Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 28:31/רמב"ן על שמות כ״ח:ל״א

אמְעִיל כָּתַב רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות כ"ח:ד') הוּא כְּמִין חָלוּק, וְכֵן הַכֻּתֹּנֶת, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַכֻּתֹּנֶת סָמוּךְ לִבְשָׂרוֹ וּמְעִיל קוֹרֵא חָלוּק הָעֶלְיוֹן. וְאֵין הַדָּבָר כֵּן, כִּי הַמְּעִיל בֶּגֶד יִתְעַטֵּף בּוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (שמואל א כ"ח:י"ד) "וְהוּא עוֹטֶה מְעִיל", וּכְתִיב (ישעיה סא י) "מְעִיל צְדָקָה יְעָטָנִי", וְלֹא תָּבֹא עֲטִיָּה עַל הַכֻּתֹּנֶת רַק עַל הַשַּׂלְמָה אֲשֶׁר יְכַסֶּה בָּהּ, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים קד ב) "עוֹטֶה אוֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָה", כִּי הוּא עִטּוּף, וְכֵן "וְעַל שָׂפָם יַעְטֶה" (ויקרא יג מה), יִתְעַטֵּף. וְהוּא תַּרְגּוּמוֹ שֶׁל יוֹנָתָן בֶּן עֻזִּיאֵל שֶׁהִזְכִּיר הָרַב (רש"י לעיל בפסוק ד) "כַּרְדּוֹטִין" (ס"א כדרוניא, כרדונין) (תרגום יונתן על שמואל ב י"ג:י"ח), כִּי הוּא עִטּוּף קָרוֹב לְצוּרַת הָאֵפוֹד שֶׁיִּתְעַטֵּף בּוֹ חֲצִי הַגּוּף שֶׁכְּלַפֵּי רַגְלָיו, כִּי אִם הָיָה חָלוּק אֵינָן דּוֹמִין זֶה לָזֶה כְּלָל. וּרְאָיָה עוֹד שֶׁאָמַר "וַיַּחֲזֵק בִּכְנַף מְעִילוֹ וַיִּקָּרַע" (שם א טו כז), וְהִנֵּה יֵשׁ לוֹ כְּנָפַיִם וְאֵינוֹ כְּמִין חָלוּק. אֲבָל הַמְּעִיל כְּסוּת מַקִּיף אֶת הַגּוּף כֻּלּוֹ מִצַּוָּארוֹ וּלְמַטָּה עַד רַגְלֵי הָאָדָם וְאֵין לוֹ בֵּית יָד כְּלָל, וּבִשְׁאָר הַמְּעִילִים יֵשׁ לוֹ בֵּית צַוָּאר כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הַצַּוָּאר תָּפוּר בּוֹ, וְאוֹתוֹ בֵּית צַוָּאר נִקְרָא "פִּי מְעִיל", וְצִוָּה הַכָּתוּב שֶׁיְּהֵא אָרוּג עִמּוֹ. וְהַמְּעִיל כֻּלּוֹ מְחֻלָּק מִלְּפָנָיו עַד לְמַטָּה, מַכְנִיס רֹאשׁוֹ בְּנֶקֶב פִּיו וְנִמְצָא צַוָּארוֹ חָגוּר בְּפִי הַמְּעִיל, וּמִלְּפָנָיו שְׁתֵּי כְּנָפַיִם מְכַסֶּה בּוֹ וּמְגַלֶּה כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, כְּמִין גְּלִימָא שֶׁאֵין לָהּ בֵּית רֹאשׁ, שֶׁחָלְקוּ הַתְּפִירָה שֶׁלְּפָנֶיהָ מִקַּמֵּי שָׂפָה וּלְמַטָּה, וְלָכֵן יָבֹא בּוֹ לְשׁוֹן עֲטִיָּה לְעוֹלָם:
וְלֹא יָדַעְתִּי גַּם כֵּן לָמָּה עָשָׂה הָרַב הַפַּעֲמוֹנִים לְעַצְמָם, פַּעֲמוֹן בֵּין שְׁנֵי רִמּוֹנִים, כִּי אִם כֵּן לֹא הָיוּ הָרִמּוֹנִים מְשַׁמְּשִׁין כְּלוּם, וְאִם לְנוֹי, לָמָּה הָיוּ עֲשׂוּיִים כְּרִמּוֹנִים חֲלוּלִים, יַעֲשֵׂם כְּמִין תַּפּוּחֵי זָהָב. וְעוֹד, שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ הַכָּתוּב לְפָרֵשׁ בַּמֶּה יִתְלֶה הַפַּעֲמוֹנִים, וְאִם יַעֲשֶׂה בָּהֶם טַבָּעוֹת לִתְלוֹת בָּהֶן: אֲבָל הֵם בְּתוֹכָם מַמָּשׁ, כִּי הָרִמּוֹנִים חֲלוּלִים וַעֲשׂוּיִים כְּמִין רִמּוֹנִים קְטַנִּים שֶׁלֹּא פָּתְחוּ פִּיהֶם, וְהַפַּעֲמוֹנִים טְמוּנִים בָּהֶם וְנִרְאִים מִתּוֹכָם. וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ הַכָּתוּב מִנְיָנָם, אֲבָל רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ שֶׁהָיוּ שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁנַיִם זַגִּין, וּבָהֶם שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁנַיִם עִנְבָּלִין, וְתוֹלֶה שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה מִצַּד אֶחָד, וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה מִצַּד אַחֵר, כדאיתא בִּזְבָחִים בְּפֶרֶק הַמִּזְבֵּחַ (פח:). וּמִכָּאן תִּלְמֹד שֶׁאֵינוֹ כְּמִין חָלוּק וְכֻתֹּנֶת, אֶלָּא יֵשׁ לוֹ כְּנָפַיִם: וְכֵן כָּתַב רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות כ"ח:ד') שֶׁהַמִּצְנֶפֶת כְּמִין כּוֹבַע, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (שמות כ"ח:מ') קוֹרֵא לָהֶם "מִגְבָּעוֹת", וּמְתַרְגְּמִינַן "קוֹבְעִין". וְגַם זֶה אֵינוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָמְרוּ שֶׁהַמִּצְנֶפֶת אָרְכָּהּ שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה, וַהֲרֵי הוּא כְּעֵין צָנִיף שֶׁצּוֹנֵף בּוֹ אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ, מְגַלְגֵּל