Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Genesis 1:18/רמב"ן על בראשית א׳:י״ח
אוְלִמְשֹׁל בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה עִנְיַן הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה דָּבָר אַחֵר מִבְּלִי הָאוֹרָה שֶׁהִזְכִּיר, כִּי יִכְלֹל מָה שֶׁאָמַר תְּחִלָּה "וְהָיוּ לְאֹתֹת וּלְמוֹעֲדִים", כִּי יֵשׁ לָהֶם מֶמְשָׁלָה בָּאָרֶץ בְּשִׁנּוּיֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר יוֹלִידוּ בָהּ, וּמֶמְשָׁלָה בַּהֲוָיָה וּבְהֶפְסֵד בְּכָל הַשְּׁפָלִים, כִּי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בְּמֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ בַּיּוֹם יַצְמִיחַ וְיוֹלִיד וִיגַדֵּל בְּכָל הַחַמִּים וְהַיְּבֵשִׁים, וְהַיָּרֵחַ בְּמֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ יַפְרֶה בַּמַּעְיָנוֹת וּבַיַּמִּים וְכָל הַלַּחִים וְהַקָּרִים, וְעַל כֵּן אָמַר סְתָם "וְלִמְשֹׁל בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה" – כִּי מֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַשְּׁפָלִים לָהֶם. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁהַמֶּמְשָׁלָה עוֹד כֹּחַ אֲצִילוּת, שֶׁהֵם מַנְהִיגֵי הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וּבְכֹחָם יִמְשֹׁל כָּל מוֹשֵׁל, וְהַמַּזָּל הַצּוֹמֵחַ בַּיּוֹם יִמְשֹׁל בּוֹ, וְהַמַּזָּל הַצּוֹמֵחַ בַּלַּיְלָה יִמְשֹׁל בָּהּ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים ד יט) אֲשֶׁר חָלַק ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֹתָם לְכֹל הָעַמִּים, וְהוּא מָה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים קמז ד) מוֹנֶה מִסְפָּר לַכּוֹכָבִים לְכֻלָּם שֵׁמוֹת יִקְרָא, וְכֵן לְכֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יִקְרָא (ישעיהו מ כו), כִּי קְרִיאַת הַשֵּׁמוֹת הִיא הַהַבְדָּלָה בְּכֹחוֹתָם, לָזֶה כֹּחַ הַצֶּדֶק וְהַיֹּשֶׁר וְלָזֶה כֹּחַ הַדָּם וְהַחֶרֶב, וְכֵן בְּכָל הַכֹּחוֹת כַּיָּדוּעַ בָּאִצְטַגְנִינוּת, וְהַכֹּל בְּכֹחַ עֶלְיוֹן וְלִרְצוֹנוֹ, וּלְכָךְ אָמַר גָּדוֹל אֲדוֹנֵינוּ וְרַב כֹּחַ (תהלים קמז ה), כִּי הוּא גָּדוֹל עַל כֻּלָּם וְרַב כֹּחַ עֲלֵיהֶם, וְכֵן אָמַר מֵרֹב אוֹנִים וְאַמִּיץ כֹּחַ (ישעיהו מ כו). וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הַסּוֹד שֶׁרָמַזְתִּי לְךָ תִּהְיֶה מֶמְשָׁלָה גְּמוּרָה בֶּאֱמֶת:
1AND TO RULE OVER THE DAY AND OVER THE NIGHT. The matter of rulership is a different matter from the function of light which He mentioned, since it includes that which He stated at first, And they shall be for signs, and seasons. Their rulership over the earth comprises the changes which they cause in it and the power of bringing about the existence and deterioration of all things in the lower world since the sun, by its rule during the day, causes the sprouting, the propagation and the growth of all the warm and dry things, while the moon by its rule increases the springs and the oceans, and all liquid and cold things. Therefore He said in a general way, And to rule over the day and over the night, because theirs is the dominion over things in the lower world.It is possible that the rulership given to them contains also a power of emanation for they are the leaders of things in the lower world, and with their power, every ruling power in nature holds sway. Thus the constellation which comes up by day rules during it, even as it is written, The sun and the moon and the stars… which the Eternal thy G-d hath allotted unto all the peoples.160 And this is what Scripture means when it says, He counteth the number of the stars; He giveth them all their names,161 likewise, He calleth them all by name.162 For the calling of names signifies the differentiation in their respective powers, giving to this one the power of justice and righteousness, and to that one the power of blood and the sword, and similarly all other powers, as is known in astrology. And all is done by the power of the Most High and in accordance with His Will. Therefore it says, Great is our Lord, and mighty in power,163 for He is greatest of all and mightiest in power over them. And similarly it says, He calleth them all by name by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power.162 In accord with the secret I have hinted to you, the matter of rulership is completely true.
בוּלֲהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ אָמַר רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם (אבן עזרא על בראשית א':י"ח) כִּי בְּצֵאת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בַּיּוֹם וְאוֹר הַלְּבָנָה בַּלַּיְלָה יַבְדִּילוּ בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ. וּלְפִי דַּעְתִּי כִּי הָ"אוֹר" הַנִּזְכָּר בְּכָאן הוּא הַיּוֹם, וְהַ"חֹשֶׁךְ" הוּא הַלַּיְלָה, כִּי כֵן שְׁמָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (בראשית א':ה') וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה. וְהִנֵּה בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית יַזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב הַצַּוָּאָה וִיסַפֵּר הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, וּבְכָאן צִוָּה "וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרֹת" (לעיל טו) וְסִפֵּר "וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים" (לעיל יז), וְאָמַר "וְלִמְשֹׁל בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה", שֶׁיִּהְיֶה זֶה מוֹשֵׁל בַּיּוֹם וְזֶה מוֹשֵׁל בַּלַּיְלָה, וְהַמֶּמְשָׁלָה הוּא מָה שֶׁצִּוָּה "וְהָיוּ לְאֹתֹת וּלְמוֹעֲדִים" (לעיל יד), וְסִפֵּר שֶׁאֵין מֶמְשֶׁלֶת שְׁנֵיהֶם שָׁוָה, אֲבָל "לֲהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ" כִּי הַגָּדוֹל יִמְשֹׁל בַּיּוֹם וְיִהְיֶה כֻּלּוֹ אוֹר גַּם בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מַגִּיעַ, וְהַקָּטָן יִמְשֹׁל בַּלַּיְלָה וְיִהְיֶה חֹשֶׁךְ זוּלָתִי הַיָּרֵחַ שֶׁיַּגִּיהַּ חָשְׁכּוֹ, וְהִיא הַצַּוָּאָה שֶׁאָמַר "לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלָּיְלָה" (שם) כְּמוֹ "וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ" (לעיל ד):
2AND TO DIVIDE THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said: “By the coming forth of the sun at daytime and the light of the moon at night, they shall divide the light from the darkness.”164 (and to divide) refers to both the sun and moon, that each in coming forth separates between light and darkness. (Tur.) In my opinion, the light mentioned here refers to the day, and the darkness is the night for such are their names, as it says, And G-d called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night.165 from the night,” meaning, that light is to serve at daytime and darkness at night. (Tur.)Now in connection with all the works of creation, Scripture mentions the Divine command and then tells of the deed. And here too He commanded, And they shall be for lights,166 and then it relates, And G-d set them.167 He further said, And to rule over the day and over the night,168 meaning that one is to rule by day and the other by night, the rulership being that which He commanded when He said, And they shall be for signs, and for seasons.169 And now He related that the rulership of the two is not alike but instead consists of dividing the darkness from the light. The greater luminary will rule by day and light will be everywhere, even where the sun does not reach, and the smaller luminary will rule by night, and there will be darkness except that the moon will lighten its darkness. This then is the command He gave in order to divide the day from the night,169 as it says, And G-d divided the light from the darkness.153