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Ramban on Exodus 31:13/רמב"ן על שמות ל״א:י״ג

אאַךְ אֶת שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁתִּהְיוּ רְדוּפִין בִּזְרִיזוּת הַמְּלָאכָה אַל תִּדָּחֶה שַׁבָּת מִפָּנֶיהָ. כָּל אַכִין וְרַקִּין מִעוּטִין, לְמַעֵט שַׁבָּת מִמְּלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן. לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות ל"א:י"ג). וְלֹא נִתְכַּוֵּן אֶצְלִי, כִּי לְפִי מִדְרַשׁ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בְּאַכִין וְרַקִּין יְמַעֵט בִּשְׁמִירַת הַשַּׁבָּת, כִּי הַמִּעוּטִים אֶצְלָם בְּכָל מָקוֹם יְמַעֲטוּ בַּדָּבָר הַמְּצֻוֶּה בּוֹ, וְאִם תִּדְרֹשׁ הַמִּעוּט בְּעִנְיַן מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן יִהְיֶה מֻתָּר לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ בְּשַׁבָּת. אֲבָל הַמִּעוּט הַזֶּה לְמִילָה אוֹ לְפִקּוּחַ נֶפֶשׁ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן שֶׁהֵן דּוֹחִין אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. וְכָךְ אָמְרוּ בְּמַסֶּכֶת יוֹמָא (ירושלמי פ"ח ה"ה) וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁסְּפֵק נְפָשׁוֹת דּוֹחֶה שַׁבָּת, רַבִּי אַבְהוּ אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אַךְ אֶת שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ, מִעוּט. וּמְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן שֶׁאֵינָהּ דּוֹחָה שַׁבָּת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִזְהִיר בָּהּ בְּכָאן: וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט הוּא כֵּן, יֹאמַר תַּעֲשׂוּ מְלֶאכֶת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד אֲבָל שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ לְעוֹלָם. וּבְתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (ויקרא יא ל), יָכוֹל יְהֵא בִּנְיַן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ דּוֹחֶה שַׁבָּת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר "אֶת שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ וּמִקְדָּשִׁי תִּירָאוּ אֲנִי ה'". וְטַעַם "שַׁבְּתוֹתַי", בַּעֲבוּר כִּי שַׁבְּתוֹת הַשָּׁנָה רַבִּים:
וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת, צִוָּה בְּכָאן בְּזָכוֹר וְשָׁמוֹר כַּאֲשֶׁר רָמַזְתִּי בְּסוֹדָם (רמב"ן על שמות כ':ח'), וְזֶה טַעַם "שַׁבְּתֹתַי" וְאָמַר בִּשְׁנֵיהֶם "כִּי אוֹת הִיא", שֶׁהִיא "בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם" לָדַעַת. וְאָמַר "וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת", וְחִיֵּב בִּמְחַלְלֶיהָ כָּרֵת (שמות ל"א:י"ד), כִּי הָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר נְתָנָהּ (קהלת יב ז), וְזוֹ תִּכָּרֵת מִשָּׁם. וְאָמַר בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שֶׁהוּא שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן קֹדֶשׁ לַה' (שמות ל"א:ט"ו), בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהוּא יְסוֹד עוֹלָם. וְהִזְכִּיר בַּשַּׁבָּת שֶׁהִיא בְּרִית עוֹלָם (שמות ל"א:ט"ז), וְחָזַר וְאָמַר כִּי אוֹת הִיא בֵּינִי וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (שמות ל"א:י"ז), אוֹת הִיא הַשַּׁבָּת בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, וְהַטַּעַם, שֶׁהַיּוֹם אוֹת וְהַשַּׁבָּת הִיא אוֹת לְעוֹלָם. וְזֶה טַעַם "שָׁבַת וַיִּנָּפַשׁ", וְהִיא נְשָׁמָה יְתֵרָה (ביצה טז) הַבָּאָה מִיְּסוֹד עוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כָּל חָי (איוב יב י). וְהִנֵּה הַפָּרָשָׁה מְבֹאֶרֶת. וּכְבָר רָמַזְתִּי עִנְיָנָהּ בַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת (רמב"ן על שמות ל"ב:כ"ח). וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין:

1ACH’ (BUT) YE SHALL KEEP MY SABBATHS. “Even though you may be anxious²³⁸ to do the work promptly, do not set aside the Sabbath on its account. All [Scriptural expressions containing] the words ach (but) or rak (only), intimate limiting qualifications; [in this case] it is to exclude the Sabbath from [the days on which] the work of the Tabernacle may be done.” This is Rashi’s language. But I have not been able to explain it. For according to the method used by our Rabbis to interpret the words ach (but) and rak (only), it should limit the scope of Sabbath-observance [and permit the work of the Tabernacle on the Sabbath], for the limiting qualifications [of ach and rak] everywhere apply to the subject of the commandment itself [and since the verse here speaks of Sabbath-observance, the word ach should be restricting its application]. Thus if we are to interpret [and apply] the limiting nature of the word ach to the subject of the work of the Tabernacle, it should follow that it is allowed to be done on the Sabbath! Rather, the limiting nature of the word ach here applies to circumcision [on the eighth day of the child], or to the saving of human life, and similar instances, [to tell us] that they set aside the Sabbath. And so the Rabbis said in Tractate Yoma:²³⁹ “And whence do we know that even in a doubt whether life is in danger, the Sabbath may be set aside? Rabbi Abohu said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: ‘Ach’ ye shall keep My Sabbaths — [the word ach] has a limiting qualification.” And the reason why the work of the Tabernacle does not override the Sabbath [is not on account of the word ach, but] because He warned [about keeping the Sabbath] here [right next to the subject of the making of the Tabernacle, thus indicating that the Sabbath is not to be set aside on account of it]. And in line with the plain meaning of Scripture the verse states as follows: “You shall do the work of the Tent of Meeting, but My Sabbaths you shall keep forever.” And in the Torath Kohanim²⁴⁰ Section 3, 7:7. [the Rabbis have said as follows]: “I might think that the building of the Sanctuary overrides the Sabbath? Scripture therefore says, Ye shall keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My Sanctuary: I am the Eternal.”²⁴¹Now the reason for the word Shabtothai [in the plural] is because the Sabbaths of the year are many. By way of the Truth, [the mystic lore of the Cabala], He commanded here [the keeping of the “Sabbaths”] by zachor²⁴² (above 20:8). and shamor,²⁴³ (Deuteronomy 5:12). as I have hinted with reference to their secret,²⁴⁴ this being the reason for the plural — My Sabbaths. Of the two of them [zachor and shamor] He says, for it is a sign [when He should have said “for they are a sign,” this is in order to indicate] that “it” [the Sabbath] is the sign between Me and you… that ye may know.²⁴⁵ He states, Ye shall keep the Sabbath,²⁴⁶ and declares that those that profane it are liable to extinction,²⁴⁶ for the spirit returneth unto G-d who gave it,²⁴⁷ but the soul of that one [who profanes the Sabbath] will be cut off from there.²⁴⁸ He states concerning the seventh day that it is a Sabbath of solemn rest holy to G-d,²⁴⁹ because it is the foundation of the world; of the Sabbath He also says that it is a perpetual covenant,²⁵⁰ and then He states again that it is a sign between Me and the children of Israel²⁵¹ meaning that the Sabbath is the sign on the seventh day, and the purport thereof is that the [seventh] day itself is a sign, and [its sanctification as] the Sabbath is the sign forever.²⁵², Note 23. This is also the purport of the expression, He ceased from work and rested,²⁵¹ this being an allusion to “the extra [Sabbath] soul” which comes from The Foundation of the world, in Whose hand is the soul of every living thing.²⁵³ Thus the chapter is explained. I have already hinted at its meaning in [my commentary to] the Ten Commandments.²⁴⁴ The student learned [in the Cabala] will understand.