Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 40:27/רמב"ן על שמות מ׳:כ״ז

אוַיַּקְטֵר עָלָיו קְטֹרֶת סַמִּים מֹשֶׁה הִקְטִיר עָלָיו כָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים. וְאע"פ שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר בַּצַּוָּאָה (שמות מ':ה') וְהִקְטִיר עָלָיו קְטֹרֶת סַמִּים, הֵבִין זֶה מִשְּׁאָר הָעֲבוֹדוֹת כֻּלָּן, שֶׁהֲרֵי צִוָּה אוֹתוֹ בְּכָאן (שמות מ':ד') שֶׁיְּסַדֵּר הַלֶּחֶם וְיַעֲלֶה הַנֵּרוֹת. וְכֵן "וַיַּעַל עָלָיו אֶת הָעֹלָה וְאֶת הַמִּנְחָה" (שמות מ':כ"ט), מֹשֶׁה הוּא הַמַּעֲלֶה, שֶׁכֵּן נִצְטַוָּה (שמות כ"ט:ל"ח) "וְזֶה אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ", שֶׁיַּתְחִיל הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן בְּעָבְדוֹ בִּימֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים, כִּי הַצַּוָּאוֹת כֻּלָּן שָׁם (מפסוק א ואילך) עַל עֲבוֹדַת מֹשֶׁה. וְאָמַר אַחֲרֵי כֵן (שמות מ':מ"ב) "עוֹלַת תָּמִיד לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם", שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן הַכֹּהֲנִים לְדוֹרוֹת. וּלְכָךְ אָמַר בָּהּ בְּסֵדֶר פִּנְחָס (במדבר כח ו) "עֹלַת תָּמִיד הָעֲשֻׂיָה בְּהַר סִינַי", שֶׁהִתְחִיל אוֹתָהּ מֹשֶׁה שָׁם:
וְהִנֵּה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ בְּכָל הָעֲבוֹדוֹת הַכֹּהֵן הָרִאשׁוֹן, וּלְפִיכָךְ הִקְטִיר גַּם הַקְּטֹרֶת, וְאוּלַי בִּכְלַל "וְנָתַתָּ אֶת מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב לִקְטֹרֶת" (שמות מ':ה') שֶׁתַּקְטִירֶנּוּ עָלָיו מִיָּד. וּמַה שֶׁאָמַר בַּצַּוָּאָה (לעיל ל ו ז) "וְנָתַתָּ אֹתוֹ לִפְנֵי הַפָּרֹכֶת וְהִקְטִיר עָלָיו אַהֲרֹן קְטֹרֶת סַמִּים", לְהוֹרוֹת עַל עִנְיָנוֹ מִיּוֹם שֶׁהִתְחִיל אַהֲרֹן בִּכְהֻנָּתוֹ וּלְעוֹלָם, שֶׁכָּךְ אָמַר (שם ל ח) "וּבְהַעֲלֹת אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַנֵּרֹת בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם", וְאֵין הַדָּבָר אֶלָּא מִיּוֹם זֶה וְאֵילָךְ, כִּי בְּכָאן (שמות מ':ד') צִוָּה לְמֹשֶׁה בְּפֵרוּשׁ "וְהַעֲלֵיתָ אֶת נֵרֹתֶיהָ". וּבְפֵרוּשׁ רַשִׁ"י (בפסוק שלפנינו) רָאִיתִי, "וַיַּקְטֵר עָלָיו אַהֲרֹן קְטֹרֶת" שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְבִית, כְּמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (לעיל ל ז ח) "בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר בְּהֵיטִיבוֹ אֶת הַנֵּרֹת וְגוֹ', וּבְהַעֲלֹת אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַנֵּרֹת בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם" וְגוֹ'. וְלֹא יָדַעְתִּי אִם הוּא טָעוּת סוֹפְרִים:

1AND HE BURNT THEREON INCENSE OF SWEET SPICES. All the seven days of the installation Moses burnt the incense on the golden altar, and even though he was not specifically told to do so when he was commanded,⁹⁷… he did so nonetheless, for he understood that he was to do so from all the other acts of service, since G-d had commanded him here that he should set the bread⁹¹ and kindle the lamps.⁹¹ Similarly, and he offered upon it the burnt-offering and the meal-offering⁹³ means that Moses was the one who offered them, for thus he was commanded, Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar,⁹⁸ meaning that he was to begin to do this when performing the Service during the days of the installation, for all commands there [about the burnt- and the meal-offering]⁹⁹, Verses 39-41. refer to Moses’ service. Afterward, it says, It shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout your generations,¹⁰⁰, Verse 42. meaning that the priests shall do throughout the generations as Moses now did. Therefore in the section of Pinchas it says about this Daily Offering, It is a continual burnt-offering, which was offered in Mount Sinai,¹⁰¹ meaning that Moses began doing it there. Thus Moses our Teacher was the first priest in all these acts of service, therefore he also burnt the incense. Perhaps this is included in the words, and thou shalt put the golden altar for incense,⁹², Verse 5. meaning that he should immediately burn the incense on it. And that which is said at the time of the command, And thou shalt put it before the veil… and Aaron shall burn thereon the incense of sweet spices,¹⁰² refers to the proper time, from the day that Aaron begins his service and forever afterwards, [and does not exclude Moses’ service during the seven days], for so He said, And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at dusk,¹⁰³, Verse 8. and he only lit them from that day on, for here Moses was clearly commanded: and thou shalt light the lamps thereof.¹⁰⁴Now in Rashi’s commentary I have seen this text:¹⁰⁵ “And he — Aaron — burnt thereon incense (of sweet spices) morning and evening, as it is said, every morning, when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at dusk etc.”¹⁰⁶ But I do not know if this is the scribe’s mistake.¹⁰⁷