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Ramban on Exodus 22:19/רמב"ן על שמות כ״ב:י״ט

אזֹבֵחַ לָאֱלֹהִים יָחֳרָם לַעַ"ז. וְהוּא נָקוּד פַּתָּח, כְּלוֹמַר לְאוֹתָן הָאֱלֹהִים שֶׁהֻזְהַרְתֶּם עֲלֵיהֶם בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, זֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות כ"ב:י"ט). וְר"א פֵּרֵשׁ שֶׁעַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט אֵינֶנּוּ מְדַבֵּר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁכְּבָר הִזְהִיר עַל ע"ז בַּדִּבּוּר הַשֵּׁנִי, רַק בַּעֲבוּר הַגֵּר הַכָּתוּב אַחֲרָיו, כִּי עַל תְּנַאי זֶה יָגוּר בְּאַרְצֵנוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִזְבַּח לֵאלֹהָיו כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה. וְהֶבֶל יִפְצֶה פִּיהוּ, כִּי בַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת הִזְהִיר עַל ע"ז בְּלָאו, וְכָאן מְפָרֵשׁ הָעֹנֶשׁ וְהַמִּשְׁפָּט שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה בּוֹ, כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בְּלֹא תִּרְצָח וְלֹא תִּנְאָף, כִּי אֵלֶּה הֵם הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר יָשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם. וְהִנֵּה חִיֵּב אוֹתוֹ מִיתָה, כִּי יָחֳרַם - מִיתַת ב"ד, וְכֵן "כָּל חֵרֶם אֲשֶׁר יָחֳרַם מִן הָאָדָם לֹא יִפָּדֶה מוֹת יוּמָת" (ויקרא כז כט). וְאָמַר יָחֳרָם, כִּי מִפְּנֵי אֲשֶׁר זָבַח לְחֵרֶם יִהְיֶה חַיָּב שֶׁיָּחֳרַם, כְּעִנְיַן "וְהָיִיתָ חֵרֶם כָּמֹהוּ שַׁקֵּץ תְּשַׁקְּצֶנּוּ וְתַעֵב תְּתַעֲבֶנּוּ כִּי חֵרֶם הוּא" (דברים ז כו). וְיִתָּכֵן כִּי יִכְלֹל הַכָּתוּב הַזּוֹבֵחַ גַּם הַזֶּבַח שֶׁהַכֹּל יִהְיֶה לְחֵרֶם, לִרְמֹז שֶׁהוּא אָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה:
וְהִזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב זְבִיחָה וְהוּא הַדִּין לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה וּלְכָל עֲבוֹדַת פְּנִים, אֲבָל שְׁאָר עֲבוֹדוֹת כְּגוֹן הַמְכַבֵּד וְהַמְרַבֵּץ וְהַמְגַפֵּף וְהַמְנַשֵּׁק אֵינוֹ בְּמִיתָה בְּשֶׁלֹּא כְּדַרְכָּהּ, אֲבָל כְּדֶרֶךְ עֲבוֹדָה בְּכָל עִנְיָן הוּא מִתְחַיֵּב וַאֲפִילּוּ פּוֹעֵר עַצְמוֹ לִפְעוֹר: וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּמִלַּת לָאֱלֹהִים בְּפַתְחוּת הַלָּמֶ"ד שֶׁהֵם מַלְאֲכֵי מַעְלָה, וְנִקְרְאוּ "אֱלֹהִים" בְּהַרְבֵּה מְקוֹמוֹת בַּכָּתוּב "אֵין כָּמוֹךָ בָאֱלֹהִים ה'" (תהלים פו ח), "הוּא אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים וַאֲדֹנֵי הָאֲדֹנִים" (דברים י יז), "הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ כָּל אֱלֹהִים" (תהלים צז ז), וְיִקָּרְאוּ גַּם כֵּן "אֵלִים" כַּאֲשֶׁר הִזְכַּרְתִּי כְּבָר (רמב"ן על שמות ט"ו:י"א). וְאָמַר "בִּלְתִּי לַה' לְבַדּוֹ", בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהַזּוֹבְחִים לְמַלְאָכָיו יַחְשְׁבוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת חֶפְצוֹ, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הֵם אֶמְצָעִים לְהָפִיק לָהֶם רָצוֹן מֵאִתּוֹ, וּכְאִלּוּ הַזְּבָחִים לָאֵל וְלִמְשָׁרְתָיו, עַל כֵּן אָמַר "בִּלְתִּי לַה' לְבַדּוֹ": וְיֵשׁ בְּכָאן עוֹד בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה סוֹד עָמֹק, יוּבַן מִמֶּנּוּ עִנְיַן הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, וְיָכוֹל הַמַּשְׂכִּיל לְדַעְתּוֹ מִמַּה שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (רמב"ן על שמות ה':ג'), וְאוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על שמות כ"ב:י"ט) רָמַז לוֹ בְּכָאן, וְעוֹד נִרְמְזֶנּוּ אֲנַחְנוּ בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (ויקרא א ט) בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ לָעַד וְלָנֶצַח:

