Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 1:4/רמב"ן על בראשית א׳:ד׳

אוַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב כָּתַב רַבֵּינוּ שְׁלֹמֹה: אַף בָּזֶה אָנוּ צְרִיכִין לְדִבְרֵי אַגָּדָה: רָאָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בּוֹ רְשָׁעִים, וְהִבְדִּילוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. וּלְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ כָּךְ פָּרְשֵׁהוּ: רָאָהוּ כִּי טוֹב, וְאֵין נָאֶה לוֹ וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא, וְקָבַע לָזֶה תְּחוּמוֹ בַּיּוֹם וְלָזֶה תְחוּמוֹ בַּלַּיְלָה. וְרַבִּי אַבְרָהָם אָמַר (אבן עזרא על בראשית א':ד'): וַיַּרְא – כְּמוֹ "וְרָאִיתִי אָנִי" (קהלת ב יג), וְהִיא בְּמַחְשֶׁבֶת הַלֵּב. וְטַעַם וַיַּבְדֵּל – בִּקְרִיאַת הַשֵּׁמוֹת. וְאֵין דִּבְרֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם נְכוֹנִים: שֶׁאִם כֵּן, יֵרָאֶה כְּעִנְיַן הַמְלָכָה וְעֵצָה חֲדָשָׁה, שֶׁיֹּאמַר, כִּי אַחֲרֵי שֶׁאָמַר אֱלֹהִים: "יְהִי אוֹר", וְהָיָה אוֹר, רָאָה אֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא, וְלָכֵן הִבְדִּיל בֵּינוֹ וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ, כָּעִנְיָן בָּאָדָם שֶׁלֹּא יֵדַע טִיבוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר עַד הֱיוֹתוֹ. אֲבָל הַסֵּדֶר בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית, כִּי הוֹצָאַת הַדְּבָרִים אֶל הַפֹּעַל יִקָּרֵא "אֲמִירָה": "וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר" (כאן); "וַיֹּאמֶר... יְהִי רָקִיעַ" (בראשית א':ו'); "וַיֹּאמֶר... תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ" (בראשית א':י"א).. וְקִיּוּמָם יִקָּרֵא "רְאִיָּה", כְּעִנְיָן "וְרָאִיתִי אָנִי" דְּקֹהֶלֶת (ב יג); וְכֵן "וַתֵּרֶא הָאִשָּׁה כִּי טוֹב הָעֵץ לְמַאֲכָל" (בראשית ג':ו'). וְהוּא כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ (כתובות קט א): "רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דִּבְרֵי אַדְמוֹן", וְכָמוֹהוּ (שמואל ב טו כז): "וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל צָדוֹק הַכֹּהֵן הֲרוֹאֶה אַתָּה שֻׁבָה הָעִיר בְּשָׁלוֹם". וְהָעִנְיָן, לְהוֹרוֹת כִּי עֲמִידָתָם בְּחֶפְצוֹ, וְאִם הַחֵפֶץ יִתְפָּרֵד רֶגַע מֵהֶם – יִהְיוּ לְאַיִן. וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָמַר בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם וָיוֹם: "וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי טוֹב", וּבַשִּׁשִּׁי כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁלַם הַכֹּל: "וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד" (בראשית א':ל"א), כֵּן אָמַר בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן בִּהְיוֹת הָאוֹר: וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי טוֹב, שֶׁרָצָה בְּקִיּוּמוֹ לָעַד. וְהוֹסִיף בְּכָאן אֶת הָאוֹר. שֶׁאִלּוּ אָמַר סְתָם: וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי טוֹב, הָיָה חוֹזֵר עַל בְּרִיאַת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ; וְלֹא גָּזַר בָּהֶן עֲדַיִן הַקִּיּוּם, כִּי לֹא עָמְדוּ כָּכָה, אֲבָל מִן הַחֹמֶר הַנִּבְרָא בָּרִאשׁוֹן – נַעֲשָׂה בַּשֵּׁנִי רָקִיעַ, וּבַשְּׁלִישִׁי נִפְרְדוּ הַמַּיִם וְהֶעָפָר וְנַעֲשֵׂית הַיַּבָּשָׁה שֶׁקְּרָאָהּ "אֶרֶץ", וְאָז גָּזַר בָּהֶם הַקִּיּוּם וְאָמַר בָּהֶם: "וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי טוֹב".

