Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 28:37/רמב"ן על שמות כ״ח:ל״ז

אעַל פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר (שמות ל"ט:ל"א) הוּא אוֹמֵר וַיִּתְּנוּ עָלָיו פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת וְעוֹד, כְּתִיב כָּאן וְהָיָה עַל הַמִּצְנָפֶת, וּלְמַטָּה הוּא אוֹמֵר וְהָיָה עַל מֵצַח אַהֲרֹן, וּבִשְׁחִיטַת קָדָשִׁים (זבחים יט) שָׁנִינוּ שְׂעָרוֹ הָיָה נִרְאֶה בֵּין צִיץ לַמִּצְנֶפֶת שֶׁשָּׁם הָיָה מַנִּיחַ תְּפִלִּין, לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהַמִּצְנֶפֶת לְמַעְלָה בְּגֹבַהּ הָרֹאשׁ, [וְאֵינָהּ עֲמֻקָּה לְהִכָּנֵס בָּהּ כָּל הָרֹאשׁ עַד הַמֵּצַח], וְהַצִּיץ מִלְּמַטָּה, [וּשְׁלֹשָׁה נְקָבִים הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה בּוֹ, בִּשְׁנֵי רָאשָׁיו וְאֶמְצָעִיתוֹ], וְהַפְּתִילִים הָיוּ בִּנְקָבִים וּתְלוּיִים בּוֹ בִּשְׁנֵי רָאשָׁיו וּבְאֶמְצָעוֹ, שִׁשָּׁה בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת הַלָּלוּ, פְּתִיל מִלְמַעְלָה אֶחָד מִבַּחוּץ וְאֶחָד מִבִּפְנִים כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, וְקוֹשֵׁר רָאשֵׁי הַפְּתִילִים מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הָעֹרֶף שְׁלָשְׁתָּם, נִמְצְאוּ בֵּין אֹרֶךְ הַטַּס וּפְתִילֵי רָאשָׁיו מַקִּיפִין אֶת הַקָּדְקֹד, וְהַפְּתִיל הָאֶמְצָעִי שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁוֹ קָשׁוּר עִם רָאשֵׁי הַשְּׁנַיִם, הוֹלֵךְ עַל פְּנֵי רֹחַב הָרֹאשׁ מִלְמַעְלָה, וְנִמְצָא עָשׂוּי כְּמִין כּוֹבַע, וְעַל פְּתִיל הָאֶמְצָעִי הוּא אוֹמֵר "וְהָיָה עַל הַמִּצְנָפֶת", וְהָיָה נוֹתֵן אֶת הַצִּיץ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, וְע"י פְּתִיל הָאֶמְצָעִי הוּא מְחַזְּקוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹפֵל, וְהַטַּס תָּלוּי כְּנֶגֶד מִצְחוֹ, הֲרֵי נִתְקַיְּמוּ כָּל הַמִּקְרָאוֹת הַלָּלוּ, פְּתִיל עַל הַצִּיץ (שמות ל"ט:ל"א), וְצִיץ עַל הַפְּתִיל (כאן), וּפְתִיל עַל הַמִּצְנֶפֶת מִלְמַעְלָה (כאן ושם). כָּל זֶה לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות כ"ח:ל"ז):
וַאֲנִי תָּמֵהַּ בִּדְבָרָיו, שֶׁהַכָּתוּב אֵינוֹ מְצַוֶּה רַק לַעֲשׂוֹת פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת אֶחָד, וְהוּא עוֹשֶׂה שִׁשָּׁה. וְעוֹד, שֶׁהוּא מְצָרֵף הַמִּקְרָאוֹת שֶׁל הַצַּוָּאָה וְהָעֲשִׂיָּה, וּמַרְבֶּה פְּתִילִים כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּן, וְכֵן תּוּכַל לִמְנוֹת בָּאָרוֹן וְשֻׁלְחָן וּמְנוֹרָה. וְאִם הַכָּתוּב צִוָּה שֶׁיָּשִׂימוּ אֹתוֹ עַל פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת, הֵיאַךְ נָתְנוּ הֵם עָלָיו פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת, וָאָנָה צִוּוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן. וּמַה צֹרֶךְ לַחוּטִין שֶׁבָּאֶמְצַע, וְהוּא קָשׁוּר מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הָעֹרֶף כְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל צִיץ בַּאֲנָשִׁים וּבְנָשִׁים: אֲבָל אֵין הַדָּבָר כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הָרַב, וְלֹא הָיָה שָׁם אֶלָּא פְּתִיל אֶחָד, שֶׁהַטַּס מַקִּיף מֵאֹזֶן לְאֹזֶן, וְנָקוּב בִּשְׁתֵּי קְצוֹתָיו, וּפְתִיל תְּכֵלֶת נִכְנָס בִּשְׁנֵי הַנְּקָבִים, וְהַצִּיץ נִקְשָׁר בּוֹ כְּנֶגֶד הָעֹרֶף וְהִנֵּה הָיָה צוֹנֵף הַמִּצְנֶפֶת סְבִיב הָרֹאשׁ, לֹא עַל הַמֵּצַח כְּלָל, אֶלָּא לְמַעְלָה בִּמְקוֹם שֵׂעָר. וְעַל דַּעַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (זבחים יט.) הָיָה מַנִּיחַ גַּם מִקְצָת שְׂעַר רֹאשׁוֹ כְּנֶגֶד פָּנָיו לַתְּפִלִּין. וְהָיְתָה הַצְּנִיפָה בַּגֹּבַהּ שֶׁבָּרֹאשׁ כְּנֶגֶד הַמּוֹחַ הָאֶמְצָעִי, וְהוּא מְכַסֶּה בָּהּ כָּל הָרֹאשׁ כְּנֶגֶד אֲחוֹרָיו. וַהֲרֵי הַצְּנִיפָה בַּגֹּבַהּ שֶׁבָּרֹאשׁ כְּנֶגֶד הַמּוֹחַ בְּשִׁפּוּעַ, וּמַנִּיחַ הַצִּיץ כְּנֶגֶד מִצְחוֹ מֵאֹזֶן לְאֹזֶן, וְאֵין הֶפְסֵק בֵּין מִצְחוֹ לַצִּיץ. אֲבָל מֵאֹזֶן לְאֹזֶן מֵאֲחוֹרָיו כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הָעֹרֶף תִּהְיֶה הַמִּצְנֶפֶת, וְהַפְּתִיל שֶׁנִּקְשָׁר בּוֹ, יָבֹא עָלֶיהָ: וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר וְשַׂמְתָּ אֹתוֹ עַל פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת, שֶׁיַּכְנִיס הַפְּתִיל בְּנִקְבֵי הַצִּיץ, וְהָיָה הַפְּתִיל עַל הַמִּצְנֶפֶת לַאֲחוֹרֵי אָזְנָיו כְּנֶגֶד הָעֹרֶף, אֶל מוּל פְּנֵי הַמִּצְנֶפֶת יִהְיֶה הַצִּיץ, וְהָיָה עַל מֵצַח אַהֲרֹן, וְיִהְיֶה עַל הַמֵּצַח כְּנֶגֶד הַמִּצְנֶפֶת בְּפָנָיו, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר (שמות כ"ט:ו') "וְשַׂמְתָּ הַמִּצְנֶפֶת עַל רֹאשׁוֹ", כְּלוֹמַר לְמַעְלָה בָּעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁבָּרֹאשׁ, לֹא כְּמוֹ הַמִּגְבָּעוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶן (שם ט) "וְחָבַשְׁתָּ לָהֶם מִגְבָּעוֹת", שֶׁהֵן חוֹבְשׁוֹת הָרֹאשׁ כְּמִי שֶׁחוֹשֵׁשׁ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וְחוֹבְשׁוֹ לְחִזּוּק. וְאוֹמֵר (שם ו) "וְנָתַתָּ אֶת נֵזֶר הַקֹּדֶשׁ עַל הַמִּצְנָפֶת", כִּי עָלֶיהָ יִקְשְׁרֶנּוּ מֵאֲחוֹרָיו. וְכֵן אָמַר (שמות ל"ט:ל"א) "וַיִּתְּנוּ עָלָיו פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת לָתֵת עַל הַמִּצְנֶפֶת מִלְמָעְלָה", כִּי שָׁם יִנָּתֵן בְּקֶשֶׁר. וְכֵן "וַיָּשֶׂם עַל הַמִּצְנֶפֶת אֶל מוּל פָּנָיו אֵת צִיץ הַזָּהָב" (ויקרא ח ט), שֶׁשָּׂם בִּקְשִׁירָתוֹ עַל הַמִּצְנֶפֶת, וְאֶל מוּל פָּנָיו צִיץ הַזָּהָב. וְהִנֵּה הַנְּתִינָה בְּכָל הַכְּתוּבִים עַל הַמִּצְנֶפֶת, כִּי הִיא הַקְּשִׁירָה, אֲבָל הַצִּיץ אֶל מוּל פְּנֵי הַמִּצְנֶפֶת בַּמֵּצַח:
וְאֵין לְהַקְפִּיד בֵּין "וַיִּתְּנוּ עָלָיו פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת" (שמות ל"ט:ל"א), וּבֵין "וְשַׂמְתָּ אֹתוֹ עַל פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת" (כאן), כִּי בִּשְׁנֵיהֶם כְּאִלּוּ אוֹמֵר וְשַׂמְתָּ אוֹתוֹ בִּפְתִיל תְּכֵלֶת, וְיִתְּנוּ בּוֹ פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת, כְּדֶרֶךְ "וְנָתַתָּ אוֹתָם עַל סַל אֶחָד" (שמות כ"ט:ג'), בְּסַל, וְכָמוֹהוּ "הִמָּלֵט עַל נַפְשֶׁךָ" (בראשית יט יז) אוֹ יְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּמְקוֹם "אֶל", וְנָתַתָּ אוֹתוֹ אֶל פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת, וַיִּתְּנוּ אֵלָיו פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת. כִּי הַפְּתִיל נִתַּן אֵלָיו, וְהוּא אֶל הַפְּתִיל, כִּי בּוֹ יִסָּמֵךְ: וְהַכְּלָל שֶׁאֵין עִנְיַן הַכְּתוּבִים אֶלָּא שֶׁיַּכְנִיסוּ הַפְּתִיל בְּנִקְבֵי הַצִּיץ, וְגַם כֵּן הוּא שֶׁהַצִּיץ עַל הַפְּתִיל וְהַפְּתִיל עַל הַצִּיץ, וְכֵן "וְיִרְכְּסוּ אֶת הַחֹשֶׁן מִטַּבְּעֹתָיו אֶל טַבְּעֹת הָאֵפֹד בִּפְתִיל תְּכֵלֶת" (שמות כ"ח:כ"ח) שֶׁהֵבִיא רַשִׁ"י רְאָיָה מִמֶּנּוּ, פְּתִיל אֶחָד הוּא, שֶׁהָיוּ מַכְנִיסִין פְּתִיל אֶחָד בְּטַבְּעוֹת הַחֹשֶׁן וּבְטַבְּעוֹת הָאֵפוֹד שֶׁכְּנֶגְדּוֹ, וְכֵן בַּקָּצֶה הָאַחֵר פְּתִיל אֶחָד, כִּי שְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת הֵן וְכָל אֶחָד בִּפְתִיל אֶחָד יִרְכְּסוּ אוֹתוֹ:

1AND THOU SHALT PUT IT ON A BLUE-PURPLE STRING. “But in another place in Scripture it states, And they put upon it a string of blue-purple¹⁴³ [which indicates that the frontplate was beneath the string, not upon it as is here commanded]! Moreover, here it is written, and it shall be upon the mitre, and further on it says, And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead!¹⁴⁴ In the Tractate on the Slaughtering of Sacrifices¹⁴⁵ we have been taught: ‘The High Priest’s hair was visible between the frontplate and the mitre, whereon he placed the phylacteries.’ From this we learn that the mitre was above on the crown of the head [and was not so large that it covered the entire head right down to the forehead], and the frontplate was beneath it [with a space between them], and the strings were in holes and hung from the frontplate at its two ends and in its middle — six in these three places:¹⁴⁶ one string on top [of the frontplate], one outside and one inside [between the frontplate and the forehead]. He tied the ends of the three strings behind the neck, and thus it came to be that the length of the frontplate and the strings at its ends encompassed his whole skull. The middle string which was on top was tied together to the ends of the two strings [at the extremities of the frontplate], and passed over above the breadth of the head. Thus it came to be that [the frontplate with the strings] formed a kind of helmet. Now it is with reference to the middle string that Scripture states, and it shall be upon the mitre, for he placed the frontplate [together with the strings tied in the above manner] upon his head [as a kind of helmet, passing it over the mitre], and tightened it through the middle string so that it would not fall. Thus the frontplate hung in front of his forehead. All these verses are thus reconciled: the string was on the frontplate, and the frontplate upon the string, and the string on the mitre above.” All this is Rashi’s language.But I wonder concerning Rashi’s words, for Scripture commands the making of only one blue-purple string, and he makes six! Moreover, Rashi combined the verses which tell of the command to make [the frontplate] with those which tell of the making thereof,¹⁴⁷] is found further (39:31) in connection with the actual making thereof. So how can the string mentioned in that verse be added to the one that is stated in the verse commanding the making of the frontplate? increasing the strings with the number of verses! One could count in such manner in the case of the ark, the table, and the candelabrum [two of each, since they are mentioned once in the command to make, and again in the narrative when they were actually made]! Furthermore, if Scripture commanded that they put the frontplate on a blue-purple string, how did they [do the opposite and] put a blue-purple string on it? Where were they commanded to do so? And why did they need the strings in the middle, since the frontplate was tied behind the neck, as are all frontplates which are worn by men and women?Indeed, the matter is not as the Rabbi [Rashi] said. For there was only one string there; the plate reached from ear to ear and was pierced at its two ends and the blue-purple string was put through the two holes, the plate being thus tied behind the neck. Thus he wound the mitznepheth (mitre) around the head, not at all upon the forehead, but on the head where the hair grows. And according to the opinion of our Rabbis¹⁴⁸ that he also left [uncovered] part of the hair of his head towards his face for the phylacteries, he wound [the mitznepheth] high above on the crown of the head, opposite the middle of the brain, covering the whole head at the back. Thus the mitznepheth lay above on the slope of the head opposite the brain, and the frontplate rested opposite his forehead from ear to ear, there being nothing intervening between his forehead and the frontplate. Thus the mitznepheth lay on the back of his head from ear to ear, opposite the whole neck, and the string which was tied to the frontplate was upon the mitznepheth. It is with reference to this that Scripture says, And thou shalt put it on a blue-purple string, meaning that he should put the string through the holes of the frontplate; and the string shall be upon the mitre behind