וּמַחְזִיר מְגַלְגֵּל וּמַחְזִיר סְבִיב רֹאשׁוֹ כֶּפֶל עַל כֶּפֶל. וּמִצְנֶפֶת שֶׁל כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל אֵינָהּ קְרוּיָה מִגְבַּעַת בְּשׁוּם מָקוֹם, אֲבָל בְּכֹהֵן הֶדְיוֹט אָמַר הַכָּתוּב "מִגְבָּעוֹת" (להלן כח מ, כט ט, ועוד), וְאַף הִיא מִצְנֶפֶת הִיא, אֶלָּא שֶׁקּוֹשֵׁר בָּהּ כָּל רֹאשׁוֹ וּמַעֲלֶה הַכְּפָלִים עָלָיו כְּעֵין מִגְבַּעַת שֶׁהוּא קוֹבַע כְּדִבְרֵי אוּנְקְלוֹס, כִּי מִגְבַּעַת כְּמוֹ מִקְבַּעַת, כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי בְּסֵדֶר וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ (בראשית מא מז) בְּחִלּוּפֵי הַגִּימֶ"ל וְהַקּוּ"ף, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַמִּגְבַּעַת כְּמוֹ הַמִּצְנֶפֶת, וּלְכָךְ הִזְכִּירוּ חֲכָמִים תָּדִיר בְּכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל וְהֶדְיוֹט מִצְנֶפֶת בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (צו ב א). וּבְמַסֶּכֶת יוֹמָא (עא:) שָׁנִינוּ, כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּשְׁמוֹנָה כֵּלִים וְהַהֶדְיוֹט בְּאַרְבָּעָה, בְּכֻתֹּנֶת וּמִכְנָסַיִם מִצְנֶפֶת וְאַבְנֵט, מוּסָף עָלָיו כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, חֹשֶׁן וְאֵפוֹד וּמְעִיל וְצִיץ:

1ME’IL’ (ROBE). Rashi commented:⁹⁹ “This was a kind of shirt, and so also was the k’thoneth, except that the k’thoneth was worn next to the body and the me’il is a term for the upper [outer] shirt.” But this is not so, for the me’il is a garment in which one wraps oneself, just as Scripture says, and he [Samuel] is covered with a ‘me’il’,¹⁰⁰ and it is further written, ‘y’atoni’ (He hath covered me) with ‘me’il’ (the robe) of righteousness,¹⁰¹ and the term atiyah (enwrapping) does not apply to a shirt, but to a garment with which one covers oneself, as it is said, ‘oteh’ (Who coverest Thyself) with light as with a garment,¹⁰² it being associated with the term atoph (enveloping onself). And so we find: and his upper lip ‘ya’teh’ (he shall cover up,¹⁰³ [which Onkelos renders] yitatoph.¹⁰⁴ and atoph are identical terms. This is identical with the word kardunin¹⁰⁵. from the Targum of Jonathan ben Uziel which the Rabbi [Rashi] mentioned [as his translation of the word me’il], for this kardunin is used for enwrapping oneself, something akin to the form of the ephod with which [the High Priest] envelops the half of his body that is towards his feet. But if a me’il was a kind of shirt [as Rashi said], then me’il and kardunin would not be alike at all. Another proof is the verse, and he seized the skirt of ‘me’ilo’ (his robe), and it rent.¹⁰⁶ Thus the me’il has skirts and is not a kind of shirt. Rather, the me’il is a garment which enwraps the whole body from the neck downwards to the feet of the person, and has no sleeves at all. Now in other me’ilim there is a piece of garment for the neck, covering the whole of it, and sewed on [with a needle], this garment being called pi me’il (the hole of the robe), but with reference to this me’il Scripture commanded that it be woven together with the robe.¹⁰⁷ The me’il is entirely slit frontwise till the bottom, and he put his head through the hole on top; thus the neck [of the priest] is enwrapped with the hole of the me’il, and in front of him are the two skirts with which he covers or uncovers himself at will — something like [our] cloak which has no head-tire. Now since the seam divides the front part of the me’il and separates it all the way downwards, therefore the term atiyah (enwrapping) is always used in connection with it [as explained above].Nor do I know either¹⁰⁸ [as explained above], I also do not know why etc.” why the Rabbi [Rashi] made the bells independent objects, stating that there was one bell between every two pomegranates.