Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 10:6/רמב"ן על שמות י׳:ו׳

אוַיִּפֶן וַיֵּצֵא מֵעִם פַּרְעֹה בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁפָּחֲדוּ מְאֹד בַּבָּרָד, חָשַׁב מֹשֶׁה שֶׁיִּפְחֲדוּ גַּם עַתָּה שֶׁיָּמוּתוּ בָּרָעָב אִם יְאַבְּדוּ יֶתֶר הַפְּלֵיטָה הַנִּשְׁאֶרֶת לָהֶם, וְיָצָא בְּלֹא רְשׁוּתוֹ טֶרֶם שֶׁיַּעֲנוּהוּ הֵן אוֹ לָאו, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְיָעֲצוּ בַּדָּבָר, חָשַׁב מַחְשְׁבוֹת אֱמֶת, כִּי כֵן עָשׂוּ וְאָמְרוּ לְפַרְעֹה הֲטֶרֶם תֵּדַע כִּי אָבְדָה מִצְרָיִם. וּבְדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (שמו"ר יג ד) רָאָה אוֹתָן שֶׁפּוֹנִים זֶה לָזֶה, מַאֲמִינִים לִדְבָרָיו, יָצָא מִשָּׁם כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּטְּלוּ עֵצָה לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה. וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי, כִּי כֵן הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה בְּכָל עֵת בּוֹאוֹ אֶל פַּרְעֹה אֶל הֵיכָלוֹ, מַתְרֶה בּוֹ וְיוֹצֵא מִלְּפָנָיו, אֲבָל הֻצְרַךְ הַכָּתוּב לְהַזְכִּיר זֶה בְּכָאן בַּעֲבוּר "וַיּוּשַׁב אֶת מֹשֶׁה" וְגוֹ':

1AND HE TURNED AND WENT OUT FROM PHARAOH. Due to the fact that the Egyptians were in a state of trepidation during the plague of hail, Moses thought that now too they would fear lest they die from famine if they lose the residue of that which is escaped,¹⁸ which remained to them. Therefore he went out without the king’s permission before they accepted or rejected his request, so that they might take counsel on the matter. This was indeed correct, for so the servants did and said to Pharaoh, Knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?²⁴ In the words of our Rabbis:²⁵ “Moses saw the servants turning to each other, believing in his words, so he went out from there in order that they may take counsel to do repentance.”The correct interpretation appears to me to be that Moses did so every time he came to Pharaoh’s palace; he warned him and went out. Scripture found it necessary to mention it only here because of the sequel: And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh.²⁶