his ears opposite the neck; towards the front of the mitre it shall be — that is, the frontplate, which shall be upon the forehead opposite the front part of the mitre. This is Scripture’s intent in stating, And thou shalt set the mitre upon his head,¹⁴⁹ that is to say, above on the crown of the head, unlike the migba’oth of which it is said, and thou shalt bind head-tires upon them,¹⁵⁰, Verse 9. binding the head like one whose head hurts and he binds it for the purpose of strengthening the head. It further states, and thou shalt put the holy crown upon the mitre,¹⁴⁹ for it was upon the mitre that [the frontplate] was tied at the back. This is so stated: And they put upon it a string of blue-purple, to fasten it upon the mitre above,¹⁴³ for there upon [the mitre] the string [of the frontplate] was tied. Similarly, and upon the mitre, in front, did he set the golden plate,¹⁵¹ means that he tied upon the front of the mitre the golden frontplate. Thus the term “placing” in all the verses refers to putting [the string of the frontplate] upon the mitre, for it was there that it was tied; the frontplate itself, however, was on the forehead opposite the mitre. There is then no difference between the expression And they put upon it a string of blue-purple,¹⁴³ and [in the verse before us] and thou shalt put it on a blue-purple string [unlike Rashi who distinguished between them], for in both cases it is as if it said, “and thou shalt place it with a blue-purple string,” “and thou shalt put a blue-purple string,” similar in usage to the expression, and thou shalt put them ‘on’ one basket,¹⁵² which means “in” the basket. Likewise, escape ‘on’ thy life¹⁵³ [which means “with your life,” as long as your life is in you, or “escape for your life”]. Or it may be that the word al (‘on’ — on a blue-purple string) here serves as el (to), thus stating: “and you shall put it to a blue-purple string,” “and they put a blue-purple string to it,” for the string was put [to the frontplate, and the frontplate was put] to it, for it rested on it for support. In essence, the meaning of the verses is only that they should place a string in the holes of the frontplate, and in that way it also came about that the frontplate was upon the string and the string upon the frontplate. Similarly, And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof to the rings of the ephod with a string of blue-purple,¹⁵⁴ from which Rashi brought a proof¹⁵⁵ of blue-purple,’ for we find the same thing in the case of the breastplate and the ephod, of which it is said, And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof with a string of blue-purple (above, Verse 28), and you must admit that there could not have been less than two strings, for at the two ends of the breastplate were the two rings of the breastplate, and on the two shoulder pieces of the ephod were two rings opposite them. Now according to the way the breastplate was tied on, there were four threads, and under any circumstance it could not have been less than two [and yet Scripture speaks only of ‘a string’ of blue-purple]!” — To this proof of Rashi, Ramban answers that reference is only to one string, as explained in the text. [that there were three double strings in the frontplate], also refers to only one string, which they put through the rings of the breastplate and the rings of the ephod opposite them; so also on the other side there was one string, for these were two [separate] places, and in each place they tied [the breastplate by the rings thereof] with one string [of blue-purple to the rings of the ephod].