Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 20:10/רמב"ן על שמות כ׳:י׳
אוְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט גֵּר שַׁעַר לְעוֹלָם הוּא גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב שֶׁבָּא לָגוּר בְּשַׁעֲרֵי עִירֵנוּ וְקִבֵּל עָלָיו שֶׁבַע מִצְוֹת בְּנֵי נֹחַ, וְהוּא הַנִּקְרָא "גֵּר אוֹכֵל נְבֵלוֹת" (ע"ז סד:) שֶׁאָמַר בּוֹ הַכָּתוּב (דברים יד כא) "לַגֵּר אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ תִּתְּנֶנָּה וַאֲכָלָהּ". וְלָכֵן לֹא הָיְתָה בּוֹ הַמִּצְוָה שֶׁיֹּאמַר לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה בּוֹ מְלָאכָה הָאֶזְרָח וְהַגֵּר, אֲבָל לָנוּ יְצַוֶּה שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֶׂה מְלָאכָה לְצָרְכֵנוּ כַּקְּטַנִּים וְהַבְּהֵמָה, וְהוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ אֵין עָלָיו זֹאת הַמִּצְוָה, וְעֹשֶׂה מְלָאכָה לְעַצְמוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת. וְהַכָּתוּב שֶׁאָמַר (שמות כ"ג:י"ב) "וְיִנָּפֵשׁ בֶּן אֲמָתְךָ וְהַגֵּר", הוּא גֵּר צֶדֶק שֶׁנִּתְיַהֵד וְחָזַר לְתוֹרָתֵנוּ, שֶׁצִּוָּה אוֹתוֹ בַּשַּׁבָּת וְכֵן בְּכָל שְׁאָר הַמִּצְוֹת כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר "תּוֹרָה אַחַת וּמִשְׁפָּט אֶחָד יִהְיֶה לָכֶם וְלַגֵּר הַגָּר אִתְּכֶם" (במדבר טו טז), "וְלַגֵּר וּלְאֶזְרַח הָאָרֶץ" (שם ט יד):
אֲבָל מָצָאנוּ לְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ (במכילתא כאן) שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ בְּהֶפֶךְ, אָמְרוּ כִּי "וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ" עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט הוּא גֵּר צֶדֶק, וְהוּא חַיָּב כָּמוֹנוּ בַּשְּׁבִיתָה, "וְיִנָּפֵשׁ בֶּן אֲמָתְךָ וְהַגֵּר" (שמות כ"ג:י"ב) לְרַבּוֹת גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב הֶעָרֵל. וּרְצוֹנָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַמֻּזְהָר תְּחִלָּה הַגֵּר הַנִּמּוֹל שֶׁחַיָּב כָּמוֹנוּ, וְהַכָּתוּב הַשֵּׁנִי לְרַבּוֹת הֶעָרֵל. וּלְפִיכָךְ הֻקַּשׁ לַבְּהֵמָה, שֶׁאָמַר (שם) "לְמַעַן יָנוּחַ שׁוֹרְךָ וַחֲמֹרֶךָ וְיִנָּפֵשׁ בֶּן אֲמָתְךָ וְהַגֵּר", צִוָּנוּ בִּשְׁבִיתַת כֻּלָּם בְּשָׁוֶה, שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשׂוּ לָנוּ, וְיַעֲשׂוּ כִּרְצוֹנָם לְעַצְמָם, וְכֵן יִהְיוּ הָעֶבֶד וְהַגֵּר הַנִּזְכָּרִים בַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת שָׁוִים, וְחַיָּבִים בְּכָל דִּין הַשַּׁבָּת כָּמוֹנוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (דברים ה יד) "לְמַעַן יָנוּחַ עַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתְךָ כָּמוֹךָ":
אֲבָל מָצָאנוּ לְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ (במכילתא כאן) שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ בְּהֶפֶךְ, אָמְרוּ כִּי "וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ" עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט הוּא גֵּר צֶדֶק, וְהוּא חַיָּב כָּמוֹנוּ בַּשְּׁבִיתָה, "וְיִנָּפֵשׁ בֶּן אֲמָתְךָ וְהַגֵּר" (שמות כ"ג:י"ב) לְרַבּוֹת גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב הֶעָרֵל. וּרְצוֹנָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַמֻּזְהָר תְּחִלָּה הַגֵּר הַנִּמּוֹל שֶׁחַיָּב כָּמוֹנוּ, וְהַכָּתוּב הַשֵּׁנִי לְרַבּוֹת הֶעָרֵל. וּלְפִיכָךְ הֻקַּשׁ לַבְּהֵמָה, שֶׁאָמַר (שם) "לְמַעַן יָנוּחַ שׁוֹרְךָ וַחֲמֹרֶךָ וְיִנָּפֵשׁ בֶּן אֲמָתְךָ וְהַגֵּר", צִוָּנוּ בִּשְׁבִיתַת כֻּלָּם בְּשָׁוֶה, שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשׂוּ לָנוּ, וְיַעֲשׂוּ כִּרְצוֹנָם לְעַצְמָם, וְכֵן יִהְיוּ הָעֶבֶד וְהַגֵּר הַנִּזְכָּרִים בַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת שָׁוִים, וְחַיָּבִים בְּכָל דִּין הַשַּׁבָּת כָּמוֹנוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (דברים ה יד) "לְמַעַן יָנוּחַ עַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתְךָ כָּמוֹךָ":
1NOR THY STRANGER THAT IS WITHIN THY GATES. In line with the plain meaning of Scripture, “the stranger of the gate” is always the geir toshav,460 are described here in the text. who came to dwell in “the gates of our cities” and has taken upon himself the Seven Laws of the Noachides.461 It is he who is called “the stranger who eats the unlawfully-slaughtered animal,” of whom Scripture says, thou mayest give it to the stranger that is within thy gates, that he may eat it.462 Therefore, the commandment [prohibiting work on the Sabbath] was not directed to him so that Scripture would be saying: “Do not do any work on it, the home-born or the stranger.” Instead, it is we who are commanded that he do no work for our benefit, just as [we are commanded about] our minors and the cattle, but this commandment is not incumbent upon him and he may do work for himself on the Sabbath. The verse which states, so that the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may rest,463 speaks of the righteous proselyte who has become Jewish and embraced our Torah, which has commanded him concerning the Sabbath and all the rest of the commandments as well, as He has said, One law and one ordinance shall be both for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you;464 both for the stranger, and for him that is born in the land.465, 9:14.However, we have found in the words of our Rabbis that they have interpreted it in the opposite manner. Thus they have said466 that by way of the plain meaning of Scripture, thy stranger that is within thy gates means the righteous proselyte, and ceasing from work [on the Sabbath] is incumbent upon him as it is upon us. The verse, so that the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may rest,463 includes the uncircumcised geir toshav.460 are described here in the text. The Rabbis’ intent in so explaining the verses is that first, [i.e., right here in the Ten Commandments], “the stranger” warned is the proselyte who has been circumcised, who is obligated in the observance of the Sabbath as we are. The second verse — [further, 23:12] — includes the uncircumcised [geir toshav]. Therefore, he is likened there to the cattle, as the verse says, that thine ox and thine ass may have rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may rest.463 Thus He commanded us concerning the resting of all of them alike that they should not work for us, but they may do [work] for themselves if they so wish. Similarly, the servant and the stranger mentioned in the Ten Commandments are alike, being obligated in the observance of all laws of the Sabbath as we are, even as He has said, that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.458