Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 25:30/רמב"ן על שמות כ״ה:ל׳

אלֶחֶם פָּנִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ פָּנִים רוֹאִים לְכָאן וּלְכָאן לְצִדֵּי הַבַּיִת מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה וְנוֹתֵן אָרְכּוֹ לְרָחְבּוֹ שֶׁל שֻׁלְחָן וְכוֹתָלָיו זְקוּפִין כְּנֶגֶד שְׂפַת הַשֻּׁלְחָן, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות כ"ה:כ"ט). וּלְשׁוֹן הַמִּשְׁנָה (במנחות צו.) בֶּן זוֹמָא אוֹמֵר לֶחֶם פָּנִים, שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ פָּנִים. אֲבָל כָּל זֶה יִהְיֶה לְדִבְרֵי הָאוֹמֵר (שם צד:) כֵּיצַד עוֹשִׂין אוֹתוֹ כְּמִין תֵּבָה פְּרוּצָה, אֲבָל לְדִבְרֵי הָאוֹמֵר (שם) כְּמִין סְפִינָה רוֹקֶדֶת, אֵינוֹ כֵן. וְר"א אָמַר (אבן עזרא על שמות כ"ה:ל') שֶׁנִּקְרָא לֶחֶם פָּנִים בַּעֲבוּר "לְפָנַי תָּמִיד": וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת כִּי תָּבִין מִלַּת "לְפָנַי" (כאן), תָּבִין שְׁמוֹ וְסוֹדוֹ, כִּי בַּעֲבוּר הֱיוֹתוֹ כֵן הָיָה מֻנָּח בַּצָּפוֹן, כִּי בִּרְכַּת ה' הִיא תַעֲשִׁיר (משלי י כב), כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ':כ"א) "בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי אָבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּיךָ", וּכְבָר רָמַזְתִּי בּוֹ (שם ג): חָכְמַת הַמְּנוֹרָה בִּגְבִיעֶיהָ וְכַפְתּוֹרֶיהָ וּפְרָחֶיהָ מֵאַיִן תִּמָּצֵא, וְנֶעֶלְמָה מְאֹד (ע"פ איוב כח כ-כא), אֲבָל הֱיוֹתָהּ מִקְשָׁה בְּשִׁשָּׁה קָנִים יוֹצְאִין מִן הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַעֲלֵיהֶם נֵר אֱלֹהִים, וּמְאִירִים כֻּלָּם אֶל עֵבֶר פָּנֶיהָ (שמות כ"ה:ל"ז), כָּל זֶה תּוּכַל לְהָבִין מִדְּבָרֵינוּ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, וְזֶה מַאֲמָרָם (במנחות כט.) שֶׁנִּתְקַשָּׁה מֹשֶׁה בַּמְּנוֹרָה:

1LECHEM PANIM’ (SHOWBREAD). “It is called lechem panim [which literally means ‘bread of faces’] because it had ‘faces’ [surfaces] looking in both directions towards the sides of the House [Tabernacle or Sanctuary]. The loaf was set lengthwise across the breadth of the table with its sides standing up exactly in a line with the edge of the table.” This is the language of Rashi. This conforms with the language of the Mishnah:¹⁵⁸ “Ben Zoma says: lechem panim — [it is so called] because it is to have surfaces” [looking in both directions]. But all this is in accordance with the opinion of the Sage¹⁵⁹, 94 b). who says: “How did they make the showbread? Like a case broken open.”¹⁶⁰). The figure thus is: ⌴. But according to the Sage¹⁶¹). who says that it was shaped “like a rocking boat,”¹⁶²). The figure is: V. then it could not have been [called lechem panim because of the parallel surfaces looking in both directions, as it had none]! And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that it is called lechem panim because it is before Me always.¹⁶³ meaning “face” is thus explained by l’phanai tamid (before Me always): it is lechem panim literally: “bread of the face” because it is before Me always.By way of the Truth, [the mystic lore of the Cabala], when you will understand the word l’phanai (before Me)¹⁶⁴ you will understand its name [i.e., why it is called “the bread of panim”] and its secret, for because of that [the table] was placed on the north side [of the Tabernacle],¹⁶⁵ seeing that the blessing of the Eternal maketh rich,¹⁶⁶ similar to what is said, in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come unto thee and bless thee.¹⁶⁷ I have already alluded to this.¹⁶⁸, 20:3. — So explained in Bachya.Where shall be found the wisdom embodied in the candelabrum, its cups and knops and flowers, seeing that it is so hidden from the eyes of all living!¹⁶⁹ But as to the reason for its being of beaten work, with the six branches coming out of the seventh, and upon them the lamp of G-d¹⁷⁰ and all [six lamps] to give light over against it¹⁷¹ — all this you can understand from our words that we have written in another place.¹⁷² (Verse 36), symbolizing a perfect Unity, with the lamp of G-d, alluding to the Supreme One, above them. This is the intent of the saying of the Sages¹⁷³ that Moses found difficulty with the candelabrum.¹⁷⁴