Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Deuteronomy 6:13/רמב"ן על דברים ו׳:י״ג

אוְטַעַם אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא, כִּי אַחַר שֶׁצִּוָּה בָּאַהֲבָה יַזְכִּיר לְיִרְאָה אוֹתוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יֶחֱטָא וְיֵעָנֵשׁ:

1THOU SHALT FEAR THE ETERNAL THY G-D. The purport thereof is that after he commanded concerning the love of G-d, he mentioned that [one is] to fear Him so that he not sin and be punished.

בוְאֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד, לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל אֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ, כְּעֶבֶד שׁוֹמֵר מִצְוַת אֲדוֹנָיו. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה זֶה רֶמֶז לַעֲבוֹדַת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת לִשְׁמוֹ, וְכָךְ אָמְרוּ בְּסִפְרֵי (ראה ס) בְּפָסוּק אַחֲרֵי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם תֵּלֵכוּ וְאֹתוֹ תִירָאוּ וְאֶת מִצְוֹתָיו תִּשְׁמֹרוּ וּבְקֹלוֹ תִשְׁמָעוּ וְאֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹדוּ (דברים י"ג:ה'), עֲבֹדוּ בְּתוֹרָתוֹ עֲבֹדוּ בְּמִקְדָּשׁוֹ. יִרְצֶה לְפָרֵשׁ כִּי אַחֲרֵי שֶׁהִזְהִיר בִּשְׁמִירַת כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת כֻּלָּן וְלִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹלוֹ, יִהְיֶה וְאוֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹדוּ לְעָבְדוֹ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ בְּקָרְבָּנוֹת וּבְשִׁיר וּבְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָאוֹת שָׁם, כִּי זֶה יִקָּרֵא עֲבוֹדָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (במדבר יח ז) עֲבוֹדַת מַתָּנָה אֶתֵּן אֶת כְּהֻנַּתְכֶם, וְאָמַר (שם פסוק כג) וְעָבַד הַלֵּוִי. וְדָרְשׁוּ עוֹד עֲבֹדוּ בְּתוֹרָתוֹ לִלְמֹד הַתּוֹרָה וְלַהֲגוֹת בָּהּ, וְגַם הִיא עֲבוֹדָה לְפָנָיו, וּלְפִי זֶה וְאוֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד ג"כ בַּקָּרְבָּנוֹת. ור"א אָמַר (אבן עזרא על דברים ו':י"ג) אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא, שֶׁלֹּא תַּעֲבֹר עַל מִצְוֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, וְאוֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד, בְּמִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה. וְאֵינֶנּוּ נָכוֹן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמַר בַּכָּתוּב הָאַחֵר וְאֹתוֹ תִירָאוּ וְאֶת מִצְוֹתָיו תִּשְׁמֹרוּ וְאוֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹדוּ:

2AND HIM SHALT THOU SERVE — to do whatever He commands you, like a servant who obeys the command of his master. It is possible that this is an allusion to the Service of the offerings to His Name. And so the Rabbis have said in the Sifre²⁷⁹ 85. on the verse, After the Eternal your G-d shall ye walk, and Him shall ye fear, and His commandments shall ye keep, and unto His voice shall ye hearken, and Him shall ye serve:²⁸⁰ “Serve Him by [studying] His Torah, serve Him in His Sanctuary.” By this the Sifre meant to explain that after he admonished concerning the observance of all the commandments and hearkening to His voice, the expression and Him shall ye serve means to serve Him in the Sanctuary with offerings, songs and prostrations [that are prescribed] there. This is termed “service” as He said, I give you the priesthood as ‘a service’ of gift,²⁸¹ and it further says, And the Levites alone shall do ‘the service.’²⁸², Verse 23. Now the service of the Levites was by song. Thus it is clear that song is also a service of G-d. The Rabbis further interpreted [in the above-mentioned Sifre]: “Serve Him through His Torah,” meaning to study the Torah and meditate therein; this, too, is a “service” before Him. Accordingly, and Him shalt thou serve [mentioned in the verse before us] is also a reference to serving Him by the offerings. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote: “Thou shalt fear the Eternal thy G-d — you should not transgress the negative commandments; and Him shalt thou serve — fulfill the positive commandments.” But this is not correct, for he stated in the other verse [mentioned above], and Him shall ye fear, and His commandments shall ye keep … and Him shall ye serve.²⁸³ does not refer to the positive commandments, as Ibn Ezra says, for that charge is included in the phrase, and His commandments shall ye keep.

