Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 25:6/רמב"ן על שמות כ״ה:ו׳

אבְּשָׂמִים לְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְלִקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁזֶּה מִקְרָא קָצָר, בְּשָׂמִים לְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְסַמִּים לִקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים. וַאֲחֵרִים אָמְרוּ (הראב"ע בשם חכמי הדור) שֶׁהוּא כְּאִלּוּ בְּהִפּוּךְ, וְלַקְּטֹרֶת יָבִיאוּ סַמִּים. וְהִזְכִּירָם בִּידִיעָה לוֹמַר הַסַּמִּים הַטּוֹבִים לְהַקְטִיר, כִּי גַּם שָׁם לֹא פֵּרֵשׁ אוֹתָם. וְר"א אָמַר (אבן עזרא על שמות כ"ה:ו') שֶׁהוּא כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, וּבְשָׂמִים לִשְׁנֵיהֶם לְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְלַקְּטֹרֶת, כִּי יִכָּנְסוּ בַּקְּטֹרֶת בְּשָׂמִים שִׁבֹּלֶת נֵרְדְּ וְכַרְכֹּם וְקִנָּמוֹן כְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (כריתות ו.). וְלֹא הֻצְרַךְ לְהַזְכִּיר וּבְשָׂמִים וְסַמִּים לַקְּטֹרֶת, בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהִזְכִּיר קְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים, כַּאֲשֶׁר לֹא הִזְכִּיר שֶׁמֶן לְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה. וְזֶהוּ הַנָּכוֹן:
וְהֻצְרְכוּ לְכָל אֵלֶּה הַסְּבָרוֹת, כִּי דַּעַת בַּעֲלֵי הַלָּשׁוֹן שֶׁהַסַּמִּים הֵם הַתְּרוּפוֹת, כְּגוֹן הַלְּבוֹנָה וְהַחֶלְבְּנָה, וּבְשָׂמִים הֵם הַנֶּאֱכָלִים שֶׁיִּקְרְאוּ מִסְעָדִים, אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם בִּשּׂוּם בְּרֵיחָן הַטּוֹב. אֲבָל עַל דַּעַת רַשִׁ"י סַמִּים שֵׁם לַבְּשָׂמִים, וְכָךְ הִיא כַּוָּנַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (שם ו:) בַּמִּדְרָשׁ, אַחַד עָשָׂר סַמָּנִין נֶאֶמְרוּ לְמֹשֶׁה בְּסִינַי, וְכֵן מְתַרְגֵּם אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על שמות כ"ה:ו') "בֻּסְמִין" בִּשְׁנֵיהֶם. וְהוּא הַנָּכוֹן בַּכָּתוּב הַזֶּה:
אֲבָל בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁשִּׁנָּה הַכָּתוּב הַלָּשׁוֹן יִתָּכֵן שֶׁנֹּאמַר כִּי הַחֲשׁוּבִים שֶׁבְּבַעֲלֵי הָרֵיחַ וְהַבֹּשֶׂם נִקְרָאִים בְּשָׂמִים, וְעִנְיָנוֹ הַמֻּבְחָרִים וְהַיְּדוּעִים בַּסַּמִּים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר "בְּשָׂמִים רֹאשׁ" (שמות ל':כ"ג), "בְּרֹאשׁ כָּל בֹּשֶׂם" (יחזקאל כז כב). גַּם נָכוֹן הוּא שֶׁנֹּאמַר כִּי מִלַּת "בְּשָׂמִים" וּ"בֹּשֶׂם" מִלָּה מֻרְכֶּבֶת, בּוֹ שָׂם, בָּהּ סַמִּים: וְהָרְאָיָה עַל דִּבְרֵיהֶם שֶׁאָמַר (שמות ל':כ"ג) "בְּשָׂמִים רֹאשׁ מָר דְּרוֹר", וְהַמּוֹר בַּסַּמִּים יֵחָשֵׁב שֶׁהוּא תְּרוּפָה לֹא מִסְעָד, וְאָמַר הַכָּתוּב "נֵרְדְּ וְכַרְכֹּם קָנֶה וְקִנָּמוֹן עִם כָּל עֲצֵי לְבוֹנָה" (שה"ש ד יד), וּכְתִיב (שם) "מֹר וַאֲהָלוֹת עִם כָּל רָאשֵׁי בְשָׂמִים", וְעַל כֻּלָּם אָמַר (שם טז) "הָפִיחִי גַנִּי יִזְּלוּ בְשָׂמָיו". וְעוֹד, שֶׁהַכָּתוּב אָמַר (שמות ל"ה:כ"ח) "וְאֶת הַבֹּשֶׂם וְאֶת הַשָּׁמֶן לְמָאוֹר וּלְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְלִקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים", וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר שֶׁהֵבִיאוּ סַמִּים, אִם כֵּן כֻּלָּם בִּכְלַל הַבֹּשֶׂם:

1SPICES FOR ANOINTING OIL AND FOR INCENSE OF ‘HASAMIM’ (AROMATICS). Some scholars⁴⁵ say that this is an elliptical verse,⁴⁶ (spices) and hasamim (aromatics) are two different terms. And since it says further on that for the incense take unto thee ‘samim’ (aromatics) (30:34), the word b’samim cannot refer also to the incense mentioned here. Hence they complete the sentence thus: “spices for anointing oil, and aromatics for incense and aromatics.” the sense being: “spices for anointing oil and aromatics for incense of aromatics.” And other scholars⁴⁷ say that the verse is to be understood as if it were inverted: “and for incense of aromatics they shall bring aromatics.” Scripture mentions them with the definite article [hasamim], in order to indicate that it is referring to those aromatics that are good as incense, for there also [i.e., further in the section of the Torah dealing with the incense — 30:34] He did not explain [fully the compound forming the incense].