Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 10:8/רמב"ן על שמות י׳:ח׳
אמִי וָמִי הַהוֹלְכִים הָיָה פַּרְעֹה רוֹצֶה שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ רָאשֵׁיהֶם זִקְנֵיהֶם וְשׁוֹטְרֵיהֶם, אֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר נִקְּבוּ בְּשֵׁמוֹת; וּמֹשֶׁה עָנָהוּ כִּי גַּם הַבָּנִים וְהַבָּנוֹת יֵלְכוּ כִּי חַג ה' לָנוּ, וּמִצְוָה עַל כֻּלָּנוּ לָחֹג לְפָנָיו, אָז חָרָה לְפַרְעֹה עַל הַבָּנִים וְהַבָּנוֹת, וְאָמַר שֶׁלֹּא יְשַׁלַּח הַטַּף בְּשׁוּם פָּנִים, כִּי הֵם לֹא יִזְבְּחוּ, אֲבָל יְשַׁלַּח כָּל הַזְּכָרִים הַגְּדוֹלִים בַּעֲבוּר הֶחָג שֶׁאָמַר, וְיִשָּׁאֲרוּ הַטַּף וְהַנָּשִׁים:
1BUT WHO ARE THEY THAT SHALL GO? Pharaoh desired that their leaders, elders, and officers27 should go, men that are pointed out by name.28 Moses answered him that also the sons and daughters will go, “for we must hold a feast unto the Eternal,29 and it is mandatory upon us all to take part in the feast.” Pharaoh’s anger was then kindled on account of the sons and daughters, and he said that under no circumstances will he send the little ones, for they take no part in the offerings. Instead he would send all the adult males because of the feast which Moses mentioned, while the little ones and the women will remain [in Egypt].