Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 3:5/רמב"ן על שמות ג׳:ה׳
אאַל תִּקְרַב הֲלוֹם לֹא הִגִּיעַ עֲדַיִן לְמַעֲלָתוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה בַּנְּבוּאָה, כִּי בְּהַר סִינַי "נִגַּשׁ אֶל הָעֲרָפֶל אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הָאֱלֹהִים" (שמות כ':כ"א). וְכֵן עִנְיַן הַסְתָּרַת פָּנִים, שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא עָלָה לְמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ "וּתְמוּנַת ה' יַבִּיט" (במדבר יב ח):
1APPROACH NOT HITHER. Moses had not yet reached the highest degree of prophecy, for at Mount Sinai he drew near unto the thick darkness where G-d was.148 This also accounts for the hiding of his face [in this instance], for he had not yet reached that high [degree of prophecy of] which it was said of Moses, and the similitude of the Eternal doth he behold.149
בכִּי הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עוֹמֵד עָלָיו אַדְמַת קֹדֶשׁ הוּא אע"פ שֶׁהָיָה רָחוֹק מִן הַסְּנֶה הִזְהִירוֹ בָּזֶה, כִּי נִתְקַדֵּשׁ כָּל הָהָר בְּרֶדֶת הַשְּׁכִינָה אֶל רֹאשׁ הָהָר כַּאֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעַת מַתַּן תּוֹרָה, וּמֹשֶׁה בָּהָר הָיָה כִּי שָׁם עָלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיָּבֹא אֶל הַר הָאֱלֹהִים חֹרֵבָה" (שמות ג':א'), וְהַסְּנֶה הָיָה בְּרֹאשׁ הָהָר, וְהִנֵּה כֻּלּוֹ קָדוֹשׁ וְאָסוּר בִּנְעִילַת הַסַּנְדָּל, וְכָךְ אָמְרוּ, בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה נִגְלֵת אָסוּר בִּנְעִילַת הַסַּנְדָּל (שמו"ר ב יג), וְכֵן בִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ (יהושע ה טו), וְכֵן הַכֹּהֲנִים לֹא שִׁמְּשׁוּ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ אֶלָּא יְחֵפִים:
2FOR THE PLACE WHEREON THOU STANDEST IS HOLY GROUND. Even though Moses was far from the bush, the angel warned him [not to approach], for the whole mountain became sanctified when the Divine Presence came down upon the mountain—top, just as it did at the time of the Giving of the Torah.150 Now Moses was on the mountain for he had ascended thereto, as it is said, and he came to the mountain of G-d, unto Horeb,151 and the bush was on the top of the mountain.152, that he was warned not “to approach.” Had he not been on the mountain at all, the warning should have been not “to come up.” Thus the entire site became holy and therefore the wearing of sandals was forbidden. A similar case is found in Joshua.153 Likewise, the priests ministered in the Sanctuary only while barefoot.