Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 28:2/רמב"ן על שמות כ״ח:ב׳

אלְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאָרֶת שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִכְבָּד וּמְפֹאָר בְּמַלְבּוּשִׁים נִכְבָּדִים וּמְפֹאָרִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב "כֶּחָתָן יְכַהֵן פְּאֵר" (ישעיה סא י), כִּי אֵלֶּה הַבְּגָדִים לְבוּשֵׁי מַלְכוּת הֵן, כִּדְמוּתָן יִלְבְּשׁוּ הַמְּלָכִים בִּזְמַן הַתּוֹרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בַּכֻּתֹּנֶת "וְעָשָׂה לוֹ כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים" (בראשית לז ג), שֶׁפֵּרוּשׁוֹ מְרֻקֶּמֶת כִּדְמוּת פַּסִּים, וְהִיא כְּתֹנֶת תַּשְׁבֵּץ כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי (רמב"ן על שמות כ"ה:ז'), וְהִלְבִּישׁוֹ כְּבֶן מַלְכֵי קֶדֶם. וְכֵן הַדֶּרֶךְ בִּמְעִיל וְכֻתֹּנֶת "וְעָלֶיהָ כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים כִּי כֵן תִּלְבַּשְׁנָה בְנוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ הַבְּתוּלֹת מְעִילִים" (שמואל ב י"ג:י"ח), וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ כִּי עָלֶיהָ כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים נִרְאֵית וְנִגְלֵית, כִּי הַמִּנְהָג לִלְבֹּשׁ בְנוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ הַבְּתוּלֹת מְעִילִים שֶׁתִּתְעַלַּפְנָה בָּהֶן, וְנִמְצָא שֶׁכְּתֹנֶת הַפַּסִּים עָלֶיהָ מַלְבּוּשׁ עֶלְיוֹן, וְלָכֵן אָמַר "וּכְתֹנֶת הַפַּסִּים אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיהָ קָרָעָה" (שם שם יט): וְהַמִּצְנֶפֶת יְדוּעָה גַּם הַיּוֹם לַמְּלָכִים וְלַשָּׂרִים הַגְּדוֹלִים, וְלָכֵן אָמַר הַכָּתוּב בִּנְפוֹל הַמַּלְכוּת "הָסִיר הַמִּצְנֶפֶת וְהָרִים הָעֲטָרָה" (יחזקאל כא לא), וְכֵן כָּתוּב "וּצְנִיף מְלוּכָה" (ישעיה סב ג), וְכָךְ יִקְרָאֵם הַכָּתוּב "פַּאֲרֵי הַמִּגְבָּעוֹת" (שמות ל"ט:כ"ח), וּכְתִיב "פַּאֲרֵי פִשְׁתִּים יִהְיוּ עַל רֹאשָׁם" (יחזקאל מד יח), שֶׁהֵם פְּאֵר וְשֶׁבַח לַמַּכְתִּירִים בָּהֶם, וְהָאֵפוֹד וְהַחֹשֶׁן לְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב "וְהַמְנִיכָא דִי דַהֲבָא עַל צַוְּארָךְ" (דניאל ה טז). וְהַצִּיץ נֵזֶר הַמְּלָכִים הוּא, וּכְתִיב (תהלים קלב יח) "יָצִיץ נִזְרוֹ". וְהֵם זָהָב וְאַרְגָּמָן וּתְכֵלֶת, וּכְתִיב (שם מה יד) "כָּל כְּבוּדָּה בַת מֶלֶךְ פְּנִימָה מִמִּשְׁבְּצוֹת זָהָב לְבוּשָׁהּ", וּכְתִיב (דניאל ה טז) "אַרְגְּוָנָא תִלְבַּשׁ וְהַמְנִיכָא דִי דַהֲבָא עַל צַוְּארָךְ". וְהַתְּכֵלֶת גַּם הַיּוֹם לֹא יָרִים אִישׁ אֶת יָדוֹ לִלְבֹּשׁ חוּץ מִמֶּלֶךְ גּוֹיִם, וּכְתִיב (אסתר ח טו) "וּמָרְדֳּכַי יָצָא מִלִּפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ בִּלְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת תְּכֵלֶת וָחוּר וַעֲטֶרֶת זָהָב גְּדוֹלָה וְתַכְרִיךְ בּוּץ וְאַרְגָּמָן", וְהַתַּכְרִיךְ הוּא הַמְּעִיל שֶׁיַּעֲטֹף בּוֹ:
וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת, לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאָרֶת, יֹאמַר שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ בִּגְדֵי קֹדֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹן לְשָׁרֵת בָּהֶם לִכְבוֹד הַשֵּׁם הַשּׁוֹכֵן בְּתוֹכָם וּלְתִפְאֶרֶת עֻזָּם, כְּדִכְתִיב (תהלים פט יח) "כִּי תִפְאֶרֶת עֻזָּמוֹ אָתָּה", וּכְתִיב (ישעיה סד י) "בֵּית קָדְשֵׁנוּ וְתִפְאַרְתֵּנוּ אֲשֶׁר הִלְלוּךָ אֲבֹתֵינוּ", וְקָדְשֵׁנוּ הוּא הַכָּבוֹד וְתִפְאַרְתֵּנוּ תִּפְאֶרֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעוֹד נֶאֱמַר (תהלים צו ו) "עֹז וְתִפְאֶרֶת בְּמִקְדָּשׁוֹ", וְכֵן "לְפָאֵר מְקוֹם מִקְדָּשִׁי וּמְקוֹם רַגְלַי אֲכַבֵּד" (ישעיה ס יג), שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מְקוֹם הַמִּקְדָּשׁ מְפֹאָר בְּתִפְאֶרֶת, וּמְקוֹם רַגְלָיו, שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹם בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, מְכֻבָּד בִּכְבוֹד הַשֵּׁם. וְכֵן "וּבְיִשְׂרָאֵל יִתְפָּאָר" (שם מד כג), שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מַרְאֶה וּמְיַחֵד בָּהֶם תִּפְאַרְתּוֹ, וְכֵן אָמַר לְמַטָּה גַּם בְּבִגְדֵי הַבָּנִים כֻּלָּם "לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאָרֶת" (שמות כ"ח:מ'), וְאָמַר בַּקָּרְבָּנוֹת "יַעֲלוּ עַל רָצוֹן מִזְבְּחִי וּבֵית תִּפְאַרְתִּי אֲפָאֵר" (ישעיה ס ז). וְהִנֵּה הַמִּזְבֵּחַ רְצוֹנוֹ, וְהַכָּבוֹד בֵּית תִּפְאַרְתּוֹ. וְהָיוּ הַבְּגָדִים צְרִיכִין עֲשִׂיָּה לִשְׁמָן, וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁיִּהְיוּ צְרִיכִין כַּוָּנָה, וְלָכֵן אָמַר וְאַתָּה תְּדַבֵּר אֶל כָּל חַכְמֵי לֵב אֲשֶׁר מִלֵּאתִיו רוּחַ חָכְמָה (שמות כ"ח:ג'), שֶׁיָּבִינוּ מַה שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ. וּכְבָר אָמְרוּ (יומא סט.), דְּמוּת דְּיוֹקָנוֹ מְנַצֵּחַ לְפָנַי בְּבֵית מִלְחַמְתִּי:

