Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Deuteronomy 6:18/רמב"ן על דברים ו׳:י״ח

אוְעָשִׂיתָ הַיָּשָׁר וְהַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵי ה', עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט יֹאמַר תִּשְׁמְרוּ מִצְוֹת הַשֵּׁם וְעֵדֹתָיו וְחֻקּוֹתָיו, וּתְכַוֵּן בַּעֲשִׂיָּתָן לַעֲשׂוֹת הַטּוֹב וְהַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו בִּלְבַד. וּלְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ, הַבְטָחָה, יֹאמַר כִּי בַּעֲשׂוֹתְךָ הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינָיו יִיטַב לָךְ, כִּי הַשֵּׁם מֵטִיב לַטּוֹבִים וְלִישָׁרִים בְּלִבּוֹתָם. וּלְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ בָּזֶה מִדְרָשׁ יָפֶה, אָמְרוּ זוֹ פְּשָׁרָה וְלִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין. וְהַכַּוָּנָה בָּזֶה כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה אָמַר שֶׁתִּשְׁמֹר חֻקּוֹתָיו וְעֵדֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ, וְעַתָּה יֹאמַר גַּם בַּאֲשֶׁר לֹא צִוְּךָ תֵּן דַּעְתְּךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַטּוֹב וְהַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו, כִּי הוּא אוֹהֵב הַטּוֹב וְהַיָּשָׁר. וְזֶה עִנְיָן גָּדוֹל, לְפִי שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַזְכִּיר בַּתּוֹרָה כָּל הַנְהָגוֹת הָאָדָם עִם שְׁכֵנָיו וְרֵעָיו וְכָל מַשָּׂאוֹ וּמַתָּנוֹ וְתִקּוּנֵי הַיִּשּׁוּב וְהַמְּדִינוֹת כֻּלָּם. אֲבָל אַחֲרֵי שֶׁהִזְכִּיר מֵהֶם הַרְבֵּה, כְּגוֹן לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל (ויקרא יט טז), לֹא תִקֹּם וְלֹא תִטֹּר (שם פסוק יח), וְלֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ (שם פסוק טז), לֹא תְקַלֵּל חֵרֵשׁ (שם פסוק יד), מִפְּנֵי שֵׂיבָה תָּקוּם (שם פסוק לב), וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן, חָזַר לוֹמַר בְּדֶרֶךְ כְּלָל שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הַטּוֹב וְהַיָּשָׁר בְּכָל דָּבָר עַד שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס בָּזֶה הַפְּשָׁרָה וְלִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין, וּכְגוֹן מַה שֶׁהִזְכִּירוּ בְּדִינָא דְּבַר מִצְרָא (ב"מ קח), וַאֲפִלּוּ מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (יומא פו) פִּרְקוֹ נָאֶה וְדִבּוּרוֹ בְּנַחַת עִם הַבְּרִיּוֹת, עַד שֶׁיִּקָּרֵא בְּכָל עִנְיָן תָּם וְיָשָׁר:

1AND THOU SHALT DO THAT WHICH IS RIGHT AND GOOD IN THE SIGHT OF THE ETERNAL. In line with the plain meaning of Scripture the verse says, “Keep the commandments of G-d, His testimonies, and His statutes, and, in observing them, intend to do what is right and good in His sight only.” And [the expression in the verse before us] that it may be well with thee is a promise, stating that, when you will do that which is good in His eyes, it will be well with you, for G-d does good unto the good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.³¹¹ Our Rabbis have a beautiful Midrash on this verse. They have said:³¹² “[That which is right and good] refers to a compromise and going beyond the requirement of the letter of the law.”³¹³ The intent of this is as follows: At first he [Moses] stated that you are to keep His statutes and His testimonies which He commanded you, and now he is stating that even where He has not commanded you, give thought, as well, to do what is good and right in His eyes, for He loves the good and the right. Now this is a great principle, for it is impossible to mention in the Torah all aspects of man’s conduct with his neighbors and friends, and all his various transactions, and the ordinances of all societies and countries. But since He mentioned many of them — such as, Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer;³¹⁴ Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge;³¹⁵, Verse 18. neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbor;³¹⁴ Thou shalt not curse the deaf;³¹⁶, Verse 14. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head³¹⁷, Verse 32. and the like — he reverted to state in a general way that, in all matters, one should do what is good and right, including even compromise and, going beyond the requirements of the law.³¹³ Other examples are the Rabbis’ ordinances concerning the prerogative of a neighbor,³¹⁸ and even what they said [concerning the desirability] that one’s youthful reputation be unblemished,³¹⁹ and that one’s conversation with people be pleasant. Thus [a person must seek to refine his behavior] in every form of activity, until he is worthy of being called “good and upright.”