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Ramban on Exodus 25:1/רמב"ן על שמות כ״ה:א׳

אכַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר הַשֵּׁם עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל פָּנִים בְּפָנִים עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, וְצִוָּה אוֹתָם עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה קְצָת מִצְוֹת שֶׁהֵם כְּמוֹ אָבוֹת לְמִצְווֹתֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר הִנְהִיגוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ עִם הַגֵּרִים שֶׁבָּאִים לְהִתְיַהֵד (יבמות מז:), וְיִשְׂרָאֵל קִבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל מַה שֶׁיְּצַוֵּם עַל יָדוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, וְכָרַת עִמָּהֶם בְּרִית עַל כָּל זֶה, מֵעַתָּה הִנֵּה הֵם לוֹ לְעָם וְהוּא לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים כַּאֲשֶׁר הִתְנָה עִמָּהֶם מִתְּחִלָּה "וְעַתָּה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּקֹלִי וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת בְּרִיתִי וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה" (שמות י"ט:ה'), וְאָמַר "וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ" (שם יט ו), וְהִנֵּה הֵם קְדוֹשִׁים רְאוּיִים שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בָּהֶם מִקְדָּשׁ לְהַשְׁרוֹת שְׁכִינָתוֹ בֵּינֵיהֶם. וְלָכֵן צִוָּה תְּחִלָּה עַל דְּבַר הַמִּשְׁכָּן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ בַּיִת בְּתוֹכָם מְקֻדָּשׁ לִשְׁמוֹ, וְשָׁם יְדַבֵּר עִם מֹשֶׁה וִיצַוֶּה אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
וְהִנֵּה עִקַּר הַחֵפֶץ בַּמִּשְׁכָּן הוּא מְקוֹם מְנוּחַת הַשְּׁכִינָה שֶׁהוּא הָאָרוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (שמות כ"ה:כ"ב) "וְנוֹעַדְתִּי לְךָ שָׁם וְדִבַּרְתִּי אִתְּךָ מֵעַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת", עַל כֵּן הִקְדִּים הָאָרוֹן וְהַכַּפֹּרֶת בְּכָאן כִּי הוּא מֻקְדָּם בְּמַעֲלָה, וְסָמַךְ לָאָרוֹן הַשֻּׁלְחָן וְהַמְּנוֹרָה שֶׁהֵם כֵּלִים כָּמוֹהוּ, וְיוֹרוּ עַל עִנְיַן הַמִּשְׁכָּן שֶׁבַּעֲבוּרָם נַעֲשָׂה. אֲבָל מֹשֶׁה הִקְדִּים בְּפָרָשַׁת וַיַּקְהֵל אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶת אָהֳלוֹ וְאֶת מִכְסֵהוּ (שמות ל"ה:י"א), וְכֵן עָשָׂה בְּצַלְאֵל (שמות ל"ו:ח'), לְפִי שֶׁהוּא הָרָאוּי לִקְדֹּם בַּמַּעֲשֶׂה: וְסוֹד הַמִּשְׁכָּן הוּא, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַכָּבוֹד אֲשֶׁר שָׁכַן עַל הַר סִינַי שׁוֹכֵן עָלָיו בְּנִסְתָּר, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שָׁם (שמות כ"ד:ט"ז) "וַיִּשְׁכֹּן כְּבוֹד ה' עַל הַר סִינַי", וּכְתִיב (דברים ה כא) "הֵן הֶרְאָנוּ ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֶת כְּבֹדוֹ וְאֶת גָּדְלוֹ", כֵּן כָּתוּב בַּמִּשְׁכָּן "וּכְבוֹד ה' מָלֵא אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן" (שמות מ':ל"ד). וְהִזְכִּיר בַּמִּשְׁכָּן שְׁנֵי פְּעָמִים "וּכְבוֹד ה' מָלֵא אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן", כְּנֶגֶד "אֶת כְּבֹדוֹ וְאֶת גָּדְלוֹ"; וְהָיָה בַּמִּשְׁכָּן תָּמִיד עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל הַכָּבוֹד שֶׁנִּרְאָה לָהֶם בְּהַר סִינַי. וּבְבֹא מֹשֶׁה (שמות ל"ד:ל"ד) הָיָה אֵלָיו הַדִּבּוּר אֲשֶׁר נִדְבַּר לוֹ בְּהַר סִינַי. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה (דברים ד לו) "מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמִיעֲךָ אֶת קֹלוֹ לְיַסְּרֶךָּ וְעַל הָאָרֶץ הֶרְאֲךָ אֶת אִשּׁוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה", כָּךְ בַּמִּשְׁכָּן כְּתִיב (במדבר ז פט) "וַיִּשְׁמַע אֶת הַקּוֹל מִדַּבֵּר אֵלָיו מֵעַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת מִבֵּין שְׁנֵי הַכְּרֻבִים וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו":
וְנִכְפַּל "וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו" לְהַגִּיד מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּקַּבָּלָה שֶׁהָיָה הַקּוֹל בָּא מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶל מֹשֶׁה מֵעַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת וּמִשָּׁם מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, כִּי כָּל דִּבּוּר עִם מֹשֶׁה הָיָה מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם בַּיּוֹם וְנִשְׁמַע מִבֵּין שְׁנֵי הַכְּרוּבִים, כְּדֶרֶךְ וּדְבָרָיו שָׁמַעְתָּ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ (דברים ד לו), וְעַל כֵּן הָיוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם זָהָב. וְכֵן אָמַר הַכָּתוּב (להלן כט מב