¹⁰⁹ For if so, the pomegranates served no purpose. And if they were made just for ornament, why were they made like hollow pomegranates? Let him rather make them like golden apples! Moreover, Scripture should have explained with what the bells should be hung, and whether rings should be made on which to hang the bells. Instead, [we must say that] the bells were inside the pomegranates themselves, for the pomegranates were hollow and made in the shape of small pomegranates that have not yet burst open,¹¹⁰ and the bells were hidden inside but visible through them. Now Scripture has not specified their number. But our Rabbis have said¹¹⁰ that there were seventy-two bells and within them there were seventy-two clappers; he hung thirty-six on one side and thirty-six on the other side, as is found in Tractate Zebachim, in the chapter The Altar Sanctifies.¹¹⁰ From here also you may learn that the me’il was not a sort of shirt or kthoneth [as Rashi wrote], but instead it had skirts [front and back, and therefore the Rabbis speak of “one side” and “the other side” of the me’il].Similarly Rashi wrote⁹⁹ that “the mitznepheth (mitre) is a kind of domed helmet, for in another place¹¹¹ the verse calls it migba’oth, which we translate in the Targum kov’in (helmets).” This also is not correct, for the Rabbis have said¹¹² that the mitznepheth was sixteen cubits long. Thus it was a sort of turban with which the head is wrapped, as he wound it around and around his head, fold upon fold. Moreover, the mitznepheth of the High Priest is nowhere called migba’oth [as Rashi said]. It is only with reference to the ordinary priests that Scripture calls the head-dress migba’oth,¹¹³. — Thus Scripture distinguishes between the two garments, since the mitznepheth was made for Aaron and the migba’oth for Aaron’s sons. So how did Rashi write of the mitznepheth that in another place Scripture calls it migba’oth? and these too were a sort of turban,¹¹⁴ is for the common priest elsewhere called migba’at, that too, continues Ramban, would not be correct; since the head-dress for the common priest is also called mitznepheth, as explained in the text (Gur Aryeh). Thus according to Ramban the head-dress for the common priest is called both mitznepheth and migba’at, while that of the High Priest is called only mitznepheth. except that they were set upon¹¹⁵ — was wound around his head in several folds like a turban, and the one for the common priest was also wound in folds (hence its name mitznepheth) but set upon his head and came up like a conical helmet [hence its other name — migba’at]. See also Ramban further on Verse 37, and 29:7. the head and the folds came up like a sort of [conical] helmet which is the kovei’a, as Onkelos rendered it. For migba’at is like mikba’at, as I have said in Seder Mikeitz,¹¹⁶ as the letter gimmel serves here as kuph, excepting that the migba’at was also wound like a mitznepheth. It is for this reason that the Sages always mention in Torath Kohanim¹¹⁷, 2:1. — For the term Torath Kohanim see above Note 19. the mitznepheth both in relation to the High Priest and the common priest. And in Tractate Yoma¹¹⁸ we have been taught [in a Mishnah]: “A High Priest ministers [the Divine Service] in eight garments, and a common priest in four — in tunic, breeches, mitznepheth (mitre), and belt. To these the High Priest adds the breastplate, the ephod, the upper garment, and the frontplate.”¹¹⁹ applies to the head-dress of both the High Priest and the common priest. As to why the head-dress of the common priest is also called migba’at, see Note 115 above.