Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 1:11/רמב"ן על שמות א׳:י״א

אשָׂרֵי מִסִּים לְמַעַן עַנֹּתוֹ שָׂם עַל הָעָם מַס לָקַחַת מֵהֶם אֲנָשִׁים לַעֲבוֹדַת הַמֶּלֶךְ, וּמִנָּה עַל הַמַּס שָׂרִים מִן הַמִּצְרִיִּים שֶׁיִּקְּחוּ מֵהֶם כִּרְצוֹנָם אֲנָשִׁים לְפִי הָעֲבוֹדָה, חֲלִיפוֹת, חֹדֶשׁ אוֹ יוֹתֵר יִהְיוּ בְּבִנְיַן הַמֶּלֶךְ, וּשְׁאָר הַיָּמִים בְּבֵיתוֹ: וְהַשָּׂרִים הָאֵלֶּה צִוּוּ אוֹתָם שֶׁיִּבְנוּ עָרִים לְפַרְעֹה. וַיִּבֶן הָעָם עָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת לְפַרְעֹה בַּמַּס הַזֶּה, וְכַאֲשֶׁר רָאוּ שֶׁלֹּא יַזִּיק זֶה לָעָם קָצוּ בְּחַיֵּיהֶם מִפְּנֵיהֶם, וְגָזְרוּ שֶׁיַּעֲבִידוּ כָּל מִצְרַיִם אֶת הָעָם, וְכָל אִישׁ מִצְרִי שֶׁיִּצְטָרֵךְ בַּעֲבוֹדָה יִמְשֹׁל לָקַחַת מֵהֶם אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ עֲבוֹדָתוֹ וְזֶה טַעַם וַיַּעֲבִדוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּפָרֶךְ: וְעוֹד גָּזְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם עֲבוֹדוֹת קָשׁוֹת בְּחֹמֶר וּבִלְבֵנִים, כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה הָיוּ הַשָּׂרִים נוֹתְנִים לָהֶם הַלְּבֵנִים וְהָיוּ אַנְשֵׁי הַמַּס בּוֹנִים הַבִּנְיָן, וְעַתָּה נָהֲגוּ הָעָם בָּעֲבוֹדָה וְצִוָּם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מְבִיאִים עָפָר וְעוֹשִׂים הַחֹמֶר בִּידֵיהֶם וּבְרַגְלֵיהֶם, וְלֹא יִנָּתֵן לָהֶם מִבֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ רַק הַתֶּבֶן בִּלְבַד, וְנוֹתְנִין הַלְּבֵנִים לְאַנְשֵׁי הַמַּס הַבּוֹנִים לַעֲשׂוֹת הַבִּנְיָן, וְגַם כָּל עֲבוֹדָה קָשָׁה אֲשֶׁר לְפַרְעֹה וּלְמִצְרַיִם בַּשָּׂדֶה, כְּגוֹן הַחֲפִירוֹת וְהוֹצָאַת הַזְּבָלִים, הַכֹּל נָתְנוּ עֲלֵיהֶם, וְגַם הָיוּ רוֹדִים בָּהֶם לִדְחֹק אוֹתָם שֶׁלֹּא יָנוּחוּ וּמַכִּים וּמְקַלְּלִים אוֹתָם. וְזֶה טַעַם אֵת כָּל עֲבֹדָתָם אֲשֶׁר עָבְדוּ בָהֶם בְּפָרֶךְ: וְהָיָה הַמֶּלֶךְ מְפַרְנֵס אוֹתָם בְּלֶחֶם צָר כַּמִּנְהָג לְפוֹעֲלֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְזֶה מַאֲמַר הַמִּתְאַוִּים שֶׁאָמְרוּ "זָכַרְנוּ אֶת הַדָּגָה אֲשֶׁר נֹאכַל בְּמִצְרַיִם חִנָּם אֵת הַקִּשֻּׁאִים" (במדבר יא ה), כִּי הַדָּגָה בְּמִצְרַיִם רַבָּה מְאֹד וְהָיוּ לוֹקְחִים מִן הַצָּדִים אוֹתָם בְּמִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ, וְלוֹקְחִים מִן הַגַּנּוֹת קִשּׁוּאִים וַאֲבַטִּיחִים, וְאֵין מַכְלִים כִּי מִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ הִיא. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ עֲבָדִים לַמְּלָכִים הָיוּ וְלֹא עֲבָדִים לַעֲבָדִים (מכילתא בחדש סוף פרק ה). אִם כֵּן וַיַּעֲבִדוּ מִצְרַיִם רֶמֶז לְשָׂרֵי הַמִּסִּים אֲשֶׁר לְפַרְעֹה:

1SAREI MISIM’ (OFFICERS OF THE TRIBUTE) TO AFFLICT THEM. Pharaoh imposed a tribute upon the Israelite people to take men from them for the king’s projects. He appointed Egyptian officers over the tribute to take men at will in turns to serve for a month or more in the royal building-projects and the rest of the days [they remained] at home. These officers commanded the Israelites to build cities for Pharaoh, and the people built storage-cities for Pharaoh through this levy. When the Egyptians saw that this forced labor did not harm the Israelites, they were in dread for their own lives⁴⁴ on account of them. They decreed that all Egyptians force the Israelites to serve them,⁴⁵ so that any Egyptian who needed work done had the authority to take from them men to do his work. This is the meaning of the verse, And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor.⁴⁵They furthermore decreed against them that they do hard work in mortar and in brick.⁴⁶ the Israelites — not only those forced into labor for the king’s building-projects — were afflicted. It is necessary to recall the full text: And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field; in all their service, wherein they made them serve with rigor (Verses 13-14). Ramban understands the term “Egyptians” here as referring to the whole population. Further in the text, Ramban will suggest another interpretation. Whereas at first the officers would give them the bricks and the men of the forced labor would erect the buildings, they now conscripted the entire Israelite people into the work, commanding them to bring the earth, make the mortar with their hands and feet while only the straw was given to them from the king’s house, and give the bricks to the men of the forced labor engaged in the construction of the buildings. Every other manner of hard service in the field for Pharaoh and the Egyptians — such as excavations and the removal of dung — were all imposed upon them. In addition, they subjugated them, pressing them not to rest while beating and cursing them. This is the sense of the expression, in all their service, wherein they made them serve with rigor.⁴⁶ the Israelites — not only those forced into labor for the king’s building-projects — were afflicted. It is necessary to recall the full text: And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field; in all their service, wherein they made them serve with rigor (Verses 13-14). Ramban understands the term “Egyptians” here as referring to the whole population. Further in the text, Ramban will suggest another interpretation.The king supported them with sparing bread,⁴⁷ as is customary for those who work in his service. This is the purport of those lusting persons⁴⁸ who said, We remember the fish, which we were wont to eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, etc.⁴⁹, Verse 5. Fish are very abundant in Egypt, and by command of the king, the Israelites would obtain them from those who caught them. They would also take cucumbers and melons from the vegetable-gardens,⁴⁹, Verse 5. no one putting them to shame, for such was the king’s command.But our Rabbis have said:⁵⁰ “The Israelites were servants to kings, but not servants to servants.” If so, the verse, And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor,⁴⁵ alludes to Pharaoh’s officers of the tribute, [mentioned above in Verse 11].