Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Deuteronomy 6:3/רמב"ן על דברים ו׳:ג׳

אוְשָׁמַרְתָּ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֲשֶׁר יִיטַב, הִנֵּה מְצַוְּךָ שֶׁתִּשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֲשֶׁר יִיטַב לְךָ. אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ, דָּבֵק עִם לְרִשְׁתָּהּ (דברים ו':א') וְאִם הוּא רָחוֹק, אוֹ יִהְיֶה חָסֵר בֵּי"ת כְּמוֹ הַנִּמְצָא בֵּית ה' (מלכים ב יב יא), לְשׁוֹן ר"א (אבן עזרא על דברים ו':ג'). וְאִם כֵּן יֶחְסַר עוֹד מֵאֲשֶׁר תִּרְבּוּן מְאֹד "בּוֹ" אוֹ "בַּעֲבוּרוֹ". וְאֵין צֹרֶךְ, כִּי לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכוּן יָמֶיךָ נִמְשָׁךְ לְכָאן, וְטַעְמוֹ לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יִיטַב לָךְ, אוֹ מִלַּת אֲשֶׁר בְּעַצְמָהּ תְּשַׁמֵּשׁ כֵּן, כְּמוֹ וַיְסִרֶהָ מִגְּבִירָה אֲשֶׁר עָשְׂתָה מִפְלֶצֶת (מלכים א טו יג), בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁעָשְׂתָה, וְכֵן בַּאֲשֶׁר אַתְּ אִשְׁתּוֹ (בראשית לט ט), בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁאַתְּ אִשְׁתּוֹ, וְכֵן הַכָּתוּב אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִיטַב לְךָ וְגוֹ' וּלְמַעַן תַּאֲרִיךְ יָמִים עַל הָאֲדָמָה (דברים ד':מ'). וְשִׁעוּר הַכָּתוּב וְשָׁמַעְתָּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְשָׁמַרְתָּ לַעֲשׂוֹת לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יִיטַב לְךָ וַאֲשֶׁר תִּרְבּוּן מְאֹד כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֶיךָ לָתֶת לָךְ אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ וְגוֹ', כְּלוֹמַר לְמַעַן שֶׁיִּיטַב לְךָ בְּתִתּוֹ לְךָ אֶרֶץ טוֹבָה וּרְחָבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לְמַטָּה (דברים ו':י"ח) לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יִיטַב לָךְ וּבָאתָ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ. וְכָמוֹהוּ וַיִּתֶּן לוֹ בַיִת וְלֶחֶם אָמַר לוֹ (מלכים א יא יח):

1AND THOU SHALT OBSERVE TO DO IT ‘ASHER YITAV LECHA’ (WHICH WILL BE WELL WITH THEE). He is thus commanding you that you should take care to do what will benefit you. “A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY. Although removed from it, this phrase is connected with the expression to possess it [at the end of Verse 1]. Or it may be that the expression [a Land flowing …] lacks the letter beth, [making it equivalent to ba’aretz — ‘in the Land’ flowing with milk and honey, and thus it is not necessary to say that the phrase a Land flowing … refers to Verse 1; instead, the verse before us enjoins Israel to observe the commandments in the Land] just as in the verse, that was found ‘beith’ (House of) the Eternal²⁰⁵ [which lacks a beth, making it b’veith — ‘in the House of’ the Eternal].” This is the language of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra. And if so, there is also lacking in the phrase and that ye might increase mightily the word bo (“in it”) [so that its meaning would be “and that ye might increase mightily ‘in it,’” that is, in the Land flowing with milk and honey]; or [the missing part may be the word] ba’avuro (“because of it”). But there is no need [to interpret the verse as if letters and words were missing]. For [the word l’ma’an (so that) from the phrase in the preceding Verse 2] and ‘so that’ thy days be prolonged, should be drawn here [to Verse 3], and its meaning is as follows: “‘so that’ it may be well with thee.” Or it may be that the word asher (which) [‘asher’ yitav lecha] itself serves the same purpose [meaning “so that” or “because of”], as in the verse, And he removed her from being queen ‘asher’ she had made an abominable image²⁰⁶ which means “‘because of’ her having made an abominable image.” Similarly, ‘ba’asher’ thou art his wife²⁰⁷ means “‘because of’ your being his wife.” And so also Scripture states, which I command thee this day ‘asher’ (so that) it may go well with thee etc., and so that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the Land.²⁰⁸ And the purport of the verse [here] is as follows: “Hear, therefore, O Israel, and take care to do it so that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Eternal the G-d of thy fathers hath promised to give unto thee a Land flowing with milk and honey etc.;” that is to say, in order that He may do good to you when He gives you a good and large Land,²⁰⁹ as he said further [in Verse 18], so that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good Land. Similarly, and he gave him a house, and said to him victuals²¹⁰, means “promised to give thee.” [means: “and he said to ‘give’ him victuals”].