מג) "אֲשֶׁר אִוָּעֵד לָכֶם שָׁמָּה לְדַבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ שָׁם וְנִקְדַּשׁ בִּכְבוֹדִי", כִּי שָׁם יִהְיֶה בֵּית מוֹעֵד לַדִּבּוּר וְנִקְדַּשׁ בִּכְבוֹדִי: וְהַמִּסְתַּכֵּל יָפֶה בַּכְּתוּבִים הַנֶּאֱמָרִים בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה וּמֵבִין מַה שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בָּהֶם (עי' להלן פסוק כא) יָבִין סוֹד הַמִּשְׁכָּן וּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְיוּכַל לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בּוֹ מִמַּה שֶׁאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה בְּחָכְמָתוֹ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, "ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (מלכים א ח':כ"ג) כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר בְּהַר סִינַי "וַיִּרְאוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (שמות כ"ד:י'), וְהוֹסִיף שָׁם לְפָרֵשׁ "ה'" לָעִנְיָן שֶׁרָמַזְנוּ שָׁם לְמַעְלָה כִּי אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יֹשֵׁב הַכְּרֻבִים (מלכים א ח כג), כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר "וּכְבוֹד אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲלֵיהֶם מִלְמָעְלָה הִיא הַחַיָּה אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי תַּחַת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּנְהַר כְּבָר וָאֵדַע כִּי כְרוּבִים הֵמָּה" (יחזקאל י יט כ), וְאָמַר דָּוִד "וּלְתַבְנִית הַמֶּרְכָּבָה הַכְּרֻבִים זָהָב לְפֹרְשִׂים וְסֹכְכִים עַל אֲרוֹן בְּרִית ה'" (דהי"א כח יח), וְכֵן יַזְכִּיר תָּמִיד בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ "לְשֵׁם ה'", (מלכים א ה':י"ט), "לִשְׁמֶךָ" (שם ח מד), וְיֹאמַר בְּכָל פַּעַם וּפַעַם "וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם" (שם ח לב), בְּמִדַּת רַחֲמִים, וּכְתִיב (שם ח מד מה) "וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ אֶל ה' דֶּרֶךְ הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתָּ בָּהּ וְהַבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר בָּנִיתִי לִשְׁמֶךָ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ הַשָּׁמַיִם", וּבְבֵאוּר אָמַר "כִּי הַאֻמְנָם יֵשֵׁב אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם עַל הָאָרֶץ הִנֵּה שָׁמַיִם וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם לֹא יְכַלְכְּלוּךָ" (דהי"ב ו יח). וּכְתִיב עַל הָאָרוֹן "לְהַעֲלוֹת מִשָּׁם אֵת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שֵׁם שֵׁם ה' צְבָאוֹת יֹשֵׁב הַכְּרֻבִים עָלָיו" (שמואל ב ו':ב'). וּבְדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים (א יג ו) "לְהַעֲלוֹת מִשָּׁם אֵת אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים ה' יוֹשֵׁב הַכְּרוּבִים אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שֵׁם", כִּי הַשֵּׁם יוֹשֵׁב הַכְּרוּבִים:

1Now that G-d had told Israel face to face¹ the Ten Commandments, and had further commanded them through Moses some of the precepts which are like general principles to the [individual] commandments of the Torah — in the same way that our Rabbis were accustomed to deal with strangers who come to be converted to the Jewish faith² — and now that the Israelites accepted upon themselves to do all that He would command them through Moses and He made a covenant with them concerning all this, from now on they are His people and He is their G-d³ This is in accordance with the condition He made with them at the beginning: Now, therefore, if ye will indeed hearken unto My voice, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be Mine own treasure,⁴ and He said further: and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.⁵, Verse 6. They are now holy, in that they are worthy that there be amongst them a Sanctuary through which He makes His Divine Glory dwell among them. Therefore He first commanded concerning the Tabernacle, so that He have amongst them a house dedicated to His name, from where He would speak with Moses and command the children of Israel. Thus the main purpose of the Tabernacle was to contain a place in which the Divine Glory rests, this being the ark, just as He said, And there will I meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the ark-cover.