Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 40:34/רמב"ן על שמות מ׳:ל״ד

אוַיְכַס הֶעָנָן אֶת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד אָמַר כִּי הֶעָנָן יְכַסֶּה אֶת הָאֹהֶל מִכָּל צַד וְהוּא מְכֻסֶּה וְטָמוּן בּוֹ.

1AND THE CLOUD COVERED THE TENT OF MEETING etc. Scripture is stating that the cloud covered the Tabernacle from all sides, with the result that the building was covered and hidden in it.

בוּכְבוֹד ה' מָלֵא אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, כִּי תּוֹכוֹ מָלֵא הַכָּבוֹד, כִּי הַכָּבוֹד שׁוֹכֵן בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן תּוֹךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּן, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּהַר סִינַי (שמות כ':כ"א) "אֶל הָעֲרָפֶל אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הָאֱלֹהִים", וְאָמַר כִּי לֹא יָכוֹל מֹשֶׁה לָבֹא אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד (שמות מ':ל"ה) אֲפִלּוּ אֶל הַפֶּתַח, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה הֶעָנָן מְכַסֶּה אוֹתוֹ וְלֹא הָיָה רַשַּׁאי לָבֹא בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן. וְעוֹד, כִּי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מָלֵא כְּבוֹד ה' וְאֵיךְ יִכָּנֵס בּוֹ. וְהַטַּעַם, שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹא שָׁם בְּלֹא רְשׁוּת, אֲבָל יִקְרָא אוֹתוֹ וְיָבֹא בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בְּהַר סִינַי "וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִתּוֹךְ הֶעָנָן" (שמות כ"ד:ט"ז), וְאָמַר "וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן" (שם יח). וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט, בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֵלָיו מֵאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד" (ויקרא א א) לֹא נִכְנַס מֹשֶׁה לַמִּשְׁכָּן, אֲבָל קָרָא אוֹתוֹ מֵאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְעָמַד פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו: וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (ת"כ פתיחתא ח) כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר "וְלֹא יָכֹל מֹשֶׁה לָבוֹא אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד", וְכָתוּב אַחֵר אוֹמֵר "וּבְבֹא מֹשֶׁה אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד" (במדבר ז פט), הִכְרִיעַ "כִּי שָׁכַן עָלָיו הֶעָנָן". כִּי לְדַעְתָּם "וּבְבֹא מֹשֶׁה אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד", שֶׁיָּבֹא שָׁם בְּלֹא קְרִיאָה מִדַּעְתּוֹ, אוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמַר שָׁם "וַיִּשְׁמַע אֶת הַקּוֹל מִדַּבֵּר אֵלָיו מֵעַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת" נִרְאָה לָהֶם שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה עוֹמֵד בְּתוֹךְ הָאֹהֶל לִפְנֵי הַכַּפֹּרֶת, וְכָל עֵת הֱיוֹת כְּבוֹד הַשֵּׁם מָלֵא אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן לֹא נִכְנַס מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹכוֹ, וּלְכָךְ יֹאמְרוּ שֶׁהָיָה זֶה לְאַחַר שֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק הֶעָנָן, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק מִלְּכַסּוֹת כָּל הָאֹהֶל וְאֵין הַכָּבוֹד מָלֵא אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, כִּי לֹא הָיָה זֶה רַק בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי בְּרֶדֶת שָׁם הַכָּבוֹד. וְהַקְּרִיאָה שֶׁאָמַר "וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֵלָיו מֵאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד" (ויקרא א א), עַל דַּעְתָּם קֹדֶם לָכֵן הָיְתָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי לְמַעְלָה (רמב"ן על שמות מ':ב'). וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁהַכָּתוּב שֶׁיֹּאמַר פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת וּכְבוֹד ה' מָלֵא אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן יִרְמֹז אֶל הַכָּבוֹד הַשּׁוֹכֵן בְּקִרְבּוֹ:

