Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 34:26/רמב"ן על שמות ל״ד:כ״ו

ארֵאשִׁית בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתְךָ בַּעֲבוּר כִּי הִזְכִּיר שֶׁיָּבִיאוּ בִּכּוּרֵי כָּל אֲשֶׁר בְּאַרְצָם לְבֵית ה', יִסְמֹךְ לָזֶה לֹא תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֹ, כִּי בְּעֵת בִּכּוּרֵי הָאֲדָמָה יָבִיאוּ גַּם כָּל בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה הַגְּדָיִים וּטְלָאִים, וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יִגְדְּלוּ הַגְּדָיִים וְיִהְיֶה הֶחָלָב, וּפְעָמִים רַבִּים יַעֲלוּ הָאֵם עִם הַבְּכוֹר בִּהְיוֹתוֹ יוֹנֵק בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁלֹּא יָמוּת. וְהִנֵּה הַבָּאִים לָחֹג יִתְעַנְּגוּ לֶאֱכֹל הַבְּכוֹרוֹת בְּכָל הַמַּטְעַמִּים עִם הַכֹּהֲנִים, וּלְכָךְ הִזְכִּיר אִסּוּרָם עִם הַבִּכּוּרִים. אֲבָל בְּמִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה (דברים יד כא) הִזְכִּיר הַמִּצְוָה הַזּוֹ עִם אִסּוּר הַמַּאֲכָלִים אַחַר שֶׁהִזְכִּיר בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה וְדָגִים וְעוֹפוֹת טְמֵאִים וּנְבֵלָה, כִּי שָׁם יֵאוֹת לְהַזְכִּיר זֶה, כִּי הוּא אִסּוּר מַאֲכָל, לֹא אִסּוּר הַבִּשּׁוּל בִּלְבַד כַּאֲשֶׁר יַחְשְׁבוּ קְטַנֵּי אֲמָנָה מְחֻסְּרֵי הַדַּעַת:

1THE CHOICEST FIRST-FRUITS OF THY LAND THOU SHALT BRING INTO THE HOUSE OF THE ETERNAL THY G-D. Because He mentioned that they should bring the first-ripe fruits of all that is in their land⁵³⁶ to the house of G-d, He placed next to it, Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk. For at the time of bringing the first-fruits of the earth they would also take along all firstlings of cattle, goats and sheep, and at that season the goats have grown up and begin giving milk. Thus they would often bring up the mother with its firstborn whilst it was still a suckling, in order that it should not die. Now those who came to celebrate the festival would enjoy eating the firstlings amongst all tasty foods, together with the priests. That is why He mentioned the prohibition [against seething the kid in its mother’s milk] together with the precept of the first-fruits. In the Book of Deuteronomy, however, He mentioned this commandment together with the laws of prohibited foods,⁵³⁷ after He cited the laws of unclean cattle, fish, and unclean fowl, and carrion, for that is the fitting place to mention it, since it is a prohibition concerning eating, and not merely a prohibition against seething it alone, as those wanting in faith and devoid of knowledge think.⁵³⁸