Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 9:29/רמב"ן על שמות ט׳:כ״ט
אכְּצֵאתִי אֶת הָעִיר עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט יִתָּכֵן לוֹמַר שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה מִתְפַּלֵּל בְּבֵיתוֹ, רַק בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת רָצָה לִהְיוֹת כַּפָּיו פְּרוּשׂוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְיַחְדְּלוּ הַקּוֹלוֹת וְהַמָּטָר מִיָּד, וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן בָּעִיר, עַל כֵּן אָמַר כְּצֵאתִי אֶת הָעִיר וְכֵן נֶאֱמַר עוֹד (שמות ט':ל"ג) וַיֵּצֵא מֹשֶׁה מֵעִם פַּרְעֹה אֶת הָעִיר, וּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה אָמַר (שמות ח':כ"ה) הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי יוֹצֵא מֵעִמָּךְ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (מכילתא פסחא בפתיחתא) שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל בְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר לְפִי שֶׁהִיא מְלֵאָה גִּלּוּלִים, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה נִדְבָּר עִמּוֹ אֶלָּא חוּץ לַכְּרַךְ. אִם כֵּן נֹאמַר כִּי בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהָיָה פַּרְעֹה מְבַקֵּשׁ עַתָּה שֶׁיָּסוּר הַבָּרָד מִיָּד, הֻצְרַךְ מֹשֶׁה לְפָרֵשׁ לוֹ כִּי יִצְטָרֵךְ לָצֵאת אֶת הָעִיר, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵּן יִפְרֹשׁ כַּפָּיו אֶל ה' וְיָסוּר בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ, וְהוּא הָאֱמֶת:
1AS SOON AS I AM GONE OUT OF THE CITY, I WILL SPREAD FORTH MY HANDS UNTO THE ETERNAL. In line with the plain meaning of Scripture, it is possible to say that [on other occasions] Moses prayed in his house, [which was within the city]. However, this time He saw fit that his hands be spread heavenward so that the thunders and the hail cease immediately, and that was impossible to be done in the city [because it was replete with idols]. Hence he said, As soon as I am gone out of the city. And so it is said further on, And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread forth his hands.222 But at first, [i.e., during the plague of swarms], Moses said to Pharaoh, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the Eternal,223 [for as soon as he left the palace he went to his house in the city and prayed].But our Rabbis have said224 that Moses “did not pray within the city because it was full of idols, and all the more He did not converse with him except outside the city.” If so, we must say that since Pharaoh now pleaded with Moses that he remove the hail immediately,225 Moses found it necessary to explain to him that he must go out of the city first and after that he will spread forth his hands to the Eternal, and He will remove it on account of his prayer. This is the true explanation.