Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Deuteronomy 33:8/רמב"ן על דברים ל״ג:ח׳

אוּלְלֵוִי אָמַר, עַל לֵוִי אָמַר, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על דברים ל"ג:ח'), (ס"א ר"א וכן) דַּעַת הַמְּפָרְשִׁים. וְהוּא כִּלְשׁוֹן אִמְרִי לִי אָחִי הוּא (בראשית ב יג), וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ אַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם לְאִשְׁתּוֹ (שם כו ז), וְהַרְבֵּה כֵן. וּלְפִי דַּעְתִּי כִּי בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהִזְכִּיר מֹשֶׁה בְּבִרְכָתוֹ שֵׁם רְאוּבֵן וִיהוּדָה, יְחִי רְאוּבֵן, קוֹל יְהוּדָה, וְלֹא יַזְכִּיר שֵׁם שְׁאָר הַשְּׁבָטִים בְּבִרְכָתָם, יַזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב וּלְלֵוִי אָמַר, לְבִנְיָמִין אָמַר, יַגִּיד כִּי הַשְּׁבָטִים לְפָנָיו וְיִקְרָא לְלֵוִי וְיָשִׂים עֵינָיו עָלָיו וְיֹאמַר, תֻּמֶּיךָ וְאוּרֶיךָ, וְכֵן בְּכָל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט פָּנִים בְּפָנִים יְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָם:

1UL’LEIVI’ HE SAID - “and ‘of’ Levi¹⁵⁸ means “and ‘to’ Levi.” But Rashi translates the prefix lamed here, as “of.” he said.” This is Rashi’s language, and it is also the opinion of the commentators.¹⁵⁹ It is like the expressions: say ‘li’ (of me):. he is my brother;¹⁶⁰, literally: “to me,” is interpreted as “of me.” and the men of the place asked him ‘l’ishto’ (about his wife).¹⁶¹, 26:7. Here also, the word l’ishto, literally: “to his wife,” means “of his wife.” There are many such examples. In my opinion [the expression here is to be understood literally: “and ‘to’ Levi he said”] because Moses had mentioned the names of Reuben and Judah in his blessing [of them], saying, Let Reuben live,¹⁶² the voice of Judah,¹⁶³ but he did not mention the names of the other tribes in [the text of] their blessings. Therefore Scripture states, And to Levi he said, To Benjamin he said¹⁶⁴ [in order to make it clear to whom he was addressing his blessing]. This indicates that the tribes were facing him [Moses], and he called Levi and put his eyes upon him and said, thy Thummim and thy Urim.¹⁶⁵ Similarly he blessed each tribe face to face.

באֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתוֹ בְּמַסָּה, שֶׁנִּסִּיתָ אוֹתוֹ בְּנִסָּיוֹן. וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁהָיָה חָסִיד בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתָ אוֹתוֹ וְלֹא נִמְצָא בּוֹ דֹּפִי, חוּץ מִמֵּי מְרִיבָה שֶׁכְּבָר הֶעְנַשְׁתּוֹ עָלָיו, כִּי הָעֵגֶל לִכְבוֹד הַשֵּׁם עָשָׂהוּ, לְשׁוֹן ר"א (אבן עזרא על דברים ל"ג:ח'). וּבְסִפְרֵי (ברכה שמט), אֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתוֹ בְּמַסָּה, הַרְבֵּה נִסִּיתוֹ וְנִמְצָא שָׁלֵם בְּכָל הַנִּסְיוֹנוֹת. תְּרִיבֵהוּ עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה, סְקוּפִּים נִסְקַפְתָּ לוֹ עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה, אִם מֹשֶׁה אָמַר (במדבר כ י) שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים אַהֲרֹן וּמִרְיָם מֶה עָשׂוּ וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי בְּדֶרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט כִּי בְּמַסָּה כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ הוּא הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר נִסּוּ הַשֵּׁם בִּרְפִידִים (שמות יז ז), יֹאמַר תֻּמֶּיךָ וְאוּרֶיךָ יִהְיוּ לְעוֹלָם לְאִישׁ חֲסִידֶךָ וּלְזַרְעוֹ אַחֲרָיו, אֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתָ אוֹתוֹ בְּמַסָּה כַּאֲשֶׁר חָטְאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיְנַסּוּ אֶת הַשֵּׁם עַל הַמַּיִם, וְלֹא הָיָה בְּתוֹךְ הָעֵדָה הַנּוֹעָדִים שָׁם עַל הַשֵּׁם, כִּי הֶאֱמִין בַּשֵּׁם וּבִדְבָרוֹ שֶׁיּוֹצִיא לָהֶם מַיִם מִצּוּר הַחַלָּמִישׁ, וּבַפַּעַם הַשֵּׁנִית תְּרִיבֵהוּ וְתַעֲנִישׁ אוֹתוֹ עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי בַּעֲבוּר מְרִיבָתָם הָיָה עָלָיו הָעֹנֶשׁ, וְלֹא שֶׁמָּעַל הוּא בַּה', כִּי גַּם מִתְּחִלָּה הֶאֱמִין כִּי אַתָּה הַהֹפְכִי הַצּוּר אֲגַם