Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 23:33/רמב"ן על שמות כ״ג:ל״ג

אכִּי תַעֲבֹד אֶת אֱלֹהֵיהֶם כִּי יִהְיֶה לְךָ לְמוֹקֵשׁ אֵלּוּ "כִּי" מְשַׁמְּשִׁין בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר, וְכֵן בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת, וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן "אִי" שֶׁהוּא אֶחָד מֵד' לְשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁהַ"כִּי" מְשַׁמֵּשׁ, שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת, וְזֶהוּ אִם מַשְׁמַע בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר וְכוּ', לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות כ"ג:ל"ג). וְאֵינוֹ כֵן. אֲבָל שִׁעוּר הַכָּתוּב, לֹא יֵשְׁבוּ בְּאַרְצְךָ כִּי יִהְיֶה לְךָ לְמוֹקֵשׁ פֶּן יַחֲטִיאוּ אֹתְךָ לִי כִּי תַעֲבֹד אֶת אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, וְכֵן אָמַר (שמות כ"ג:ל"ג) "פֶּן תִּכְרֹת בְּרִית לְיוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ פֶּן יִהְיֶה לְמוֹקֵשׁ בְּקִרְבֶּךָ", וְהַטַּעַם, כִּי יְשִׁיבָתָם בְּאַרְצְךָ יִהְיֶה לְךָ לְמוֹקֵשׁ וּלְמִכְשׁוֹל פֶּן יַחֲטִיאוּ אֹתְךָ לִי בְּדַרְכֵיהֶם הָרָעִים וּבַעֲלִילוֹתָם הַנִּשְׁחָתוֹת, כִּי תַעֲבֹד אֶת אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, כִּי יְפַתּוּךְ וְיַשִּׁיאוּךְ בְּכָךְ:

1KI’ (FOR) THOU WILT SERVE THEIR GODS, ‘KI’ (FOR) THEY WILL BE A SNARE UNTO THEE. “Both words ki here have the meaning of asher (that),⁴⁶¹ as meaning “for,” as explained further on. — The J.P.S. translation using the words “for” follows thus Ramban’s interpretation. and we find this in many places. This is the meaning of the [Aramaic word] ie which is one of the four usages of the word ki as we find in many places,⁴⁶² and this [Aramaic word ie is the Hebrew] im which in many verses has the meaning of asher (that), etc.” Thus far is Rashi’s language. But it is not so.⁴⁶³ would mean “when that,” and the second ki would mean only “that” — thus: “lest they make you sin against Me when that you serve their gods that will be a snare against you” (Mizrachi). The two identical Hebrew words thus have different meanings in the same verse. Instead, the meaning of the verse is: “They shall not dwell in thy land for they will be a snare unto thee lest they make thee sin against Me, for you will serve their gods.” Similarly He said, Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest they be a snare in the midst of thee.⁴⁶⁴ The meaning of this verse is that their dwelling in your land will be a snare unto you and a source of stumbling, lest they make you sin against Me through their evil ways and their corrupt doings, for you will serve their gods when they will persuade and beguile you to do so.