Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 17:11/רמב"ן על שמות י״ז:י״א
אוְכַאֲשֶׁר יָנִיחַ יָדוֹ עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט, כַּאֲשֶׁר הִנִּיחַ יָדוֹ בְּאֹנֶס מִפְּנֵי כֹּבֶד יָדָיו רָאָה שֶׁגָּבַר עֲמָלֵק, וְצִוָּה לְאַהֲרֹן וְחוּר שֶׁיִּתְמְכוּ בָּהֶם וְלֹא יַנִּיחֵם עוֹד. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (ספר הבהיר אות קלח), וְכִי מֹשֶׁה הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה שֶׁיִּגְבַּר עֲמָלֵק עָלָיו, אֶלָּא אָסוּר לְאָדָם לִשְׁהוֹת שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת כַּפָּיו פְּרוּשׂוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם:
1AND WHEN HE LET DOWN HIS HAND, AMALEK PREVAILED. By way of the plain meaning of Scripture, when Moses was compelled to lower his hands because of weariness, he saw that Amalek prevailed. He then commanded Aaron and Hur to support them, and thus he would not lower them again. Our Rabbis have said in the Midrash:463 “Did Moses cause Amalek to prevail over Israel? It was merely because a person is forbidden to tarry three hours with his hands spread heavenward.”464