Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Genesis 1:24/רמב"ן על בראשית א׳:כ״ד
אבְּהֵמָה הֵם הַמִּינִים הָאוֹכְלִים עֵשֶׂב, בֵּין יִשּׁוּבִי בֵּין מִדְבָּרִי:
1CATTLE. These are the species that eat grass, whether domestic animals or those of the wilderness.
בוְחַיְתוֹ אֶרֶץ אוֹכְלֵי הַבָּשָׂר יִקְרָא חַיּוֹת, וְכֻלָּם יִטְרוֹפוּ:
2AND BEAST OF THE EARTH. Those which eat flesh are called chayoth (beasts), and they all seek and seize prey.
גוָרֶמֶשׂ כָּתַב רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית א':כ"ד) הֵם שְׁרָצִים נְמוּכִים וְרוֹמְשִׂים עַל הָאָרֶץ נִרְאִין כְּאִלּוּ נִגְרָרִין. וְהִנֵּה בַּפָּרָשָׁה הַזֹּאת (בראשית א':כ"ח) "וּבְכָל חַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת עַל הָאָרֶץ" וּכְתִיב (בראשית ז':כ"א) "וַיִּגְוַע כָּל בָּשָׂר הָרֹמֵשׂ עַל הָאָרֶץ בָּעוֹף וּבַבְּהֵמָה וּבַחַיָּה וּבְכָל הַשֶּׁרֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵץ עַל הָאָרֶץ" וּכְתִיב (תהלים קד כ) "בּוֹ תִרְמֹשׂ כָּל חַיְתוֹ יָעַר". אֲבָל פֵּרוּשׁ "רְמִישָׂה" כָּעִנְיָן בְּסָמֶ"ךְ, מִן "תִּרְמְסֶנָּה רָגֶל" (ישעיהו כו ו) וַחֲבֵרָיו, וְאָמַר בַּחַיָּה וּבַבְּהֵמָה "רֹמֵשׂ עַל הָאָרֶץ" וּבַשְּׁרָצִים הַנִּגְרָרִים "רֶמֶשׂ הָאֲדָמָה" (בראשית א':כ"ה) בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁדְּרִיכָתָם בָּאֲדָמָה בְּכָל גּוּפָם:
3VAREMES’ (AND CREEPING THING). Rashi wrote: “These are creeping swarms that creep low upon the earth, appearing as though they are dragged along.” Now in this chapter we find: And over every animal ‘haromeseth’ (that creepeth) upon the earth;195 and it is further written, And all flesh ‘haromes’ (that moved) upon the earth perished, both fowl and cattle, and beasts, and every swarming thing that swarmeth upon the earth;196 also, Wherein all the beasts of the forest ‘tirmos’ (do creep forth).197 But the meaning of r’misah is as if it were written with the letter samech, as in The foot tirm’senah (shall tread it down),198 and other related expressions. He thus says of beasts and cattle, ‘romes’ (that tread) on the earth,199 and of creeping things that drag along, ‘remes’ (that creep) upon the ground,200 because they tread on the ground with their entire body.