Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 23:13/רמב"ן על שמות כ״ג:י״ג

אוּבְכֹל אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם תִּשָּׁמֵרוּ פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות כ"ג:י"ג) לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה בְּאַזְהָרָה, שֶׁכָּל שְׁמִירָה שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה אַזְהָרָה הִיא בִּמְקוֹם לָאו. וּלְפִי דְּבָרָיו יִצְטָרֵךְ הָרַב לוֹמַר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָאו שֶׁבַּכְּלָלוֹת, שֶׁאִם לֹא כֵן הָיוּ לוֹקִין עַל כָּל עֲשֵׂה וַעֲשֵׂה שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, אֲבָל בָּזֶה הַלָּאו שֶׁיִּכְלֹל דְּבָרִים רַבִּים וְלֹא יַזְכִּיר שֵׁם הָעֲבֵרָה כְּלָל הַכֹּל מוֹדִים שֶׁאֵין לוֹקִין בּוֹ. אֲבָל כְּבָר אָמְרוּ הִשָּׁמֶר דַּעֲשֵׂה עֲשֵׂה (עירובין צו.), וְא"כ לֹא הוֹסִיף בְּכָאן אֶלָּא עֲשֵׂה. וּבַמְּכִילְתָּא (כאן) נֶחְלְקוּ בְּמִקְרָא זֶה וּדְרָשׁוּהוּ בְּפָנִים רַבִּים: וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט טַעְמוֹ בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם מֵאֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים תִּשְׁמְרוּ, כִּי הַכָּתוּב נִקְשַׁר בְּסוֹפוֹ, יֹאמַר, מִכָּל הָאַזְהָרוֹת הָרַבּוֹת אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם מֵאֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים תִּשְׁמְרוּ מְאֹד שֶׁלֹּא תַעַבְדוּם וְלֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לָהֶם, וְתַחְרִימוּ הַזּוֹבֵחַ לָהֶם, וְלֹא תַּעֲשׂוּ פֶּסֶל וְכָל תְּמוּנָה, וְעוֹד תִּשָּׁמְרוּ שֶׁלֹּא תַּזְכִּירוּ שֵׁם אֱלֹהוּתָם, לְהַזְכִּיר "כְּמוֹשׁ אֱלֹהֵי מוֹאָב", "מִלְכֹּם אֱלֹהֵי בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן" (מלכים א י"א:ל"ג), "אֲשִׁימָא אֱלֹהֵי חֲמָת" (שם ב יז ל), לֹא יִשָּׁמַע עַל פִּיךָ שְׁמָם אֲפִלּוּ בְּלֹא זֵכֶר אֱלֹהוּת, לְהַזְכִּיר מִלְכֹּם וַאֲשִׁימָא כְּלָל, אֲבָל תְּכַנֶּה אוֹתָם לִגְנַאי, "שִׁקּוּץ מוֹאָב" (שם א יא ז), "תּוֹעֲבַת בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן" (שם ב כג יג), אוֹ לֹא יִשָּׁמַע בְּפִי עוֹבְדָיו עַל דְּבָרְךָ, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (סנהדרין סג:) שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֶׂה שֻׁתָּפוּת עִם הַגּוֹי וְיִשָּׁבַע לוֹ בַּע"ז שֶׁלּוֹ:
וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה "לֹא תַזְכִּירוּ" יוֹצֵא, שֶׁלֹּא תַּזְכִּיר אוֹתוֹ לְעוֹבְדָיו לֵאמֹר, בֵּאלֹהֶיךָ, עֲשֵׂה עִמִּי חֶסֶד, וְ"לֹא יִשָּׁמַע עַל פִּיךָ" זֵכֶר שְׁמוֹ כְּלָל, וְהוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּסֵפֶר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (כג ז) "וּבְשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם לֹא תַזְכִּירוּ וְלֹא תַשְׁבִּיעוּ וְלֹא תַעַבְדוּם". הוֹסִיף שָׁם לְבָאֵר כִּי הָאַזְהָרָה שֶׁלֹּא יַזְכִּיר אוֹ יַשְׁבִּיעַ שׁוּם אָדָם בֵּאלֹהֵי הַנֵּכָר:

1AND IN ALL THINGS THAT I HAVE SAID UNTO YOU TAKE YE HEED. Rashi explained: “This verse is intended to bring every positive commandment also under the term of a prohibition,³⁶⁷ on the festival of Succoth] he has also violated thereby a negative commandment as expressed in the verse before us. for wherever the term shmirah (taking heed) or shvithah³⁶⁸” is not found in our Rashi. And correctly so, for the term shvithah can indicate a positive commandment, such as: and on the seventh day ‘tishboth’ (thou shalt rest) — Verse 12. is used in the Torah, it signifies an admonition in the place of an express prohibition.”Now according to his explanation, Rashi will have to say that this verse is a lav sh’bichlaluth [a negative admonition expressed in general terms, so that violation of any or all of the prohibitions included under it does not render one liable to punishment].³⁶⁹ For if that were not so, the court would have to administer whipping to anyone who fails to fulfill any of the positive commandments of the Torah; but in such a prohibition which includes many matters without mentioning specifically any particular transgression, everyone would agree that no whipping is incurred on account of its breach. But [if so, there is the following difficulty with Rashi’s explanation]: the Rabbis have already said³⁷⁰ that the term hishamer (take heed) used in connection with a positive commandment, carries the force of an additional positive commandment; in that case, He has added here [not a negative commandment as Rashi has it], but a mere positive one [since the statement, and in all things that I have said unto you ‘tishameru’ (take ye heed), refers to the positive commandments mentioned in the preceding Verses 10-12]! In the Mechilta the Sages differed as to the explanation of this verse and interpreted it in many ways.In accordance with the plain meaning of Scripture, the explanation of the verse is: “and in all things that I have said unto you concerning other gods take ye heed,” for the verse is to be connected with its continuation, [which states: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth]. Thus He is stating: Of all the many admonitions that I have said to you concerning other gods, take great heed; do not worship them, nor bow down to them, condemn to death anyone who sacrifices to them, and make no graven image, nor any manner of likeness. Moreover, take heed not to mention the name of their gods, such as Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milkom the god of the children of Ammon,³⁷¹ and Ashima the god of Hamath.³⁷² Neither let there be heard out of thy mouth their name, even without the epithet of deity, such as merely mentioning Milkom or Ashima; instead you are to mention them in a manner of condemnation: “the abhorrent thing of Moab,” “the abomination of the children of Ammon.” Or, the expression lo yishama (neither let there be heard), means: let it not be heard from its worshipper through your dealings with him, similarly to that which our Rabbis have said,³⁷³ that one should not make a business—partnership with an idolator, for it might lead to him swearing by his deity.It is possible that lo tazkiru (make no mention) is transitive, meaning: do not mention the name of other gods to their worshippers, such as saying, “By your god! deal kindly with me.” Neither let there be heard out of thy mouth the mention of his name at all. It is this which is said in the Book of Joshua, Neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, nor serve them.³⁷⁴ He added prohibitions in that verse, in order to explain that the admonition here covers not mentioning or causing anyone whomsoever to swear by the foreign gods.