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Ramban on Exodus 15:26/רמב"ן על שמות ט״ו:כ״ו

אאִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע לְקוֹל ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ פֵּרֵשׁ ר"א (אבן עזרא על שמות ט"ו:כ"ו) לְהָבִין טַעַם מַה שֶׁיְּצַוְּךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת. וְהַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו תַּעֲשֶׂה, מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה וְהַאֲזַנְתָּ לְמִצְוֹתָיו, מִצְוֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. וּבַמְּכִילְתָּא (כאן) אָמְרוּ וְהַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו תַּעֲשֶׂה, זֶה מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל הַנּוֹשֵׂא וְנוֹתֵן בֶּאֱמוּנָה וְרוּחַ הַבְּרִיּוֹת נוֹחָה הֵימֶנּוּ, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו כְּאִלּוּ קִיֵּם כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ. וְעוֹד אֲבָאֵר זֶה בְּהַגִּיעִי בַּפָּסוּק "וְעָשִׂיתָ הַיָּשָׁר וְהַטּוֹב" (דברים ו יח), אִם יֵיטִיב עִמִּי הָאֵל הַטּוֹב:

1IF ‘SHAMO’A TISHMA’ TO THE VOICE OF THE ETERNAL THY G-D. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained that “[shamo’a tishma here] means ‘to understand’²⁶² would mean “surely listen” or “diligently hearken,” but wherever this expression is followed by the letter lamed — as in this case, [shamo’a tishma l’kol] — or a beth, it means ‘understanding.’ This is why Ibn Ezra explained it here to mean “if you will have a full understanding of His commandments.” the purport of that which He has commanded you to do. And thou wilt do that which is right in His eyes — this implies the positive commandments — and wilt give ear to His commandments — this implies the negative commandments.” [Thus the language of Ibn Ezra.] And in the Mechilta, the Rabbis have said:²⁶³ “And thou wilt do that which is right in His eyes, this means in business dealings. This teaches us that if a person is honest in his business dealings, and the spirit of his fellow creatures finds pleasure in him, it is accounted to him as though he had fulfilled the entire Torah.”²⁶⁴. The sense thereof is thus: “If you will do that which is right in G-d’s eyes, meaning if you will be honest in your business dealings, it will be accounted to you as though you had given ear, etc.” I will further explain this when I come to the verse ‘And thou shalt do that which is upright and good,’ if the good G-d will show me goodness.²⁶⁵

בכָּל הַמַּחֲלָה אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בְמִצְרַיִם לֹא אָשִׂים עָלֶיךָ לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות ט"ו:כ"ו) לֹא אָשִׂים עָלֶיךָ, וְאִם אָשִׂים הֲרֵי הֵם כְּאִלּוּ לֹא הוּשְׂמוּ כִּי אֲנִי ה' רֹפְאֶךָ. זֶה מִדְרָשׁוֹ. וּפְשׁוּטוֹ, כְּאָדָם שֶׁאוֹמֵר אֲנִי הוּא הָרוֹפֵא הַמַּזְהִירְךָ שֶׁלֹּא לֶאֱכֹל דְּבָרִים הַמַּחֲזִירִים אֶת הָאָדָם לְחָלְיוֹ, ע"כ. וְאֵין פְּשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רֹפְאֶךָ תֹּאַר, וְאֵין דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁיַּבְטִיחַ הָאָדוֹן אֶת עֲבָדָיו אִם תַּעֲשֶׂה כָּל רְצוֹנִי וְחֶפְצִי לֹא אָמִית אוֹתְךָ בְּתַחֲלֻאִים רָעִים וְלֹא כֵן כָּל הַהַבְטָחוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה. אֲבָל זוֹ אַזְהָרָה, שֶׁיַּזְהִירֵם שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ בְּמוֹרְדָיו כְּמִצְרַיִם, כִּי בְּשָׁמְעָם קוֹלוֹ יִנָּצְלוּ מִכָּל אוֹתָהּ הַמַּחֲלָה, כִּי כָל הַמַּחֲלָה הַהִיא רְאוּיָה לָבֹא עַל כָּל עוֹבְרֵי רְצוֹנוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּאָה עַל הַמִּצְרִים שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמְעוּ אֵלָיו. וְזוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאָמַר שֶׁיָּשִׂים בְּךָ "אֵת כָּל מַדְוֵה מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר יָגֹרְתָּ מִפְּנֵיהֶם וְדָבְקוּ בָּךְ" (דברים כח ס). וְאָמַר כִּי אֲנִי ה' רֹפְאֶךָ, הַבְטָחָה, שֶׁאָסִיר מִקִּרְבְּךָ מַחֲלָה בָּאָה כְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל הָאָרֶץ כַּאֲשֶׁר רִפֵּאתִי הַמַּיִם: וְאָמַר ר"א (אבן עזרא על שמות ט"ו:כ"ו) כִּי הָאוֹת הַזֶּה, וְהוּא הָרִאשׁוֹן בַּמִּדְבָּר, הֵפֶךְ הַמַּכָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁבְּמִצְרַיִם, כִּי מֵימֵי הַיְאוֹר הָיוּ מְתוּקִים וַהֲפָכָם לְרָעָה, וְאֵלּוּ הָיוּ מָרִים וְרִפֵּא אוֹתָם, וְהִנֵּה הַשֵּׁם יַעֲשֶׂה דָּבָר וְהֶפְכּוֹ, עַל כֵּן יֵשׁ לְךָ לִירֹא מִפָּנָיו שֶׁלֹּא תַּמֵּר בּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יָרִיעַ לְךָ כָּהֵם, וְלֶאֱהֹב אוֹתוֹ כִּי יֵיטִיב לְךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר רִפֵּא לָכֶם הַמַּיִם: וְעִנְיַן הַכָּתוּב שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר בִּשְׁנֵי לְשׁוֹנוֹת, לְמִצְוֹתָיו וְחֻקָּיו, וְלֹא אָשִׂים עָלֶיךָ כִּי אֲנִי ה', כְּבָר כָּתַבְתִּי לְךָ שָׁלִשִׁים בְּבֵאוּר עִנְיָנוֹ, וְיוּבַן מִמִּלַּת לְקוֹל וּמִמִּלַּת אֲנִי, כִּי אִם נִשְׁמַע לְקוֹל אֱלֹהֵינוּ לִשְׁמֹר מִצְוֹת ה' וְחֻקָּיו יִהְיֶה הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד רוֹפְאֵנוּ. וּמִכָּאן תִּקְּנוּ בַּבְּרָכוֹת "אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ", כִּי הַבְּרָכָה יֵשׁ בָּהּ מַלְכוּת, וְהַמִּצְוֹת נִצְטַוּוּ לָנוּ מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם. וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין. וְהִנְנִי מֵאִיר עֵינֶיךָ כִּי כָל בְּרָכָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ מַלְכוּת הִיא כֵן, שֶׁחָלְקוּ כָּבוֹד לְמַלְכוּת הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לָנוּ, וְהַסְּמוּכָה לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יַזְכִּירוּ בָּהּ מַלְכוּת הֵן לְנֹכֵחַ, "אַתָּה גִּבּוֹר", "אַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ", וְכֵן כֻּלָּם. וְתִקְּנוּ בְּ"עָלֵינוּ לְשַׁבֵּחַ" נִסְתָּר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמַּזְכִּירִין בָּהּ "לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים". וְהָבֵן זֶה:

2I WILL PUT NONE OF THE DISEASES UPON THEE, WHICH I HAVE PUT UPON THE EGYPTIANS; FOR I AM THE ETERNAL THAT HEALETH THEE. Rashi wrote: “I will put none of the diseases upon thee, and if I do place them [because you will not hearken to My voice], they will be as though they had not been placed, for I am the Eternal that healeth thee. This is the homiletic exposition. But according to the plain meaning of Scripture, the verse is to be understood in the sense of a person who says, ‘I am the physician who warns you not to eat certain things which might bring a man back to his state of disease.’” Thus far the language of Rashi.But according to the plain meaning of Scripture, rophecha is not an adjective, [or more precisely, a noun-adjective, as Rashi would have it, meaning “Thy physician Who teaches thee how disease should not befall thee.” Instead, the meaning of the verse is “that I am the One Who heals thee.”] Besides, it is not customary that a master should assure his servants that “if you will do all my will and desire, I will not slay you with sore diseases.” None of the Divine assurances of the Torah are expressed in that way! Rather, the verse here constitutes an admonition by which He warned them not to be among those that rebel against Him as the Egyptians had been. By hearkening to His voice, they will be saved from all sickness, since that sickness deservedly comes upon all those who rebel against His will, even as it befell the Egyptians when they did not hearken to Him. This is similar to that which He said that He will put upon thee all the diseases of Egypt which thou wast in dread of, and they shall cleave unto thee.²⁶⁶ And He further said, For I am the Eternal that healeth thee. This constitutes a promise “that I will remove from you sickness that comes in the natural course of events, even as I healed the waters [at Marah].”Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that this sign, [i.e., making the bitter waters sweet], which was the first one done for them in the wilderness, was in contrast to the first plague that came upon the Egyptians. The waters of the [Nile] river were sweet and He changed them to be of evil effect, while these waters of Marah were bitter and He healed them. Thus it was shown that G-d does things which are contrary to each other, and therefore you should fear Him and not rebel against Him so that He should not afflict you as He did [afflict] them. You should love Him for He will bestow goodness upon you, even as He healed the waters for you. [Thus far Ibn Ezra’s comment.]Now on the matter of Scripture making use here of two expressions, saying, “His commandments, His statutes,” and concluding, I will put none of the diseases upon thee, for I am the Eternal, [thus using the third-person and first-person pronouns in the same verse], I have already written you three times²⁶⁷ on the explanation thereof. [Here] it can be understood from the word ‘l’kol’ (to the voice) and the word ‘ani’ (I), which convey the thought that if we shall listen to the voice of our G-d to keep G-d’s commandments and His statutes, the Glorious Name will be our healer. It is on the basis [of the verse] that the Sages instituted [the formula of] benedictions [which contain two different pronouns, thus: “Blessed art Thou O Eternal, our G-d, King of the universe,] Who hast sanctified us with His commandments and hast commanded us.” The benedictions contain an expression of acknowledgment of G-d’s Sovereignty, [saying as we do, “our G-d, King of the universe”], and the commandments have been given to us from everlasting even to everlasting.²⁶⁸ The student learned [in the mystic lore of the Cabala] will understand.And I will enlighten you [on this matter]. All benedictions which contain an expression of His Sovereignty are so formulated that they show respect to the Sovereign of the universe, Who has sanctified us [by His commandments] and Who has done [a certain deed] for us. But where a benediction follows another one, in which case the Sovereignty of G-d is not mentioned,²⁶⁹, the Sovereignty of G-d thus being acknowledged in the second person, i.e., as the One directly addressed. But the benediction concludes with a reference to that Sovereign in the third person, thus concluding, “Who has sanctified us by His commandments.” The following benedictions do not open with a reference to G-d’s Sovereignty, but instead continue throughout in the second person. For example, in the Grace after the meal, the first benediction begins: “Blessed art Thou, O Eternal our G-d, King of the universe, Who sustains the whole world with His goodness… He giveth food to all flesh….” The second benediction begins: “We thank Thee, O Eternal our G-d, for the goodly and ample land of our desire which Thou gavest….” It should be noted that this rule applies only where a number of benedictions relate to one unit of prayer, such as the Grace after the Meal, or the Morning Sh’ma, the Evening Sh’ma, etc. Where the benedictions consist of short unrelated statements, such as the blessings of thanksgiving with which the Morning Service begins, each benediction contains an expression of G-d as the Sovereign of the universe. it is formulated in the second-person, such as [the benedictions beginning]: “Thou art Mighty,” “Thou art Holy,”²⁷⁰ [literally: the “Eighteen” Blessings — the central prayer around which the regular daily services are built]. They do not begin with a reference to G-d’s Sovereignty, and therefore are formulated in the second person: “Thou art Mighty;” “Thou art Holy.” It should be noted that in the first benediction of the Sh’moneh Esreh, although there is no reference to G-d as the Sovereign of the universe, the expression “G-d of Abraham” is deemed equivalent to “King of the universe,” since Abraham was the first to acknowledge His Sovereignty over the whole universe. See my Hebrew commentary, p. 361. and so all the others. The prayer of Aleinu l’shabei’ach [“It is for us to praise the Lord of all things,” a prayer which begins the three special sections of the New Year Additional Service], was designated in the third-person [even though it is not preceded by a benediction in which G-d’s Sovereignty is mentioned], because we mention therein, “And we bend the knee and bow low and offer thanks before the Supreme King of kings.”²⁷¹ prayer is designated in the third person. (Ricanti). See my Hebrew commentary, p. 361. Understand this.