Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Deuteronomy 34:11/רמב"ן על דברים ל״ד:י״א

אוְטַעַם לְכָל הָאֹתֹת, דָּבֵק עִם וְלֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמֹשֶׁה לְכָל הָאֹתוֹת, אוֹ יֹאמַר שֶׁיְּדָעוֹ הַשֵּׁם פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים בְּאוֹתוֹת וּבְמוֹפְתִים שֶׁכֻּלָּם נַעֲשׂוּ בִּשְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (דברים ד':ל"ז) וַיּוֹצִאֲךָ בְּפָנָיו בְּכֹחוֹ הַגָּדֹל. וּכְבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי (רמב"ן על דברים י"ג:ב') כִּי הָאֹתוֹת הֵם הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁהִזְהִיר בָּהֶם בַּתְּחִלָּה, כְּמוֹ לְמָחָר יִהְיֶה הָאֹת הַזֶּה (שמות ח יט), וְיֹאמַר עַל כָּל הַדָּבָר שֶׁיַּקְדִּים הַנָּבִיא לֵאמֹר כֵּן יָבוֹא וְיֶאֱתֶה לֶעָתִיד, וְהַמּוֹפְתִים הֵם הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁיֵּעָשׂוּ בְּשִׁנּוּי הַתּוֹלָדוֹת, כְּמוֹ הַמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר נֶהְפַּךְ לְנָחָשׁ (שם ז ט). וְהִנֵּה גַּם לִשְׁאָר הַנְּבִיאִים נַעֲשׂוּ אוֹתוֹת וּמוֹפְתִים, כְּאֵלִיָּהוּ וֶאֱלִישָׁע שֶׁעָשׂוּ מוֹפְתִים רַבִּים, אֲבָל הַהַפְלָגָה לְמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ בָּהֶם אָמְרוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ, כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים כֻּלָּם הָיוּ עוֹשִׂים נִסִּים עַל יְדֵי תְּפִלָּה, כַּחַמָּה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, וּבֶן הַצָּרְפִית, וַעֲצִירַת גְּשָׁמִים לְאֵלִיָּהוּ, וּבֶן הַשּׁוּנַמִּית לֶאֱלִישָׁע, אֲבָל מֹשֶׁה מִיָּד הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה. וְאֵין הַמִּדְרָשׁ הַזֶּה בָּרוּר. וְהָרַב אָמַר בְּמוֹרֶה הַנְּבֻכִים (ב לה), כִּי הַהַפְלָגָה לְמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ הוּא מָה שֶׁאָמַר לְפַרְעֹה לְכָל עֲבָדָיו וּלְכָל אַרְצוֹ וּלְעֵינֵי כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי הָיוּ לְעֵינֵי הַחוֹלְקִים עָלָיו וְהַמַּסְכִּימִים עִמּוֹ, אֲבָל שְׁאָר הַנְּבִיאִים יַעֲשׂוּ אוֹתָם לִיחִידִים מִבְּנֵי אָדָם, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים ב ח ד) סַפְּרָה נָּא לִי אֵת כָּל הַגְּדֹלוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֱלִישָׁע. וְאֵינֶנּוּ נָכוֹן בְּעֵינַי, כִּי עֲצִירַת הַגְּשָׁמִים לְאֵלִיָּהוּ הָעֲצִירָה וְהַבִּיאָה נִתְפַּרְסְמוּ מְאֹד, וְגַם הָיָה בִּגְזֵרָה מִמֶּנּוּ, חַי ה' אִם יִהְיֶה הַשָּׁנִים הָאֵלֶּה טַל וּמָטָר כִּי אִם לְפִי דְבָרִי (מלכים א יז א), וּבְהִמָּשֵׁךְ הָעִנְיַן שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים נִתְגַּלָּה מְאֹד וּבַגּוֹיִם נִשְׁמָע, וּכְתִיב אִם יֶשׁ גּוֹי וּמַמְלָכָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא שָׁלַח אֲדֹנִי וְגוֹ', וְסוֹף הָעִנְיָן הַהוּא מְגֻלֶּה וּמְפֻרְסָם לַחוֹלְקִים עָלָיו וְלַמַּסְכִּימִים עִמּוֹ בְּמַעֲמָד אֶחָד, דִּכְתִיב (שם פסוק יט) שְׁלַח קְבֹץ אֵלַי אֶת כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל הַר הַכַּרְמֶל וְאֶת נְבִיאֵי הַבַּעַל אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וְגוֹ'. וְכֵן עֲמִידַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ הָיָה בֶּאֱמֶת לְעֵינֵי כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְרָאוּ אוֹתָהּ כָּל מַלְכֵי כְּנַעַן הַנִּלְחָמִים בּוֹ וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִים, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ (ב"ר ו יד) יַזְכִּירוּ כֵּן שֶׁרָאוּ אוֹתָם מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ, וְהַכָּתוּב מַפְלִיג בּוֹ מְאֹד (יהושע י יד) וְלֹא הָיָה כַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לְפָנָיו וְאַחֲרָיו לִשְׁמֹעַ ה' בְּקוֹל אִישׁ. וּבִקְרִיעַת הַיַּרְדֵּן וּבִקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף לֹא נַעֲשָׂה לִיחִידִים רַק לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְכָתוּב בָּהּ עוֹד (שם ה א) וַיְהִי כִשְׁמֹעַ כָּל מַלְכֵי הָאֱמֹרִי אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן יָמָּה וְכָל מַלְכֵי הַכְּנַעֲנִי אֲשֶׁר הוֹבִישׁ ה' אֶת מֵי הַיַּרְדֵּן. אֲבָל לְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא הַכֹּל קָשׁוּר וּמְחֻבָּר, יֹאמַר שֶׁלֹּא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר יְדָעוֹ הַשֵּׁם פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים וְלַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתוֹת וּמוֹפְתִים בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וּמוֹרָא גָּדוֹל כְּמֹשֶׁה, וְאִם עָשׂוּ מִקְצָת מֵהֶם לֹא הִגִּיעוּ לְרֻבָּם וְלֹא לַמַּעֲלָה הַגְּדוֹלָה שֶׁבָּהֶם, כִּי לֹא הָיָה כְּיוֹם סִינַי לְפָנָיו וְאַחֲרָיו, וְכֵן לֹא הִגִּיעוּ אוֹתוֹת הַנְּבִיאִים לַזְּמַן הַגָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר הִגִּיעַ הוּא עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, כִּי אוֹת הַמָּן תְּמִידִי אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, וְעַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ וְהֶעָנָן גַּם הַבְּאֵר וְהַשְּׂלָו עַל דַּעַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (תענית ט), וְלֶכְתָּם בַּמִּדְבָּר הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא נָחָשׁ שָׂרָף וְעַקְרָב וְצִמָּאוֹן אֲשֶׁר אֵין מָיִם וְלֹא חָסְרוּ דָּבָר. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת יֹאמַר כִּי אוֹתוֹתָיו וּמוֹפְתָיו שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה הָיוּ פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי (רמב"ן על דברים ל"ד:י'):

