Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 29:9/רמב"ן על שמות כ״ט:ט׳

אוְחָגַרְתָּ אוֹתָם אַבְנֵט יִרְמֹז לְאַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו, וְשָׁב לְפָרֵשׁ אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו, כְּמוֹ "יְבִיאֶהָ אֵת תְּרוּמַת ה'" (שמות ל"ה:כ"ד), "אֲשֶׁר לֹא יַעַבְדוּ אֹתוֹ אֶת נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר" (ירמיה כז ח), כְּדִבְרֵי רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם. וְאִם כֵּן יַחְזֹר "וְחָבַשְׁתָּ לָהֶם מִגְבָּעוֹת" לְמִקְצָתָם, כִּי אַהֲרֹן אֵין לוֹ מִגְבַּעַת, וְהַמִּצְנֶפֶת כְּבָר הִיא עַל רֹאשׁוֹ. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שִׁעוּר הַכָּתוּב וְחָגַרְתָּ אוֹתָם אַבְנֵט וְאַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו, יֹאמַר, תַּחְגֹּר בָּנָיו הַנִּזְכָּרִים אַבְנֵט, וְאַהֲרֹן עַצְמוֹ עִם בָּנָיו. וּבַעֲבוּר שֶׁהָאַבְנֵט שָׁוֶה בְּכֻלָּם (יומא יב.) לֹא הֻזְכַּר עִם בִּגְדֵי אַהֲרֹן לְמַעְלָה (שמות כ"ט:ה'-ו'), וְהֻצְרַךְ עַתָּה לוֹמַר שֶׁיַּחְגְּרֶנּוּ אַבְנֵט כְּבָנָיו. וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר הַמִּכְנָסַיִם, כִּי לֹא הֻצְרַךְ, כַּאֲשֶׁר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי (רמב"ן על שמות כ"ח:ל"ה): וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁהִפְרִישׁ הַמִּכְנָסַיִם מִשְּׁאָר הַבְּגָדִים, כִּי כָּל הַבְּגָדִים הָיָה מֹשֶׁה מַלְבִּישׁ אוֹתָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁצֻּוָּה (שמות כ"ט:ח') "וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּם", אֲבָל הַמִּכְנָסַיִם שֶׁהֵם לְכַסּוֹת בְּשַׂר הָעֶרְוָה (שם שם מב) הָיוּ הֵם לוֹבְשִׁים אוֹתָם בְּהֶצְנֵעַ, וְלָכֵן לֹא הִזְכִּיר עַתָּה בִּכְלַל וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת הַבְּגָדִים וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ, וּלְפִיכָךְ הִפְרִישָׁם בַּמִּצְוָה וּבָעֹנֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִזְכַּרְתִּי לְמַעְלָה (שם לה):

1AND THOU SHALT GIRD THEM WITH BELTS. This alludes to Aaron and his sons, and then Scripture reverts and explains, Aaron and his sons. This is similar to the expressions: let him bring it, the Eternal’s offering;¹⁷⁹ alludes already to the Eternal’s offering, but then Scripture itself reverts and explains it. The same principle applies in the next example. the kingdom which will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar.¹⁸⁰ Such are the words of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra. But if so, [the following phrase in the verse before us,] and thou shalt bind ‘migba’oth’ on them refers only to some of them [mentioned before, namely, Aaron’s sons], for Aaron’s head-dress was not of the migba’oth, and besides, the mitznepheth is already on his head [as mentioned in Verse 6]. It is possible that the explanation of the verse is: “and thou shalt gird them with belts, and Aaron and his sons.” The verse is thus stating that he should gird Aaron’s sons mentioned with belts, and Aaron himself should be girded with his sons. For since the belt was alike for all of them [for Aaron and his sons], it was not mentioned above among the particular garments of Aaron; therefore it now became necessary to say that he should gird Aaron too with a belt like his sons. The breeches were not mentioned here as it was not necessary, as I have explained.¹⁸¹ And the reason why the breeches were singled out from the rest of the garments [by not being mentioned here] is that it was Moses who clothed them with all the garments, as G-d commanded, and thou shalt clothe them.¹⁸² But the breeches which were to cover the flesh of their nakedness,¹⁸³ they themselves put on in privacy. Therefore He did not mention them here among the garments — and thou shalt take the garments, and clothe Aaron…¹⁸⁴ and therefore He separated them [from the other garments] in command and in punishment, as I have mentioned above.¹⁸¹