מָיִם, אַף כִּי בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת שֶׁכְּבָר רָאָה כֵן. יִרְמֹז מֹשֶׁה כִּי הַחֵטְא הַהוּא הָיָה מִפְּנֵי הָעָם, כִּי בַּעֲבוּר מְרִיבָתָם חָשְׁבוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן שֶׁיִּצְטָרְכוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת מַה שֶׁעָשׂוּ, שֶׁמָּא נִסְתַּלְּקָה הַשְּׁכִינָה בַּעֲבוּר עָנְשָׁם, וְהוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קו לב) וַיַּקְצִיפוּ עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה וַיֵּרַע לְמֹשֶׁה בַּעֲבוּרָם. וְטַעַם תְּרִיבֵהוּ, כְּמוֹ רִיבָה ה' אֶת יְרִיבַי (שם לה א), שֶׁשִּׁלַּמְתָּ לוֹ מִשְׁפַּט הָרִיב שֶׁרָבוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת ה'. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה פֵּרוּשׁוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר בְּסִפְרֵי שֶׁהֵם סְקוּפִּים, כְּלוֹמַר עֲלִילוֹת, יִרְמֹז לְמִעוּט הַחֵטְא וְגֹדֶל הָעֹנֶשׁ, כְּדֶרֶךְ בִּקְרֹבַי אֶקָּדֵשׁ (ויקרא י ג), וְכֵן דַּעַת אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על דברים ל"ג:ח') שֶׁאָמַר, דְּנַסִּתוֹהִי בְּנִסֵּיתָא וַהֲוָה שְׁלִים, מֵרִיב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִנַּסּוֹתָם אֶת ה', וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהָיָה שָׁלֵם בַּפַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹנָה כָּל שֶׁכֵּן בַּשְּׁנִיָּה, שֶׁהָיָה מַאֲמִין בִּדְבַר הַשֵּׁם, וּבָחַנְתָּ לִבּוֹ עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה וּמָצָאתָ לְבָבוֹ נֶאֱמָן לְפָנֶיךָ, כִּי גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לִפְנֵי כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדֶךָ שֶׁהוּא מַאֲמִין בְּךָ וּבִדְבָרֶיךָ, אֲבָל בִּשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה הָעֹנֶשׁ עָלָיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּפָסוּק גַּם בִּי הִתְאַנַּף ה' בִּגְלַלְכֶם (דברים א':ל"ז). וְהִנֵּה מִתְּחִלָּה דִּבֵּר בַּכֹּהֲנִים, כִּי אָמַר לְלֵוִי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הָאוּרִים וְהַתֻּמִּים לְאִישׁ חֲסִידוֹ מֵהֶם, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן בְּכָל הַשֵּׁבֶט, שֶׁנִּסָּה אוֹתָם בָּעֵגֶל וּבְמִצְרַיִם וּבַמִּדְבָּר, וְעַל כֵּן יוֹרוּ מִשְׁפָּטָיו לְיַעֲקֹב. וְכֵן דַּעַת אוּנְקְלוֹס שֶׁאָמַר, כָּשְׁרִין אִלֵּין דְּיַלְּפוּן דִּינָךְ וְגוֹ'. אוֹ עַל הֶעָתִיד יְדַבֵּר בָּהֶם, כְּדִבְרֵי ר"א, וְיֹרוּ מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, עַל כֻּלָּם, וְיָשִׂימוּ קְטוֹרָה, עַל הַכֹּהֲנִים מֵהֶם:

2WHOM THOU DIDST PROVE ‘B’MASSAH’ — “that You tested him by trial.¹⁶⁶ is thus not a name of a place (Exodus 17:7), but “test, trial.” This is Ibn Ezra’s interpretation. Ramban will explain that the word is the name of a place. And the purport thereof is that Levi was scrupulous in whatever You tried him with, and no reproach could be found in him except [for the affair at] the waters of Meribah, for which You have already punished him [by depriving Moses and Aaron of the right to enter the Land]. He made the calf,¹⁶⁷ however, [on the wrong assumption that it was] for the glory of G-d [and therefore, because it was a mistake rather than an intentional sin, Moses did not mention it here].” This is the language of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra. And in the Sifre it is stated:¹⁶⁸ 349. “Whom Thou didst prove ‘b’massah’ — You tested him many times and he was found perfect in all trials. With whom Thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah. Unfounded charges were turned against him [Aaron] at the waters of Meribah. If Moses said, Hear now, ye rebels¹⁶⁹ [for which he was punished], what did Aaron and Miriam do?”In line with the plain meaning of Scripture, it seems to me that the correct interpretation is that b’massah simply refers to the place where the people tested G-d, in Rephidim [which was subsequently renamed Massah u’Meribah].