Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 22:20/רמב"ן על שמות כ״ב:כ׳
אכִּי גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם לֹא הֻכְשְׁרוּ כָּל הַגֵּרִים בַּעֲבוּר הֱיוֹתֵנוּ גֵּרִים בְּאֶרֶץ זְמַן, וְאֵין טַעַם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מֻבְטָחִים לְעוֹלָם בַּעֲבוּר כֵּן. וּפֵרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י כִּי הוּא טַעַם לְלֹא תּוֹנוּ אוֹתוֹ, יַזְהִיר שֶׁלֹּא תּוֹנֶה אוֹתוֹ בְּהוֹנָאַת דְּבָרִים, שֶׁאִם הוֹנִיתוֹ אַף הוּא יָכֹל לְהוֹנוֹתְךָ וְלוֹמַר לְךָ אַף אַתָּה מִגֵּרִים בָּאתָ, מוּם שֶׁבְּךָ אַל תֹּאמַר לַחֲבֵרְךָ. ור"א אָמַר (אבן עזרא על שמות כ"ב:כ') זְכֹר כִּי גֵּרִים הֱיִיתֶם כָּמוֹהוּ. וְאֵין בְּכָל זֶה טַעַם כְּעִקָּר: וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי כִּי יֹאמַר, לֹא תּוֹנֶה גֵּר וְלֹא תִּלְחָצֶנּוּ וְתַחְשֹׁב שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מַצִּיל מִיָּדְךָ, כִּי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ שֶׁהֱיִיתֶם גֵּרִים בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְרָאִיתִי אֶת הַלַּחַץ אֲשֶׁר מִצְרַיִם לֹחֲצִים אֶתְכֶם וְעָשִׂיתִי בָּהֶם נְקָמָה, כִּי אֲנִי רוֹאֶה דִּמְעַת הָעֲשׁוּקִים אֲשֶׁר אֵין לָהֶם מְנַחֵם וּמִיַּד עֹשְׁקֵיהֶם כֹּחַ, וַאֲנִי מַצִּיל כָּל אָדָם מִיַּד חָזָק מִמֶּנּוּ, וְכֵן הָאַלְמָנָה וְהַיָּתוֹם לֹא תְּעַנּוּ כִּי אֶשְׁמַע צַעֲקָתָם, שֶׁכָּל אֵלֶּה אֵינָם בּוֹטְחִים בְּנַפְשָׁם, וְעָלַי יִבְטְחוּ: וּבַפָּסוּק הָאַחֵר הוֹסִיף טַעַם, "וְאַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּם אֶת נֶפֶשׁ הַגֵּר כִּי גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם" (שמות כ"ג:ט'). כְּלוֹמַר, יְדַעְתֶּם כִּי כָל גֵּר נַפְשׁוֹ שְׁפָלָה עָלָיו וְהוּא נֶאֱנָח וְצוֹעֵק וְעֵינָיו תָּמִיד אֶל ה' וִירַחֵם עָלָיו כַּאֲשֶׁר רִחֵם עֲלֵיכֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמות ב':כ"ג) "וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הָעֲבֹדָה וַיִּצְעָקוּ וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים מִן הָעֲבֹדָה". כְּלוֹמַר לֹא בִּזְכוּתָם רַק שֶׁרִחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה:
1AND A STRANGER SHALT THOU NOT WRONG, NEITHER SHALT THOU OPPRESS HIM; FOR YE WERE STRANGERS IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. There is no reason why all strangers [from countries outside the land of Egypt] should be included here because of our having been strangers in the land of Egypt! And there is no reason why they be assured for ever against being wronged or oppressed because we were once strangers there! Now Rashi explained that this is a reason for the prohibition against annoying a stranger. G-d warned against vexing him with words, for “if you vex him he can also vex you, by saying to you, “You also descend from strangers.’ Do not reproach your fellow man with a fault which is also in you.” Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained the verses: “Remember that ye were strangers as he is now.” But there is in all these comments no real reason for the law.The correct interpretation appears to me to be that He is saying: “Do not wrong a stranger or oppress him, thinking as you might that none can deliver him out of your hand; for you know that you were strangers in the land of Egypt and I saw the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppressed295 you, and I avenged your cause on them, because I behold the tears of such who are oppressed and have no comforter, and on the side of their oppressors there is power,296 and I deliver each one from him that is too strong for him.297 Likewise you shall not afflict the widow and the fatherless child,298 for I will hear their cry,299 for all these people do not rely upon themselves but trust in Me.” And in another verse He added this reason: for ye know the soul of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.300 That is to say, you know that every stranger feels depressed, and is always sighing and crying, and his eyes are always directed towards G-d, therefore He will have mercy upon him even as He showed mercy to you, just as it is written, and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto G-d by reason of the bondage,301 meaning that He had mercy on them not because of their merits, but only an account of the bondage [and likewise He has mercy on all who are oppressed].