1IN ALL THE SIGNS. This is connected with the [preceding] verse, And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel — in all the signs etc. Or the verse may be stating that the Eternal knew Moses face to face through the signs and wonders as they were all done with His Great Name [i.e., the Tetragrammaton], just as he said, and He brought thee out with His Presence, with His great power.³¹⁹Now, I have already explained³²⁰, 4:32 and 13:2. that signs are the matters about which Moses warned [the Egyptians] before they took place, such as, by tomorrow shall this sign be,³²¹ and the term is used for any phenomenon which the prophet forecasts saying, “Thus will it come and happen in the future.” Wonders imply a change in the natural order, such as the rod which was turned to a serpent.³²², 7:15. Now, signs and wonders were also performed for the rest of the prophets, such as Elijah and Elisha who brought about many wonders [why is then the special significance attached to the signs and wonders of Moses]! However, the distinction of those [signs and wonders] of Moses our teacher is explained by the Rabbis in the Midrash:³²³ “All the prophets wrought miracles through prayer, such as the [halting of the] sun for Joshua,³²⁴ etc. (Joshua 10:12), which R’dak interprets as “prayed.” and [the revival of] the Zarephathite woman’s son,³²⁵ and the withholding of the rain by Elijah,³²⁶, Verse 1. and the [revival of the] Shunammite woman’s son by Elisha.³²⁷ But Moses performed [signs and miracles] immediately [without prayer].” Yet this Midrash is not clear.And the Rabbi [Moshe ben Maimon] stated in Moreh Nebuchim³²⁸ that “the distinction of Moses our teacher was that he spoke [publicly] to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land,³²⁹ and in the sight of all Israel,³³⁰ for they [his signs and wonders] were in full view of his opponents and his followers. The rest of the prophets, however, performed them [the signs and wonders] in the presence of a few individuals, as it is said, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha had done.”³³¹ indicates that they were not performed publicly in the presence of friend and enemy. But this does not appear to me to be correct [for the following reasons]: The withholding of the rain by Elijah — both the cessation and the coming³³² — were very much publicized. It [the cessation of rain] was by his [Elijah’s] decree [rather than through prayer] as it is said, As the Eternal, the G-d of Israel, liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.³²⁶, Verse 1. And during its three year duration, the matter became very well known,³³³ and heard among the nations for it is written, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord [Ahab] hath not sent to seek thee etc.³³⁴, 18:10. And the climax of the affair occurred publicly in the presence of his opponents and his followers at one assembly, as it is written, Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty etc.³³⁵, Verse 19. So, too, the halting of the sun for Joshua was certainly in view of all Israel,³³⁶ (Joshua 10:12) and it does not specify “in the sight of ‘all’ Israel” as in the case of Moses — nevertheless Ramban points out that the very nature of the miracle dictates that it occurred “in view of all Israel,” etc. and all the kings of Canaan saw it — those who fought against him [on that day] as well as the remaining ones. Our Rabbis also mention that people saw it from one end of the earth to the other.³³⁷ Scripture also lauds it exceedingly, saying, And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Eternal hearkened to the voice of a man.³³⁸ The splitting of the Jordan, like the splitting of the Red Sea, was not done for individuals, but for all Israel, and furthermore it is written, And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, that were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, that were by the sea, heard that the Eternal had dried up the waters of the Jordan.³³⁹, 5:1.But in line with the simple meaning of Scripture it is all tied and connected [with the preceding verse, And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses etc.], Scripture stating that no prophet has ever appeared in Israel like Moses whom the Eternal knew face to face and to perform signs and wonders with a mighty hand and great terror like Moses. If they brought about some of them [the signs and the wonders], they did not approach the number or great distinction of those [performed by Moses], for there was never a day like Sinai, before it or after it. So, also, the signs of the prophets did not extend for as long a period as did those of Moses, peace be upon him — for the sign of the manna continued steadily for forty years,³⁴⁰ as did the pillar of fire and the cloud,³⁴¹, 13:21. and, in the opinion of our Rabbis, so did the well,³⁴² and the quail.³⁴³ And their walking through the great and dreadful wilderness, wherein were serpents, fiery serpents, and scorpions, and thirsty ground where was no water,³⁴⁴ and yet they lacked nothing.³⁴⁵, 2:7.By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the verse is stating that the signs and wonders of Moses were done face to face, as I have explained.³⁴⁶