¹⁷⁰ The verse [here] states: “Your Thummim and your Urim¹⁷¹, 28:30 (Vol. II, pp. 480-483). This is a reference to the High Priesthood, for it was the High Priest who wore the breastplate in which were the Urim and Thummim (ibid.). will forever be with your holy ones, with his seed after him, whom Thou didst prove at Massah when the children of Israel sinned and tested G-d concerning water.¹⁷², 17:2. And he [the tribe of Levi] was not among the company of them that gathered themselves against the Eternal¹⁷³ because he believed in G-d and in His word that He will bring them forth water out of the rock of flint.¹⁷⁴ On the second occasion You strove with him and punished him [by decreeing that Moses and Aaron would die in the wilderness] at the waters of ‘Meribah’ [i.e., ‘the quarrelling’] of Israel, for it was on account of their [Israel’s] striving that the punishment came and not that he [Aaron] trespassed against G-d — for he believed from the start, as well, that it is You who turned the rock into a pool of water, [the flint into a fountain of waters].¹⁷⁵ Surely [Aaron believed] this [second time at Kadesh] after already having seen it [at Rephidim].” Moses thus intimates that that sin was the fault of the people, for, because of their strife, Moses and Aaron thought that they were required to act the way they did, since the Divine Glory might have departed as an outcome of their punishment, this being what is stated, They angered Him also at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses because of them.¹⁷⁶, 106:32.And the meaning of ‘t’riveihu’ (with whom Thou didst strive) is similar to the expression ‘rivah’ (strive), O Eternal, with them that strive with me,¹⁷⁷, 35:1. the verse here meaning: “You have paid him [i.e., Aaron] the consequence of the strife which the children of Israel strove with the Eternal.¹⁷⁸ It is possible that its meaning is as the Rabbi said in the Sifre [quoted above]¹⁶⁸ 349. that these are references to s’kufim, that is, unfounded charges. He alludes to the insignificance of the sin and the severity of the punishment, similar to, through them that are nigh unto Me I will be sanctified.¹⁷⁹ Such also is the opinion of Onkelos who rendered the text here: “Whom You tested with trials and he was [found to be] perfect,” the trials being the strife of the children of Israel and their testing of the Eternal. However, since he was found perfect the first time [at Rephidim], surely he believed in the word of G-d on the second occasion. You tried his heart at the waters of Meribah — and foundest his heart faithful before Thee,¹⁸⁰ for “it is revealed and known before the throne of Thy Glory”¹⁸¹ that he [Aaron] believes in You and in Your word. But the punishment came upon him because of Israel, as I have explained on the verse, Also the Eternal was angry with me for your sakes.¹⁸²Now Moses spoke first of the priests, for he said to the tribe of Levi that the Urim and Thummim¹⁷¹, 28:30 (Vol. II, pp. 480-483). This is a reference to the High Priesthood, for it was the High Priest who wore the breastplate in which were the Urim and Thummim (ibid.). will be to his holy one [the High Priest] from among them. Afterwards he said of the whole tribe that He tested them in the affair of the calf, in Egypt,¹⁸³ (Verse 9) in Egypt” (Sifre, Brachah 350). and in the wilderness¹⁸⁴ (Verse 9) in the wilderness. Another interpretation: For they have observed Thy word in Egypt. And keep Thy covenant in the affair of the spies” (Sifre, Brachah 350). — and, therefore, they shall teach His ordinances to Jacob.¹⁸⁵ Such also is the opinion of Onkelos who rendered the verse:¹⁸⁵ “These [men] are fit to teach your laws etc.” Or it may be that he speaks of them [the Levites] with reference to the future, as explained by Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra. The expression they shall teach Jacob Thine ordinances refers to all of the Levites, and they shall put incense¹⁸⁵ relates to the priests of that tribe.