Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 1:28/רמב"ן על בראשית א׳:כ״ח

אוַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים זוֹ בְּרָכָה מַמָּשׁ, לְפִיכָךְ כָּתוּב בָּהּ "וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם אֱלֹהִים", אֲבָל לְמַעְלָה (כב) כָּתוּב "וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים לֵאמֹר", יְפָרֵשׁ שֶׁהַבְּרָכָה הִיא הַמַּאֲמָר שֶׁנָּתַן בָּהֶם כֹּחַ הַתּוֹלָדָה, לֹא דִּבּוּר אֶחָד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בּוֹ מְבֹרָכִים.

1AND G-D BLESSED THEM. This is an actual blessing [unlike Verse 22 where the blessing of the fish and fowl consisted of bestowing upon them the power of procreation]. Therefore, it is written here, And G-d blessed them, and G-d said unto them. But above in Verse 22 it is written, And G-d blessed them, saying, [the word saying indicating] that the blessing is the command of procreation, that He gave them the power of bringing forth offspring, and no other command with which they are to be blessed. [But in the case of man, in addition to the power of being fruitful, he was also blessed that he have dominion over the earth, hence Scripture continues, and G-d said unto them.]

בוּמִלְאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ בְּרָכָה שֶׁיִּמָּלֵא הָעוֹלָם לְרֻבָּם. וּלְפִי דַּעְתִּי יְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָם שֶׁיְּמַלְּאוּ כָּל הָאָרֶץ וְיִפָּרְדוּ הַגּוֹיִם לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָם בְּקַצְוֵי תֵּבֵל לְרֻבָּם, וְלֹא יִהְיוּ בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד כְּמַחְשֶׁבֶת אַנְשֵׁי דּוֹר הַפַּלָּגָה:

2AND REPLENISH THE EARTH. This is a blessing that they fill the earth because of their numbers. In my opinion, He blessed them that they fill the whole earth, and that the nations should disperse according to their families and should populate the far ends of the world because of their numbers and not be concentrated in one place, as was the thought of the men of the generation of the dispersion.

גוְכִבְשׁוּהָ נָתַן לָהֶם כֹּחַ וּמֶמְשָׁלָה בָּאָרֶץ לַעֲשׂוֹת כִּרְצוֹנָם בַּבְּהֵמוֹת וּבַשְּׁרָצִים וְכָל זוֹחֲלֵי עָפָר, וְלִבְנוֹת וְלַעֲקֹר נָטוּעַ וּמֵהֲרָרֶיהָ לַחְצֹב נְחֹשֶׁת וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה. וְזֶה יִכְלֹל מָה שֶׁאָמַר "וּבְכָל הָאָרֶץ" (בראשית א':כ"ו):

3AND SUBDUE IT. He gave them power and dominion over the earth to do as they wish with the cattle, the reptiles, and all that crawl in the dust, and to build, and to pluck up that which is planted,²¹⁴ and from its hills to dig copper, and other similar things. This is included in what He said and over all the earth.¹⁹⁹

דוּרְדוּ בִּדְגַת הַיָּם אָמַר שֶׁיִּהְיוּ רוֹדִים גַּם בִּדְגֵי הַיָּם הַנִּכְסִים מֵהֶם, וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁאֵינָם עִמָּהֶם בָּאֲדָמָה, גַּם בְּכָל חַיָּה רָעָה. וְסִדֵּר אוֹתָם כִּבְרִיאָתָם, הַדָּגִים וְהָעוֹף תְּחִלָּה וְהַחַיָּה אַחַר כֵּן. וְכָךְ אָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים ח ז-ט), "תַּמְשִׁילֵהוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂי יָדֶיךָ כֹּל שַׁתָּה תַחַת רַגְלָיו צֹנֶה וַאֲלָפִים כֻּלָּם וְגַם בַּהֲמוֹת שָׂדָי צִפּוֹר שָׁמַיִם וּדְגֵי הַיָּם" וְגוֹ'. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ שָׂמוּ הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין כְּבִישָׁה וּרְדִיָּה:

4AND HAVE DOMINION OVER THE FISH OF THE SEA. He said that they should also have dominion over the fish that are concealed from them, And over the fowl of the heaven which are not on the ground, and also over every wild animal. He thus mentioned them in the order of their creation: first the fish and fowl, and afterwards the animals. So likewise Scripture says, Thou hast made him have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet: sheep and oxen, all of them, yea, and the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea.²¹⁵ state them in this order” since in this quotation fowl and fish are after all mentioned last in order. Our Rabbis, however, have made a distinction between kvishah (subduing) and r’diyah (having dominion).²¹⁶ and r’diyah imply power and dominion, r’diyah also suggests yeridah (sinking low). Thus, if man is worthy he dominates (rodeh) over the beasts and cattle; if he is not worthy, he sinks lower (yarud) than they, and the beasts rule over him.