Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 29:46/רמב"ן על שמות כ״ט:מ״ו
אלְשָׁכְנִי בְתוֹכָם עַל מְנָת לִשְׁכֹּן בְּתוֹכָם. לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות כ"ט:מ"ו). וְשִׁמּוּשׁ הַלָּמֶ"ד בִּתְנַאי כָּזֶה אֵינֶנּוּ נִמְצָא. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁיֹּאמַר וְיָדְעוּ בְּשָׁכְנִי בְּתוֹכָם כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, כִּי יֵדְעוּ כְּבוֹדִי וְיַאֲמִינוּ שֶׁאֲנִי הוֹצֵאתִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם. וְהוּא כְּדֶרֶךְ "וַיְהִי דָוִד לְכָל דְּרָכָו מַשְׂכִּיל" (שמואל א י"ח:י"ד), "כִּי בֹחֵר אַתָּה לְבֶן יִשַׁי" (שם כ ל), "עַל אֲשֶׁר מְרִיתֶם אֶת פִּי לְמֵי מְרִיבָה" (במדבר כ כד), וְהַדּוֹמִים לָהֶם. אֲבָל רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם אָמַר (אבן עזרא על שמות כ"ט:מ"ו) כִּי לֹא הוֹצֵאתִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם רַק בַּעֲבוּר כִּי אֶשְׁכֹּן בְּתוֹכָם, וְזֶהוּ "תַּעַבְדוּן אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה" (שמות ג':י"ב). וְיָפֶה פֵּרֵשׁ: וְאִם כֵּן יֵשׁ בָּעִנְיָן סוֹד גָּדוֹל, כִּי כְּפִי פְּשַׁט הַדָּבָר הַשְּׁכִינָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל צֹרֶךְ הֶדְיוֹט וְלֹא צֹרֶךְ גָּבוֹהַּ, אֲבָל הוּא כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב "יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר" (ישעיה מט ג), וְאָמַר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ "וּמַה תַּעֲשֵׂה לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל" (יהושע ז ט), וּפְסוּקִים רַבִּים בָּאוּ כֵן, "אִוָּהּ לְמוֹשָׁב לוֹ" (תהלים קלב יג), "פֹּה אֵשֵׁב כִּי אִוִּתִיהָ" (שם יד), וְכָתוּב "וְהָאָרֶץ אֶזְכֹּר" (ויקרא כו מב):
1L’SHOCHNI B’THOCHAM’222 — “on condition that I dwell in the midst of them.” This is Rashi’s language. But the usage of the letter lamed [l’shochni] for a condition of this kind is not found [elsewhere in Scripture]! It is possible that He is stating: “and they shall know ‘when’ I dwell among them that I am the Eternal their G-d that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, for they will [then] know My Glory and believe that I brought them forth from the land of Egypt.” It is similar in usage to the verses: And David had great success ‘l’chol drachav’223 all his ways.” [which is like b’chol drachav — “in all his ways”]; that thou hast chosen ‘l’ben Yishai’224, 20:30. Literally: “to the son of Jesse.” [which means b’ben Yishai — “the son of Jesse”]; because ye rebelled against My word ‘l’mei Meribah’225 the waters of Meribah.” [which means b’mei Meribah — “in (or ‘at’) the waters of Meribah”], and similar cases.But Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained [the verse to mean that] the purpose of My bringing them forth from the land of Egypt was only that I might dwell in their midst, and that this was the fulfilment of [the promise to Moses], you shall serve G-d upon this mountain.226 He explained it well, and if it is so, there is in this matter a great secret. For in the plain sense of things it would appear that [the dwelling of] the Divine Glory in Israel was to fulfill a want below, but it is not so. It fulfilled a want above, being rather similar in thought to that which Scripture states, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.227 And Joshua said, [For when the Canaanites… hear of it… and cut off our name from the earth,] and what wilt Thou do for Thy Great Name?228 There are many verses which express this thought: He hath desired it [i.e., Zion] for His habitation;229 Here I dwell; for I have desired it.230, Verse 14. And it is further written, and I will remember the land.231 is of the root The Eternal hath been mindful of us” (Psalms 115:12) (Ricanti).