Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 12:45/רמב"ן על שמות י״ב:מ״ה

אתּוֹשָׁב זֶה גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב. שָׂכִיר, זֶה הַגּוֹי. וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר, וַהֲלֹא עֲרֵלִים הֵם, אֶלָּא כְּגוֹן עֲרָבִי מָהוּל וְגִבְעוֹנִי מָהוּל. לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות י"ב:מ"ה). וְלֹא יָדַעְתִּי לָמָּה יִכְתֹּב הָרַב הַדְּבָרִים הַנִּדְחִים בַּגְּמָרָא, שֶׁהֲרֵי הִקְשׁוּ עַל זֶה (יבמות עא.) וְהָנֵי מוּלִין נִינְהוּ, וְהָתְנַן (נדרים ג יא) הַנּוֹדֵר מִן הָעֲרֵלִים מֻתָּר בְּעַרְלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָסוּר בְּמוּלֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ט כה) "כִּי כָל הַגּוֹיִם עֲרֵלִים וְכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל עַרְלֵי לֵב", וְהֶעֱמִידוּ הַכָּתוּב בְּגֵר שֶׁמָּל וְלֹא טָבַל:

1TOSHAV’ (A SOJOURNER) ‘V’SACHIR’ (AND A HIRED SERVANT) SHALL NOT EAT THEREOF. “Toshav is a resident non-Israelite [who has foresworn idolatry, but has not as yet been fully converted to Judaism]. A ‘sachir’ is a non-Israelite. But why should Scripture mention all these? They are uncircumcised, [and an uncircumcised person may not eat of the Passover-offering]! However, it refers to a circumcised Arabian or a circumcised Gibeonite.”³⁵⁷” (Mechilta here). Thus the language of Rashi.I do not know why the Rabbi [Rashi] wrote down matters which are rejected in the Gemara.³⁵⁸ The Rabbis have objected to this explanation [that the verse refers to a circumcised Arabian or a circumcised Gibeonite], asking: “Are these considered circumcised?! Have we not been taught that he who vows not to have benefit from the uncircumcised is permitted to have benefit from the uncircumcised of Israel, but not from the circumcised of other nations, as it is written, For all the nations are uncircumcised, but all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart?”³⁵⁹ Instead, the Rabbis [there in the Gemara]³⁵⁸ explained the verse as referring to a proselyte who was circumcised but who has not yet undergone immersion.³⁶⁰