1AND THOU SHALT MAKE HOLY GARMENTS FOR AARON THY BROTHER FOR SPLENDOR AND BEAUTY — this means that he be distinguished and glorified with garments of distinction and beauty, just as Scripture says, as a bridegroom putteth on a priestly diadem.²⁷ For these garments [of the High Priest] correspond in their forms to garments of royalty, which monarchs wore at the time when the Torah was given. Thus we find with reference to the tunic, and he made him a tunic of ‘pasim’²⁸ — meaning, a cloth woven of variegated colors, this being the tunic of chequer work [mentioned here], just as [Ibn Ezra] explained, which clothed him as a son of ancient kings.²⁹ The same applies to the robe and the tunic, as it is written, Now she [Tamar] had a garment of many colors upon her; for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled,³⁰ which means that a garment of many colors was seen clearly upon her, for such was the custom that the virgin daughters of the king wore robes with which they wrapped themselves; thus the coat of many colors was upon her as an upper garment. It is for this reason that it says there, and she rent her garment of many colors that was on her.³¹, Verse 19. The mitre [mentioned here] is to this day known among kings and distinguished lords. Therefore Scripture says with reference to the fall of the kingdom [of Judah], The mitre shall be removed, and the crown taken off.³² Similarly it is written, and a royal diadem.³³ Scripture also calls them the ornamented high caps,³⁴ and it is further written, They shall have linen ornamented [caps] upon their heads,³⁵ which are for the beauty and glory of those that are adorned with them. The ephod and the breastplate are also royal garments, just as it is written, and thou shalt have a chain of gold about thy neck.³⁶ The plate [around the forehead, which the High Priest wore], is like a king’s crown. Thus it is written, ‘yatzitz nizro’ (his crown will shine).³⁷ (plate) with the expression yatzitz nizro (his crown will shine), thus suggesting that the tzitz of the High Priest is a sort of royal crown. Furthermore, [the High Priest’s garments] are made of gold, blue-purple, and red-purple³⁸ [which are all symbolic of royalty]. Thus it is written, All glorious is the king’s daughter within the palace; her raiment is of chequer work inwrought with gold,³⁹ and it is further written, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck.³⁶ As for the blue-purple, even to this day no man will lift up his hand⁴⁰ to wear it except a king of nations,⁴¹ and it is written, And Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a ‘tachrich’ (robe) of fine linen and purple⁴² — the tachrich being a robe in which the wearer wraps himself.By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala,] majesty is to kavod (glory) and to tiphereth (splendor),⁴³ the verse thus stating that they should make holy garments for Aaron to minister in them to the Glory of G-d Who dwells in their midst, and to the Splendor of their strength, as it is written, For Thou art the Glory of their strength,⁴⁴ and it is further stated, Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised Thee,⁴⁵ meaning [“the house of] our Holy One” which is the Glory, and “of our Splendor” which is the Splendor of Israel. And it is further stated, Strength and beauty are in His Sanctuary,⁴⁶ and similarly, To beautify the place of My Sanctuary, and I will make the place of My feet glorious⁴⁷ — meaning, that the place of the Sanctuary will be glorified by the Splendor, and the place of His feet, which is the place of the Sanctuary, will be honored by the presence of the Glory of G-d. And in Israel will He glorify Himself⁴⁸, 44:23. also means that in Israel He will show and designate His Splendor. Likewise He says further with respect to the garments of all of Aaron’s sons, that they are for splendor and for beauty.⁴⁹ Of the sacrifices He also says, they will come up with ‘ratzon’ (‘will’ — acceptance) on Mine altar, and I will glorify My glorious house.⁵⁰ Thus the altar is His Will and the house of His Glory is the Splendor.The [priestly] garments had to be made with the intention to be used for that purpose. It is possible that in making them, intent of heart [for what they symbolize] was also needed on the part of their makers. It is for this reason that He said, And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom⁵¹ — who will understand what they will do. And the Rabbis have already said [of Alexander the Great, that when asked by his generals why he descended from his chariot to bow before the High Priest Simon the Just, he answered]:⁵² “His image glistened before me whenever I had a victory.”