Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 30:25/רמב"ן על שמות ל׳:כ״ה

אוְעָשִׂיתָ אֹתוֹ שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת קֹדֶשׁ רֹקַח מִרְקַחַת מַעֲשֵׂה רֹקֵחַ עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט הָיָה מַעֲשֵׂה הַשֶּׁמֶן כְּדִבְרֵי ר' יְהוּדָה שֶׁאָמַר (בכריתות ה.) שְׁרָאוּם בַּמַּיִם שֶׁלֹּא יִבְלְעוּ אֶת הַשֶּׁמֶן, וְאֵין הַשְּׁרִיָּה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בַּמַּיִם לְבַדָּן, אֲבָל נָתְנוּ הַבְּשָׂמִים כְּתוּשִׁים בִּכְלִי מָלֵא מַיִם, וְהֵצִיפוּ עֲלֵיהֶן שֶׁמֶן זַיִת הִין, וְאח"כ נָתְנוּ הַכְּלִי עַל פִּי כְּלִי אַחֵר מָלֵא מַיִם, וְנָתְנוּ עַל אֵשׁ נָחָה גֶּחָלִים עוֹמְמוֹת, וִיבַשְּׁלוּ עַד יְבֹשֶׁת הַמַּיִם, וְקָלְטוּ הַשֶּׁמֶן מֵעָלָיו, כִּי כֵן מַעֲשֵׂה הָרַקָּחִים בְּכָל שֶׁמֶן מְבֻשָּׂם, וּלְכָךְ קִצֵּר הַכָּתוּב וְצִוָּה שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ הַשֶּׁמֶן הַזֶּה רֹקַח מִרְקַחַת כְּמַעֲשֵׂה רוֹקֵחַ, וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, כִּי דֶּרֶךְ הָרַקָּחִים יְדוּעָה בָּהֶם. וְכֵן מְצָאתִיהָ בִּשְׁקָלִים יְרוּשַׁלְמִי (פ"ו ה"א), ר' יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר שׁוֹלְקָן הָיָה בְּמַיִם וְנוֹתֵן שֶׁמֶן מִלְמַעְלָה, מִשֶּׁהָיָה קוֹלֵט אֶת הָרֵיחַ הָיָה מַעֲבִירוֹ, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהַפַּטָּמִים עוֹשִׂין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְעָשִׂיתָ אֹתוֹ שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת קֹדֶשׁ רֹקַח מִרְקַחַת מַעֲשֵׂה רֹקֵחַ":

1AND THOU SHALT MAKE IT A HOLY ANOINTING OIL, A PERFUME COMPOUNDED AFTER THE ART OF THE PERFUMER. In line with the simple meaning of Scripture, the preparation of the Oil of Anointment was in accordance with the view of Rabbi Yehudah, who said¹³⁴ that they first soaked the spices in water in order that they would not absorb the oil which was poured upon them Now this soaking [of which Rabbi Yehuda speaks] was not mere soaking in water alone. Rather, they put ground spices in a vessel full of water and then they poured upon them a hin of olive oil.¹³⁵ Then they placed this vessel upon another vessel full of water, and put it over a low flame with embers, and boiled it until the water [in the upper vessel] evaporated, and they retained the oil which was upon it. Such indeed is the way that perfumers make all aromatic oils. This is why Scripture shortened the explanation and commanded merely that they make this oil a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer, without explaining the process by which it is to be made, for the way of the perfumers was known among them. And so I found in Tractate Shekalim of the Yerushalmi:¹³⁶ “Rabbi Yehudah says: They boiled [the spices] in water and put the oil on top of it; as soon as [the oil] retained the odor [of the spices] they would take off the oil, just as druggists do, for it is said, And thou shalt make it a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer.”