Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Deuteronomy 33:3/רמב"ן על דברים ל״ג:ג׳
אאַף חֹבֵב עַמִּים, פֵּרְשׁוּ בּוֹ שֶׁהוּא מִלְּשׁוֹן אֲרָמִית, וּתְהוֹן קֳדָמַי חַבִּיבִין (שמות יט ה), יֹאמַר אַף חוֹבֵב אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהוּא עַמִּים רַבִּים, כְּעִנְיַן אַחֲרֶיךָ בִנְיָמִין בַּעֲמָמֶיךָ (שופטים ה יד), וְכָל קְדֹשָׁיו שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֵם הַלְוִיִּם, הֵם בְּיָדֶךָ, כִּי הִקְרַבְתָּם אֵלֶיךָ לִהְיוֹת חוֹנִים סְבִיבוֹת הָאָרוֹן. וְהַנִּרְאֶה אֵלַי כִּי חֹבֵב מִגִּזְרַת לִטְמוֹן בְּחֻבִּי עֲוֹנִי (איוב לא לג), מֵעִנְיַן חֶדֶר בְּחֶדֶר לְהֵחָבֵא (דהי"ב יח כד), וְשָׁם חֶבְיוֹן עֻזּוֹ (חבקוק ג ד), יֹאמַר גַּם אַתָּה בְּיָדֶיךָ מַחְבִּיא וּמַסְתִּיר עַמִּים כָּל קְדוֹשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַנִּזְכָּר, יִרְמֹז כִּי כָל הָעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדֹשִׁים וְהַשֵּׁם יַסְתִּירֵם בְּיָדוֹ, כְּטַעַם וָאָשִׂים דְּבָרַי בְּפִיךָ וּבְצֵל יָדִי כִּסִּיתִיךָ (ישעיהו נא טז), כְּעִנְיַן סִתְרִי וּמָגִנִּי אָתָּה (תהלים קיט קיד), וְכֵן וְיִתְיָעֲצוּ עַל צְפוּנֶיךָ (שם פג ד). וְזֶה רֶמֶז לְמָה שֶׁאָמַר (במדבר יד יד), אֲשֶׁר עַיִן בְּעַיִן נִרְאָה אַתָּה ה' וַעֲנָנְךָ עֹמֵד עֲלֵיהֶם, וְכֵן אָמַר בַּשִּׁירָה (דברים ל"ב:י') יְסֹבְבֶנְהוּ יְבוֹנְנֵהוּ יִצְּרֶנְהוּ כְּאִישׁוֹן עֵינוֹ:
1APH CHOVEIV AMIM.’ Commentators have explained35 that the word choveiv is of the Aramaic language [as Onkelos rendered and ye shall be Mine ‘segulah’]:36 “and you shall be chavivin (beloved) before Me.” The verse [here] is thus stating: “Yea, He loves Israel which consists of many peoples” [i.e., tribes], similar to what is stated, after thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples.37 And all His holy ones38 of Israel, namely, the Levites, are in Thy hand,38 for You have brought them near You to encamp around the ark.39It appears to me that the word choveiv is from the same root as by hiding ‘b’chubi’ (in my bosom) mine iniquity,40 related to the expressions: into an inner chamber ‘l’heichavei’ (to hide thyself);41 and there is ‘chevyon’ (the hiding of) His power.42 He is thus stating [here]: “You are also hiding and protecting with Your hand the peoples — all the holy ones of Israel.” The above-mentioned [phrase] suggests that all the congregation are holy, every one of them,43 and G-d protects them with His hand, similar in meaning to the verse, And I have put My words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of My hand,44 and like the expression, Thou art my hiding place and my shield.45 Similarly, and they take counsel against Thy hidden ones.46, 83:4. This alludes to what he said, inasmuch as Thou Eternal art seen face to face, and Thy cloud standeth over them.47 And similarly he said in the Song [of Ha’azinu], He compassed him about, He cared for him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.48
בוְהֵם תֻּכּוּ, כְּמוֹ הֻכּוּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּא תִּרְגַּלְתִּי לְאֶפְרַיִם (הושע יא ג) בִּמְקוֹם הִרְגַּלְתִּי, וְכַאֲשֶׁר הוּמְרָה הֵ"א הַנְּקֵבָה בְּתָי"ו בְּאִם אֶתֵּן שְׁנַת לְעֵינָי (תהלים קלב ד), עֹשֶׂה רָע מְאַת (קהלת ח יב), וְכֵן רַבִּים. יֹאמַר שֶׁהֵם מֻכִּים בְּכָל מַכָּה בַּמִּדְבָּר לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֶיךָ בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ, לֹא יָחוּשׁוּ לְרָעָב וּלְצִמָּאוֹן וּמַכַּת נָחָשׁ וְעַקְרָב, רַק יֵצְאוּ לְרַגְלֶיךָ וְאַחֲרֶיךָ יָרוּצוּ. וְזֶה כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיהו ב ב), זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלֹתָיִךְ לֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא זְרוּעָה:
2AND THEY ‘TUKU.’ This is like ‘huku’ (and they were smitten)49 in the word tuku replaces the letter hei [huku], and as explained further on: “‘they were smitten’ and endured all hardships because they followed You wherever You took them.” Rashi explains that the word tuku is derived from the word toch (middle) — “and they placed themselves in the middle.” According to this interpretation the tav cannot be in place of a hei. [at Thy feet], as Scripture says ‘tirgalti l’Ephraim’ (I taught Ephraim to walk)50 in place of hirgalti.51 replaces a hei. Similarly the feminine hei is exchanged for a thav in the following expressions: I will not give ‘sh’nath’ (sleep) to mine eyes;52 is in place of sheinah (sleep). The letter thav thus replaces a hei. a sinner doeth evil ‘m’ath’ (a hundred times),53 is in place of meiah (a hundred). and there are many such examples. He is thus stating that “‘they were smitten’ with every plague in the wilderness by following You wherever You went; they cared not for hunger, thirst, the affliction of serpents and scorpions. They only followed Thy feet and ran after You.” This is similar to what is stated, I remember for thee the affection of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, thy going after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.54
גיִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרֹתֶיךָ, כְּמוֹ לֹא תִשָּׂא אֶת שֵׁם ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לַשָּׁוְא (שמות כ ז), וּבַל אֶשָּׂא אֶת שְׁמוֹתָם עַל שְׂפָתָי (תהלים טז ד), יִשָּׂא בַיּוֹם הַהוּא לֵאמֹר (ישעיהו נ ז). מִדַּבְּרוֹתֶיךָ, כְּמוֹ וּמִדְבָּרֵךְ נָאוֶה (שיר השירים ד ג), יֹאמַר שֶׁיִּשָּׂא דְּבָרֶיךָ עַל שְׂפָתָיו וְיֶהְגֶּה בָּהֶם תָּמִיד:
3YISA MIDABROTHECHA.’ The word yisa is similar to: Thou shall not ‘thisa’ (take) the Name of the Eternal thy G-d in vain;55 and nor ‘esa’ do I take their names upon my lips;56 ‘yisa’ (he shall swear) in that day, saying.57 And the word midabrothecha is like the expression ‘umidbareich’ (and thy mouth) is comely.58 He thus states [in the verse before us] that Israel will take Your words upon his lips and meditate upon them always.”