⁴⁸ — the aromatics that are known. See Ramban further 30:34 for full discussion of this subject. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that the verse is to be taken in its simple sense, that spices be taken for both — for the anointing oil and for the incense, for included in the compound of the incense were these spices: spikenard and saffron and cinnamon, according to the words of our Rabbis.⁴⁹ It was not necessary for Scripture to mention “spices and aromatics for the incense,” because it said the incense of aromatics, just as it did not say “oil for the anointing oil.” This is the correct interpretation.All these opinions are necessary because according to the view of the linguists [samim and b’samim connote two different things]: samim are curative herbs which are not edible, such as frankincense and galbanum,⁵⁰ while b’samim are those that are edible, and are called mis’adim (props)⁵¹. because they have a strengthening power by their fragrant odor.However, in the opinion of Rashi samim is identical with b’samim. And such is the meaning of our Rabbis in the Midrash⁵² in saying: “Eleven samonin (ingredients) were told to Moses on Mount Sinai” [which form the incense, and among them were spikenard and saffron and cinnamon which are b’samim, thus proving that they are all called by the term samim]. Onkelos also translates in both cases busmin [“busmaya for the anointing oil, and for incense of busmaya”]. This is correct in the understanding of this verse. But because Scripture changed the terms [calling one b’samim and the other samim] we might possibly say that the most important of aromatics and spices are called b’samim, a term which signifies the choicest and most famous of the spices, just as He said, ‘b’samim rosh’ (the chief spices).⁵³ ‘b’rosh kol bosem’ (with chief of all spieces).⁵⁴ We are also correct in saying that the words b’samim and bosem are composite words: bo sem, bo samim (“in it is spice,” “in it are spices”). Proof to the words of the Rabbis [that the term b’samim includes also samim] is the verse, Take thou unto thee ‘b’samim rosh’ (the chief spices) of flowing myrrh,⁵³ and myrrh, is counted among the samim since it is a curative, not an edible herb. Scripture further says, Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense,⁵⁵ and the verse there continues: myrrh and aloes, with all the chief ‘b’samim’ (spices). And with reference to all of these Scripture says, Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that ‘b’samov’ (the spices thereof) may flow out.⁵⁶, Verse 16. Thus it is clear that the term b’samim (spices) includes also samim (aromatics), since it speaks of all of them as b’samim and lists amongst them myrrh, which is one of the samim. A further proof [to the opinion of the Rabbis that b’samim includes also samim] is the verse, and the princes brought… the ‘bosem’ and the oil for the light and for the annointing oil and the incense of aromatics,⁵⁷ but it does not mention that they brought samim, from which we may conclude that they are all included in the bosem.