2AND THE GLORY OF THE ETERNAL FILLED THE TABERNACLE, this means that it was filled completely with the Glory, for the Glory rested within the cloud inside the Tabernacle, just as it is said with reference to Mount Sinai, unto the thick darkness where G-d was.¹⁰⁸ It states further on that Moses was not able to come into the Tent of Meeting¹⁰⁹ — even to the door, because the cloud covered it, and he was not permitted to come into the cloud. Moreover, the Glory of the Eternal filled the Tabernacle,¹⁰⁹ so how could he enter it? The reason for this was so that Moses should not go in without permission, but instead G-d would call him and then he was to come into the midst of the cloud, just as He had done at Mount Sinai, as it is said, and He called unto Moses on the seventh day out of the midst of the cloud,¹¹⁰ and then it says, And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud.¹¹¹, Verse 18.In line with the plain meaning of Scripture, it is because it is said, and the Eternal spoke unto him out of the Tent of Meeting¹¹² that Moses did not enter the Tabernacle, but G-d called him from the Tent of Meeting and he stood at its door and He spoke to him. But our Rabbis have said:¹¹³ “One verse states, And Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of Meeting,¹⁰⁹ and another verse states, and when Moses went into the Tent of Meeting¹¹⁴ [thus the two verses appear to be contradictory]! The matter is decided by the passage, because the cloud abode thereon.”¹¹⁵). For in the opinion of the Rabbis, the phrase and when Moses went into the Tent of Meeting,¹¹⁴ means that he went inside of his own accord without being called. Or it may be that because Scripture states there, and he heard the Voice speaking unto him from above the ark-cover,¹¹⁴ therefore it appeared to the Rabbis that Moses stood within the Tent before the ark-cover. Now as long as the Glory of G-d filled the Tabernacle, Moses did not enter it. Therefore they say that he only would enter after the cloud withdrew, meaning after it withdrew from covering the whole Tent, and the Glory no longer filled the Tabernacle. That was only on the eighth day of the installation when the Glory descended there,¹¹⁶ and as for the call that came to Moses, of which it is said, And he called unto Moses,¹¹² that happened, in the opinion of the Rabbis, before [the eighth day, namely, on the first day of the installation], as I have explained above.¹¹⁷ It is possible that the verse before us which repeats, and the Glory of the Eternal filled the Tabernacle [when it had already stated, and the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting], alludes to the Glory that dwells within it.

גוְהִנֵּה נִשְׁלַם סֵפֶר הַגְּאֻלָּה אֲשֶׁר ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּא בוֹ.

3Thus is completed the Book of Redemption,In which the Eternal, the G-d of Israel, hath entered¹¹⁸.

דלִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַם קְרֹבוֹ.

4Even for the children of Israel, a people near unto Him.¹¹⁹

ההוֹשִׁיעוֹ מִיַּד שׂוֹנְאוֹ וּגְאָלוֹ מִיַּד אוֹיְבוֹ.

5He saved him from the hand of him that hated him,And redeemed him from the hand of his enemy.¹²⁰, 106:10.

ווּבָרוּךְ ה' הֶחָפֵץ שְׁלוֹם עַבְדּוֹ.

6And blessed be G-dWho delighted in the peace of His servant,¹²¹, 35:27.

זאֲשֶׁר עַד הֵנָּה עֲזָרוֹ לָבֹא.

7Who has helped him to come thus far,¹²²

חהַמְחַדֵּשׁ נְעוּרָיו בְּשֵׂיבוֹ.

8Who renews his youth¹²³ in his old age,

טהַמַּשְׁבִּיעַ בְּתוֹרָתוֹ רְעָבוֹ.

9Who satisfies his hunger with His Torah,

יוַיֵּנִקֵהוּ דְּבַשׁ וַחֲלָבוֹ.

10And He made him to suck honey¹²⁴ and the fat thereof.

יאכִּי הֵכִין כָּל לְבָבוֹ.

11For he set his whole heart [to seek G-d],¹²⁵

יבוְלִשְׁמוֹ יְבָרֵךְ בָּקְרוֹ וְעַרְבּוֹ.

12And to His Name he offers blessings morning and evening.

יגבָּרוּךְ שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ וְחָיִינוּ בְּטוּבוֹ.

13Blessed be He of Whose bounty we have partaken,And through Whose goodness we live.¹²⁶