Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 21:30/רמב"ן על שמות כ״א:ל׳

אאִם כֹּפֶר יוּשַׁת עָלָיו בַּעֲבוּר הֱיוֹת הַכֹּפֶר כַּפָּרָה כְּעִנְיַן הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, וְאִם הוּא אֵינוֹ חָפֵץ בָּהּ אֵין מַכְרִיחִים אוֹתוֹ לָבֹא לב"ד לְחַיְּבוֹ בְּכָךְ, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם חִיְּבוּהוּ אֵין מְמַשְׁכְּנִין אוֹתוֹ, בַּעֲבוּר זֶה אָמַר "אִם":

1IF THERE BE LAID ON HIM A RANSOM, THEN HE SHALL GIVE FOR THE REDEMPTION OF HIS LIFE WHATSOEVER IS LAID UPON HIM. Since the redemption is a form of atonement¹⁷⁸ as are the offerings, and if the owner does not desire it we cannot force him to come before the court to impose the ransom on him, and even if the court ordered him to pay it, we cannot seize his goods as security, therefore He said: “if.”