrash there. If so, the secret of the verse is as follows: “Naphtali is satisfied with the favor saturated by the blessing of the Eternal, which is ‘the sea’ combined in all [and comprised] of all.”²⁴⁹ It is similar to what Scripture states, All the rivers run into the sea,²⁵⁰ this being “the house of the King.” This is like the parable of those who seek to see the king and ask, “Where is the house of the king?” Then [after finding the house] they ask, “Where is the king?” And even this world which is parched and dry of the favor [of G-d in comparison to the World to Come], Naphtali will inherit with Y-ah [as the word yerashah — resh Y-ah — indicates]. The student learned in the mysteries of the Cabala will understand.