Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Deuteronomy 4:5/רמב"ן על דברים ד׳:ה׳
אוְטַעַם רְאֵה לִמַּדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם, רְאֵה שֶׁאֲנִי מְלַמֵּד אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (דברים יא יג): אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹם, וַאֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם (דברים ד ח). אוֹ יֹאמַר לִמַּדְתִּי מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִזְכִּיר לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ, כְּלוֹמַר, רְאֵה בְּעֵת בּוֹאֲךָ לָאָרֶץ שֶׁלִּמַּדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוַּנִי ה' אֱלֹהָי. וְהִנֵּה מִתְּחִלָּה דִּבֵּר עַל הַדָּבָר שֶׁהִיא כְּלָל לַכֹּל, עֲשֵׂה וְלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה; וְעַתָּה יַזְהִיר בַּחֻקִּים, שֶׁהֵם גְּזֵרוֹתָיו, וּבַמִּשְׁפָּטִים, שֶׁהֵם הַדִּינִים, כִּי אֵלּוּ הֵם צְרִיכִין חִזּוּק יוֹתֵר, מִפְּנֵי הֶעְלֵם טַעַם הַחֻקִּים, וּמִפְּנֵי כִּי בְּמִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִידוּ אֶרֶץ. וְאָמַר לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ, לְהַזְהִיר עַל כֻּלָּם, כִּי יֵשׁ חֻקִּים רַבִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים שֶׁאֵינָן נוֹהֲגִין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ; אוֹ יִרְמֹז שֶׁעִקַּר הַמִּצְוֹת כֻּלָּן בָּאָרֶץ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁרָמַזְתִּי בְּסוֹד הָאָרֶץ (ויקרא יח כה). וְאָמַר כִּי בַּחֻקִּים וּבַמִּשְׁפָּטִים תּוֹעָלוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, שֶׁהֵם תִּפְאֶרֶת לְעוֹשֵׂיהֶם מִן הָאָדָם, וַאֲפִילּוּ שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם יְשַׁבְּחוּ אוֹתָם בָּהֶם. וְעוֹד, שֶׁהֵם תּוֹעֶלֶת גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁאֵין כְּמוֹתָהּ, שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִהְיֶה קָרוֹב לָהֶם בְּכָל קָרְאָם אֵלָיו, וְכֵן הָעַמִּים יִתְבּוֹנְנוּ בָּזֶה וְיֵדְעוּ כִּי הַחֻקִּים נַעֲשִׂים בְּחָכְמָה וּבִינָה לְקָרְבָה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים וְיִירְאוּ מֵהֶם, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר כִּי מִי גוֹי גָּדוֹל. וְעוֹד, שֶׁהַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים בְּעַצְמָם הֵם צַדִּיקִים, יְשָׁרִים וְטוֹבִים בְּיִשּׁוּב הָעָם וְהַמְּדִינוֹת.
1BEHOLD, I HAVE TAUGHT YOU. The meaning thereof is: “Behold, I teach you today,” just as he said, which I command you this day,39 and which I set before you this day.40 Or the meaning of the expression I have taught you may be that since he mentioned that ye should do so in the midst of the Land whither ye go in to possess it41 he is then saying: “Behold, at the time when you come into the Land, that I had already taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the Eternal my G-d commanded me.”41Now Moses spoke first of a matter which is basic to all positive and negative commandments [namely, idolatry, which as mentioned above, is “the root of all” the commandments],42 etc. and now he admonished them concerning “the statutes,” which are His decrees, and “the ordinances,” which are the laws, for these need greater reinforcement because the reason for the statutes is hidden from us and also because it is by mishpat (justice) — [ordinances] — that they will establish the Land.43 And then he states that ye should do so in the midst of the Land41 in order to admonish concerning all [commandments], for there are many statutes and ordinances which do not apply outside of the Land; or perhaps it suggests that the primary duty [of the fulfillment] of the commandments is in the Land, as I have hinted concerning the secret of [the sanctity of] the Land.44 He states further that in the statutes and ordinances there are great benefits that bring honor from men to those who observe them. Even their enemies will praise them for [observing the commandments].45 Moreover, a great, incomparable benefit is that G-d would be near to them whensoever they call upon Him.46 The nations also will contemplate this and know that the statutes were ordained in wisdom and understanding so as to bring the people near to G-d, and they will fear them [i.e., the Israelites], this being the purport of what he said, For what great nation is there that hath G-d so nigh unto them?46 Additionally, the statutes and ordinances are righteous in themselves,47 fair and good for the welfare of society and countries.