⁶ Therefore He first gave the commandment about the ark and the ark-cover, for they are first in importance. Next to the ark He gave the commandment about the table and the candelabrum, which are vessels just like the ark, and because they indicate the purpose for which the Tabernacle was made. Moses, however, preceded to mention in the section of Vayakheil: the Tabernacle, its Tent, and its covering,⁷, 35:11. And then in the following verse mentioned: the ark… and in that order Bezalel made them [first the Tabernacle and then the ark],⁸, 36:8-38. 37:1-9. because from the practical end it is proper to build the house first [and then make its vessels].The secret of the Tabernacle is that the Glory which abode upon Mount Sinai [openly] should abide upon it in a concealed manner. For just as it is said there, And the glory of the Eternal abode upon Mount Sinai,⁹ and it is further written, Behold, the Eternal our G-d hath shown us His glory and His greatness,¹⁰ so it is written of the Tabernacle, and the glory of the Eternal filled the Tabernacle.¹¹ Twice is this verse, and the glory of the Eternal filled the Tabernacle¹¹ mentioned in connection with the Tabernacle,¹², and in Verse 35. to correspond with His glory and His greatness.¹⁰ Thus Israel always had with them in the Tabernacle the Glory which appeared to them on Mount Sinai. And when Moses went into the Tabernacle, he would hear the Divine utterance being spoken to him in the same way as on Mount Sinai. Thus just as it is said at the Giving of the Torah: Out of heaven He made thee to hear His voice, that He might instruct thee; and upon earth He made thee to see His great fire,¹³ so it is written of the Tabernacle, and he heard the voice speaking unto him from above the ark-cover…from between the two cherubim; and He spoke unto him.¹⁴ The expression “speaking unto him” is mentioned here twice in order to indicate that which the Rabbis have said in the Tradition¹⁵ that the Voice would come from heaven to Moses from upon the ark-cover, and from there He spoke with him; for every Divine utterance with Moses came from heaven during daytime,¹⁶ and was heard from between the two cherubim,¹⁴ similar to what is said, and thou didst hear His words out of the midst of the fire.¹³ It is for this reason that the two cherubim were made of gold.¹⁷ And Scripture so states: where I will meet with you, to speak there unto thee;¹⁸ and it shall be sanctified by My glory,¹⁹, Verse 43. for there [in the Tabernacle] will be the appointed place for the Divine utterance, and it will be sanctified by My glory.¹⁹, Verse 43.Now he who looks carefully at the verses mentioned at the Giving of the Torah, and understands what we have written about them,²⁰ will perceive the secret of the Tabernacle and the Sanctuary [built later by King Solomon]. He will also be able to understand it from what Solomon in his wisdom said in his prayer in the Sanctuary: O Eternal, the G-d of Israel,²¹ just as is said at Mount Sinai: And they saw the G-d of Israel.²² Solomon however added the Name the Eternal because of a matter which we have alluded to above;²² for the G-d of Israel sitteth upon the cherubim,²³ just as is said: And the glory of the G-d of Israel was over them above. This is the living creature that I saw, under the G-d of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim,²⁴ and David said, and gold for the pattern of the chariot, even the cherubim, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the Eternal.²⁵ Solomon also always mentions that the Sanctuary is to be for the name of the Eternal,²⁶ or for Thy name,²⁷, 8:44. and at each and every section of the prayer he says, then hear Thou in heaven²⁸, Verse 32 etc. — with the attribute of mercy. And it is further written: If Thy people go out to battle against their enemy… and they pray unto the Eternal toward the city which Thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for Thy name, then hear Thou in heaven,²⁹, Verses 44-45. and in explanation Solomon said: But will G-d in very truth dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee.³⁰ And it is written concerning the ark, And David arose… to bring up from thence the ark of G-d, whereupon is called the Name, even the Name of the Eternal of hosts that sitteth upon the cherubim,³¹ and in the Book of Chronicles it is written: to bring up from thence the ark of G-d, the Eternal, Who sitteth upon the cherubim, whereon is called the Name³² — for it is G-d Who sitteth upon the cherubim.