Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 33:20/רמב"ן על שמות ל״ג:כ׳
אוְאֵין טַעַם כִּי לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי שֶׁיִּרְאֶה אוֹתוֹ וְיָמוּת, אֲבָל כִּי טֶרֶם שֶׁיַּשִּׂיג לָרְאִיָּה תִּפָּרֵד נַפְשׁוֹ מֵעָלָיו, כִּי אֲפִילּוּ בְּמַרְאוֹת הַמַּלְאָכִים נֶאֱמַר "בַּמַּרְאָה נֶהֶפְכוּ צִירַי עָלַי" (דניאל י טז):
1FOR MAN SHALL NOT SEE ME AND LIVE. This does not mean that man could see Him, but must immediately die; it means that before he could grasp the sight, his soul would depart from him, for even of the vision of the angels it is said, by reason of the vision my pains are come upon me, [and I retained no strength].496