גוּבִשְׁמוֹ תִּשָּׁבֵעַ, אֵינוֹ מִצְוָה שֶׁיִּשָּׁבַע, אֲבָל הוּא אַזְהָרָה כִּי בִּשְׁמוֹ בִּלְבַד תִּשָּׁבַע, לֹא בְּשֵׁם אֵל אַחֵר. עַל כֵּן כָּתוּב אַחֲרָיו לֹא תֵלְכוּן אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, שֶׁלֹּא תֵּלְכוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם בְּדָבָר מִכָּל אֵלּוּ, שֶׁלֹּא תִּירְאוּ מֵהֶם וְלֹא תַּעַבְדוּ אוֹתָם וְלֹא תִּשָּׁבְעוּ בִּשְׁמָם. אֲבָל בַּגְּמָרָא שֶׁל מַסֶּכֶת תְּמוּרָה דָּרְשׁוּ אוֹתוֹ בִּשְׁבוּעַת אֱמֶת דְּשָׁרְיָא, אָמְרוּ בִּשְׁמוֹ תִּשָּׁבֵעַ דַּאֲמַר רַחֲמָנָא לָמָּה לִי, אִם אֵינוֹ עִנְיָן לִשְׁבוּעַת הַדַּיָּנִין דְּנָפְקָא לֵהּ מִשְּׁבֻעַת ה' תִּהְיֶה בֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶם תְּנֵהוּ עִנְיָן לִשְׁבוּעוֹת דְּעָלְמָא דְּשַׁרְיָן, וְאִם אֵינוֹ עִנְיָן לִשְׁבוּעָה דְּמִצְוָה דְּנָפְקָא לֵהּ מִן וּבוֹ תִּדְבָּקוּן (דברים י"ג:ה') תְּנֵהוּ עִנְיָן לִשְׁבוּעָה דְּחוֹל. וְרָאִיתִי עוֹד בְּתַנְחוּמָא, אָמַר לָהֶן הקב"ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא תִּהְיוּ סְבוּרִין שֶׁהֻתַּר לָכֶם לְהִשָּׁבַע בִּשְׁמִי אֲפִלּוּ בֶּאֱמֶת, אֵין אַתֶּם רַשָּׁאִין לְהִשָּׁבַע בִּשְׁמִי אֶלָּא אִם יִהְיוּ בְּךָ כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת הַלָּלוּ, אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא, שֶׁתִּהְיֶה כְּאוֹתָן שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים, אַבְרָהָם יוֹסֵף אִיּוֹב; וְאוֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד, שֶׁתְּהֵא מְפַנֶּה עַצְמְךָ לַתּוֹרָה וְלַמִּצְוֹת, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ עֲבוֹדָה אַחֶרֶת, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וְאֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד וּבוֹ תִדְבָּק, וְכִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְאָדָם לְהִדָּבֵק בַּשְּׁכִינָה, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר (דברים ד':כ"ד) כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵשׁ אֹכְלָה הוּא, אֶלָּא לוֹמַר לְךָ כָּל הַמַּשִּׂיא בִּתּוֹ לְתַלְמִיד שֶׁקּוֹרֵא וְשׁוֹנֶה, וְהָעוֹשֶׂה לוֹ פְּרַקְמַטְיָא, וְהַמְּהַנֵּהוּ מִנְּכָסָיו, זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר וּבוֹ תִדְבָּק; אִם יֵשׁ לְךָ כָּל מִדּוֹת אֵלּוּ אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְהִשָּׁבַע, וְאִם לָאו אִי אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְהִשָּׁבַע, עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹן אַגָּדָה זוֹ. וְהִנֵּה פֵּרוּשׁ הַכָּתוּב לְדַעְתָּם וּבִשְׁמוֹ תִּשָּׁבֵעַ, רְשׁוּת שֶׁיַּתִּיר לָנוּ לְהִשָּׁבַע בִּשְׁמוֹ עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד, כְּאִלּוּ אָמַר אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא אֲבָל בִּשְׁמוֹ תִּשָּׁבַע וְלֹא תִּירָא מִזֶּה, וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁשָּׂם הַהֶתֵּר הַזֶּה אַחַר הַיִּרְאָה וְהָעֲבוֹדָה דָּרְשׁוּ שֶׁאֵין הֶתֵּר לַשְּׁבוּעָה אֶלָּא לְאַחַר כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת הַלָּלוּ. אוֹ יֹאמַר אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא, וְתִהְיֶה יִרְאָתוֹ גְּדוֹלָה עַל פָּנֶיךָ עַד שֶׁתִּהְיֶה שְׁמוֹ לְךָ לִשְׁבוּעָה, כִּי גַּם בִּרְצוֹתְךָ לְקַיֵּם כָּל דָּבָר תִּשָּׁבַע בִּשְׁמוֹ לְהָרַע וְלֹא תָּמִיר. וְיִהְיֶה פֵּרוּשׁ וְאוֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד לְדַעְתָּם שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לוֹ בְּכָל עֵת כְּעֶבֶד הַקָּנוּי הַמְּשָׁרֵת לִפְנֵי אֲדוֹנָיו תָּמִיד, שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה מְלֶאכֶת רַבּוֹ עִקָּר וְצָרְכֵי עַצְמוֹ עֲרַאי, עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא מִזֶּה מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (אבות ב יב) וְכָל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יִהְיוּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ צָרְכֵי גּוּפוֹ לְשֵׁם עֲבוֹדַת הָאֵל יִהְיוּ, יֹאכַל וְיִישַׁן וְיַעֲשֶׂה צְרָכָיו כְּדֵי קִיּוּם הַגּוּף לַעֲבֹד ה', כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ (בראשית רבה ט ו) וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד זוֹ שֵׁנָה, וְכִי שֵׁנָה טוֹבָה הִיא, מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהוּא יָשֵׁן קִמְעָא הוּא עוֹמֵד וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה. וְיִתְכַּוֵּן בְּכָל צָרְכֵי הַגּוּף לְמִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים קמו ב) אֲהַלְלָה ה' בְּחַיָּי אֲזַמְּרָה לֵאלֹהַי וְגוֹ'. וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ נָכוֹן:

3AND BY HIS NAME SHALT THOU SWEAR. This is not a commandment to swear [by His Name],²⁸⁴ but it is an admonishment that [in the event one is required to take an oath] he should swear only by His Name and not by the name of another deity. After this [injunction to swear only by the name of G-d] it is written, Ye shall not go after other gods,²⁸⁵ meaning that you should not follow them in any of these matters: that you not fear them, that you not serve them, and that you not swear by their names. However, in the Gemara of Tractate Temurah²⁸⁶ the Rabbis interpreted this verse to teach that a true oath is permissible.²⁸⁷ Thus they said: “Why did the Merciful One state and by His Name shalt thou swear? Since it cannot refer to the oaths administered by the judges, because they have already been derived from the verse the oath of the Eternal shall be between them,²⁸⁸ apply it to indicate that other oaths are permissible. And since it cannot refer to an oath by which one binds himself to perform a commandment, as that is derived from the expression, and to Him shalt thou cleave,²⁸⁹ then apply it to an oath about a non-sacred [i.e., a permissible, but non-obligatory] matter.”Now, I have further seen the following text in the Tanchuma:²⁹⁰ 7. “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Do not think that it has been made permissible to you to swear by My Name. You are not permitted to swear by My Name even truthfully unless you possess all these qualities: Thou shalt fear the Eternal thy G-d,²⁸⁹ that you will be like those who were called ‘men who fear the Eternal G-d,’ such as Abraham,²⁹¹ Job,²⁹² and Joseph.²⁹³ And Him shalt thou serve,²⁸⁹ that you will devote yourself to [the study of] Torah and [the observance of] the commandments and you will have no other preoccupation. Therefore it is stated, and Him thou shalt serve. And to Him shalt thou cleave²⁸⁹ — but is it possible for a human being to cleave to the Divine Glory? Has it not been stated, For the Eternal thy G-d is a devouring fire?²⁹⁴ But this statement is intended to teach you that whoever gives his daughter in marriage to a scholar who learns Torah and studies Mishnah, and who trades on his behalf and who benefits him from his wealth — of this He says, and to Him shalt thou cleave. If you possess all these virtues, you may swear [by My Name] and if not, you may not swear.” Thus far is the text of this Agadah. Thus, the interpretation of the verse [before us], and by His Name shalt thou swear, in the opinion of the Rabbis, is a grant of permission, that He allows us, as an expression of esteem, to do so. It is as if he had said, “Thou shalt fear the Eternal thy G-d; nevertheless you may swear by His Name and you need not fear doing so.” And because this permission is placed after the commands to fear G-d and to serve Him, the Rabbis inferred that there is no authorization to swear until after these virtues have been attained. Or Scripture may be stating Thou shalt fear the Eternal thy G-d and His awe will be so great upon you that His very Name will be an oath to you, so that even when you wish to confirm something you will swear by His Name even to your disadvantage and you will not misrepresent.²⁹⁵ And in the opinion of the Rabbis, the meaning of the expression and Him shalt thou serve is that you should act toward him at all times like a bondsman constantly in service before his master, considering the work of his master as primary and his own needs as casual, until, [resulting] from this [attitude] he attains what the Rabbis have said, “And let all thy deeds be done for the sake of Heaven.”²⁹⁶ For even bodily needs should be for the purpose of G-d’s worship. Thus a person should eat and sleep and attend to his needs to assure the existence of the body to serve G-d. This is similar to what the Rabbis have said,²⁹⁷ “And G-d saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good²⁹⁸ — this refers to sleep. Is sleep good? [It is ‘good’] because, if a person sleeps a little, he rises and engages in the study of Torah.”²⁹⁹, Vol. I, pp. 58-59. Thus, in satisfying bodily needs, one should concentrate upon the verse I will praise the Eternal while I live; I will sing praises unto my G-d while I have my being.³⁰⁰ This is a correct interpretation.