1HE THAT SACRIFICETH ‘LO’ELOHIM YOCHARAM’ (SHALL BE UTTERLY DESTROYED). “Lo’elohim means to the idols, for since the word is voweled with a patach,²⁸⁰ and kamatz are in this sense alike, as both indicate the definite article — “those gods which in another place you have been forbidden to worship.” The word lo’elohim is voweled with a kamatz. it means those gods which in another place you have been warned not to worship.” This is Rashi’s language. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that in accordance with the plain meaning of Scripture, this command is not directed to Israel, as they had already been warned in the second of the Ten Commandments against the worship of idols. Instead it was said to “the stranger” mentioned in the following verse, that he may live in our land only on condition that he should not sacrifice to his gods as he was wont to do. — But he [i.e., Ibn Ezra] openeth his mouth in vanity.²⁸¹ For in the Ten Commandments He warned against idolatry by a prohibition, and here He explained the punishment and the law that we are to apply to he who transgresses that commandment, just as He did in the case of Thou shalt not murder; Thou shalt not commit adultery,²⁸² for these are the ordinances which He set before them [with respect to these commandments].²⁸³ Thus He is hereby declaring that one who sacrifices to idols is guilty of death, for the term yocharam means death by the court. Similarly we find, All ‘cheirem’ that may be ‘yocharam’ of men may not be ransomed; he shall surely be put to death.²⁸⁴ signifies death by the court. He uses the term yocharam [of the root cheirem — unlawful, anathema], because he who sacrifices to that which is anathema, deserves destruction, similar to that which is said in the verse, And thou shalt not bring an abomination into thy house, and be ‘cheirem’ (accursed) like unto it; thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is an accursed thing.²⁸⁵It is possible that the verse includes the slaughterer and the animal slaughtered, to tell us that they both go to cheirem (destruction), thus hinting that it is forbidden to derive any benefit from that which has been offered to the idols. It mentioned sacrificing, but the same law applies to bowing down before the idol, and to all other acts of worship performed in the Sanctuary,²⁸⁶ but other acts of worship — such as sweeping it, or besprinkling it, or putting his arms around it, or kissing it — are not punishable by death, provided that the idol is not usually worshipped in that manner, but if it is the customary way of worshipping it, he is liable to death under all circumstances, even if excreting to Baal Peor.The correct interpretation of the term lo’elohim with the lamed voweled with a patach, [or a kamatz as in this instance], is that it refers to the angels of above who are called elohim in many places of Scripture, as it is written: There is none like unto Thee among ‘elohim,’ O Eternal;²⁸⁷ He is G-d of ‘elohim’ and Lord of lords;²⁸⁸ Bow down to him, all ye ‘elohim.’²⁸⁹ They are also called eilim (the mighty ones),²⁹⁰ as I have already mentioned.²⁹⁰ And He said here, save unto the Eternal only, because those who sacrifice to His angels think that thereby they do His will, and that the angels will be the intermediaries to obtain His favor for them, and that it is as if they sacrifice to G-d and His ministers; therefore He said [that sacrifices must not be brought] save unto the Eternal only.²⁹¹ Inherent in this interpretation is also a profound secret, from which one can understand the concept of offerings, and the student learned in the secrets of the Cabala can understand it from that which we have written elsewhere.²⁹² 5:3. and Seder Yithro 18:13. Onkelos hinted at it here.²⁹³ Eternal only.” With this translation Onkelos indicated that the intention of the sacrifice is to the proper Name of G-d (Abusaulah, and Ma’or V’shamesh). We shall yet allude to it in Torath Kohanim²⁹⁴ see Seder Yithro Note 590. with the help of G-d, may His Name forever be blessed to all eternity.