Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 30:35/רמב"ן על שמות ל׳:ל״ה
אמְמֻלָּח טָהוֹר קֹדֶשׁ שֶׁיְּהֵא מָלוּחַ בְּמֶלַח סְדוֹמִית, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (כריתות ו.) מֶלַח סְדוֹמִית רֹבַע. וְאוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על שמות ל':ל"ה) תִּרְגֵּם "מְעָרַב", יִרְצֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת מְמֻלָּח נִמּוֹחַ, שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הַסַּמִּים כֻּלָּם שְׁחוּקִים מְאֹד וּמְעֹרָבִים יָפֶה יָפֶה עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִמְחִים וְלֹא יֻכַּר סַם מֵהֶם, מִלְּשׁוֹן "כִּי שָׁמַיִם כֶּעָשָׁן נִמְלָחוּ" (ישעיה נא ו), וְכֵן "וּבְלוֹיֵ מְלָחִים" (ירמיה לח יא), "אֶרֶץ פְּרִי לִמְלֵחָה" (תהלים קז לד), כֻּלָּם עִנְיַן הַשְׁחָתָה וּכְלָיָה. וְרַשִׁ"י פֵּרֵשׁ (רש"י על שמות ל':ל"ה) כִּי לְשׁוֹן מְמֻלָּח שֶׁיְּהֵא מְעֹרָב יָפֶה בִּשְׁחִיקָתָן זֶה עִם זֶה, וְהֵבִיא דּוֹמֶה לוֹ "מַלָּחַיִךְ וְחֹבְלָיִךְ" (יחזקאל כז כז), עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהֵם מְהַפְּכִין הַמַּיִם בִּמְשׁוֹטוֹת כְּשֶׁמַּנְהִיגִין אֶת הַסְּפִינָה, כְּאָדָם שֶׁמְּהַפֵּךְ בְּכַף בֵּיצִים טְרוּפִים לְעָרְבָן יָפֶה: וְעַל דַּעְתִּי נִקְרְאוּ חַכְמֵי הַסַּפָּנִים מַלָּחִים בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהֵם יוֹדְעִים טַעַם הַיָּם כְּאִלּוּ הֵם הַמַּרְגִּישִׁים בִּמְלִיחוּתוֹ וּבִמְתִיקוּתוֹ, כְּלוֹמַר הַיּוֹדְעִים מָתַי יִהְיֶה מָתוֹק וְנֵאוֹת לְהוֹלְכֵי הַיָּם, אוֹ מָתַי הוּא רַע וָמָר לָהֶם וְאֵין תּוֹפְשֵׂי הַמְּשׁוֹטוֹת נִקְרָאִים מַלָּחִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי כָּתוּב בְּצוֹר (יחזקאל כז ח ט) "יֹשְׁבֵי צִידוֹן וְאַרְוַד הָיוּ שָׁטִים לָךְ, זִקְנֵי גְבַל וַחֲכָמֶיהָ הָיוּ בָךְ מַחֲזִיקֵי בִּדְקֵךְ כָּל אֳנִיּוֹת הַיָּם וּמַלָּחֵיהֶם הָיוּ בָךְ", כִּי הַסַּפָּנִים הַזְּקֵנִים יוֹדְעֵי הַיָּם הֵם מַלָּחִים, וּכְתִיב (שם כט) "וְיָרְדוּ מֵאֳנִיּוֹתֵיהֶם כֹּל תֹּפְשֵׂי מָשׁוֹט מַלָּחִים כֹּל חֹבְלֵי הַיָּם אֶל הָאָרֶץ יַעֲמֹדוּ", הִנֵּה הֵם שְׁלֹשָׁה, תּוֹפְשֵׂי מָשׁוֹט, וְהַמַּלָּחִים, וְהַחוֹבְלִים. וְכֵן "אֶרֶץ פְּרִי לִמְלֵחָה", לְאֶרֶץ מְלוּחָה, שֶׁמְּקוֹם הַמֶּלַח לֹא יַצְמִיחַ, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב בִּסְדוֹם (דברים כט כב) "גָּפְרִית וָמֶלַח שְׂרֵפָה כָל אַרְצָהּ לֹא תִזָּרַע וְלֹא תַצְמִחַ", וּכְתִיב (שופטים ט מה) "וַיִּזְרָעֶהָ מֶלַח". וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַלָּמֶ"ד נוֹסָף בְּ"כִי שָׁמַיִם כֶּעָשָׁן נִמְלָחוּ", וְיִרְצֶה לוֹמַר נִמְחוּ, כְּמוֹ "בַּלְאֻמִּים" (תהלים מד טו), "כֻּלּוֹ שֶׁלַּאֲנַן וְשָׁלֵיו" (איוב כא כג):
1MEMULACH’ (SEASONED WITH SALT), PURE AND HOLY. This means that it be seasoned with salt of Sodom, just as the Rabbis have said:164 “Of salt of Sodom, the fourth part of a kab.” Onkelos translated [memulach as] m’areiv (mixed together). By this he intended to say that memulach means “rubbed out” — that the ingredients should all be so well-ground and mixed so thoroughly together, that their identity is “rubbed out” and none of the [individual] ingredients can be recognized. This is of the expression: For the heavens ‘nimlochu’ (shall vanish away) like smoke.191 Similarly: ‘u’vloyei m’lachim’ (and worn rags);192 A fruitful land ‘limleichah’ (into a salt waste).193 These are all expressions of destruction and annihilation.And Rashi explained that the term memluach means that it be thoroughly mixed together in the grinding of the ingredients one with another. To this interpretation Rashi brought proof from the verse similar in meaning: ‘malachayich’ (thy mariners) and thy pilots,194 who are so called “because they turn over the water with the oars when they propel the ship, like a person who stirs up beaten eggs with a spoon in order to mix them thoroughly.”In my opinion mariners are called malachim [of the root melach — salt] because they know the “taste” of the sea, as if they could feel if it is “salty” or “sweet;” that is to say, they know when it will be sweet and pleasant for those travelling by sea, and when it will be bad and bitter for them. It is not those who hold the oars [propelling the ship] who are called malachim [as Rashi said], for it is written on Tyre, The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were thy ‘shotim’ (rowers);195, Verse 8. The elders of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers; all the ships of the sea ‘u’malacheyhem’ (and their mariners) were in thee.196, Verse 9. For it is the older captains who know the sea that are called malachim. And it is further written, And all that handle the oar, ‘malachim’ (the mariners), and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the land.197, Verse 29. Thus three categories are mentioned: those that handle the oar, the mariners, and the pilots [which proves that malachim — the mariners — are not those that handle the oar].Similarly, a fruitful land ‘limleichah’193 means “to a salt land,” for in a salt land nothing will grow, just as is written of Sodom, The whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and a burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth,198 and it is further written, and he sowed it with salt.199 It is possible that the letter lamed is redundant in the verse, for the heavens ‘nimlochu’ like smoke,191 the intent thereof being as in the word nimchu (erased), which would make it similar to these cases: ba’l'umim;200 (among the nations). wholly ‘shalanan’ (at ease) and quiet.201 (ease).