1AND G-D SAW THE LIGHT, THAT IT WAS GOOD. Rabbi Shlomo [Rashi] wrote: “Here too⁷⁵ (see above). The difficulty here in the text is twofold: (a) It is first written, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and then G—d said, Let there be light. Thus there already was a separation between light and darkness. Why then does Scripture continue by stating, and G—d divided the light from the darkness? (b) Concerning all other acts of creation, the expression “And G—d saw that it was good” is found at the completion of the act of creation, while here this phrase is written (in the beginning of Verse 4) before the completion. The Agadah, which Rashi quotes, answers: (a) vayavdel means here that He set apart the light for the righteous in the world to come. (b) ki tov (that it was good) could not have been written after the separation of the light for the righteous from the ordinary light, since the remaining light was no longer perfect. Therefore, ki tov is mentioned before the setting aside of the light. we must depend on the words of the homiletic Agadah G-d saw that the wicked were unworthy of using the light, and so He set it aside for the righteous in the World to Come. But according to the plain meaning of the verse, explain it thus: He saw that the light was good, and that it was not seemly for it and the darkness to function in a confused manner. He therefore assigned the one’s sphere of activity to the daytime and the one’s sphere of activity to the nighttime.”And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said: “The word vayar (and He saw) has the same meaning here as in Vera’iti ani (And I saw),⁷⁶ which refers to the thought in the heart. And He divided refers to His giving them different names.”⁷⁷But the words of both Rashi and Ibn Ezra are incorrect for if they were, it would appear that there was on the part of G-d a change of mind and new counsel, as if to say that after G-d said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light, He saw that it was good, and therefore He divided between it and darkness just as a human being who does not know the nature of something until it comes into existence! Rather, the order followed in the process of creation is that the bringing forth of things into actual existence is called amirah (saying). Thus: And G-d said, ‘Let there be light;’ And G-d said, ‘Let there be a firmament;’⁷⁸ And G-d said, ‘Let the earth put forth grass.’⁷⁹ And the permanence of things called forth into existence is called re’iyah (seeing), as And I saw in Ecclesiastes,⁸⁰ and similarly, And the woman saw that the tree was good for food.⁸¹ In the language of the Rabbis we also find, “I see the words of Admon.”⁸² Likewise, And the king said unto Zadok the priest, ‘Seest thou? return into the city in peace.’⁸³ The purport of the word “seeing” is thus to indicate that their continuing existence is at His Will, and if that Will should for a second depart from them, they will turn into nought. Now just as Scripture says in connection with the work of each day, And G-d saw that it was good and on the sixth day when everything was completed it says, And G-d saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good,⁸⁴ so does it say on the first day when light came into existence, And G-d saw … that it was good, meaning He desired its existence forever. The verse adds “the light” [And G-d saw ‘the light’ that it was good], because had it just said, “And G-d saw that it was good,” it would have referred to the creation of the heaven and the earth, and at that time He had not yet decreed for them permanence, as they did not remain as they were. Instead, from the substance created on the first day, the firmament was made on the second day, and on the third the waters and the dust were separated and the dry land — which He called “earth” — was formed. He then decreed for them permanence, and said concerning them, And G-d saw that it was good.⁸⁵

בוַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ אֵינֶנּוּ הַחֹשֶׁךְ הַנִּזְכָּר בַּפָּסוּק הָרִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁהוּא הָאֵשׁ, אֲבָל הוּא אֲפִיסַת הָאוֹר; כִּי נָתַן אֱלֹהִים מִדָּה לָאוֹר, וְשֶׁיִּהְיֶה נֶעְדָּר אַחַר כֵּן עַד שׁוּבוֹ. וְאָמְרוּ קְצָת הַמְּפָרְשִׁים, כִּי הָאוֹר הַזֶּה נִבְרָא לְפָנָיו שֶׁל הקב"ה, כְּלוֹמַר בַּמַּעֲרָב, וְשִׁקְּעוֹ מִיָּד כְּדֵי מִדַּת לַיְלָה, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן הֵאִיר כְּמִדַּת יוֹם. וְזֶה טַעַם "וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר" (בראשית א':ה'), שֶׁקֹּדֶם הָיָה לַיְלָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יוֹם, וּשְׁנֵיהֶם אַחֲרֵי הֲוָיַת הָאוֹר. וְאֵינֶנּוּ נָכוֹן כְּלָל, כִּי יוֹסִיפוּ עַל שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית יוֹם קָצָר. אֲבָל יִתָּכֵן שֶׁנֹּאמַר, כִּי הָאוֹר נִבְרָא לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְלֹא נִתְפַּשֵּׁט בַּיְּסוֹדוֹת הַנִּזְכָּרִים. וְהִבְדִּיל בֵּינוֹ וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ, שֶׁנָּתַן לִשְׁנֵיהֶם מִדָּה. וְעָמַד לְפָנָיו כְּמִדַּת לַיְלָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הִזְרִיחַ אוֹתוֹ עַל הַיְּסוֹדוֹת. וְהִנֵּה קָדַם הָעֶרֶב לַבֹּקֶר. וְעוֹד יִתָּכֵן שֶׁנֹּאמַר, כִּי מִשֶּׁיָּצְאוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ מִן הָאֶפֶס אֶל הַיֵּשׁ הַנִּזְכָּר בַּפָּסוּק הָרִאשׁוֹן, נִהְיָה זְמַן. כִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁזְּמַנֵּינוּ בִּרְגָעִים וְשָׁעוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בָּאוֹר וּבַחֹשֶׁךְ, מִשֶּׁיִּהְיֶה יֵשׁ – יִתָּפֵשׂ בּוֹ זְמַן. וְאִם כֵּן, נִבְרְאוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, וְעָמְדוּ כֵן כְּמִדַּת לַיְלָה מִבְּלִי אוֹר, וְאָמַר "יְהִי אוֹר", וַיְהִי אוֹר, וְגָזַר עָלָיו שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד כְּמִדַּת הָרִאשׁוֹן, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יֵעָדֵר מִן הַיְּסוֹדוֹת; "וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר".

2AND G-D DIVIDED THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS. This is not “the darkness” mentioned in the first verse⁸⁶ which, as explained above, refers to the element of fire; rather, the “darkness” mentioned here means the absence of light, since G-d gave a length of time to the light and decreed that it be absent afterwards until it returns.Now some commentators⁸⁷ (2:20, Hirschfeld’s translation). See also my Hebrew commentary, 2d edition, p. 547, that Ramban may also refer here to Rabbeinu Zerachyah Halevi, who was of a similar opinion. have said that this light was created in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, that is to say, in the west,⁸⁸ and He immediately caused it to disappear for the period of the night, and afterwards it gave light for the period of the day. This is the reason for the verse, And there was evening and there was morning, since the night came first and afterwards the day, and both of them came after the existence of the light.But this is not correct at all, for in this way they might add a short day to the six days of creation.⁸⁹ the creation of light, and light was created at the time of sunset, it follows that there was a short day (that is, light without darkness) preceding the first day. Thus a short day is added to the six days of creation. It is possible, however, to say that the light was created in front of Him, blessed be He, but did not extend over the four elements mentioned [in the second verse, as explained above] and then He divided between it and the darkness by assigning to each a certain period. Light now remained before Him for the length of night, and then in the morning, He caused the light to shine upon the elements. In this way night preceded day.It is further possible that we should say that when the heavens and the earth came forth from nought into existence, as mentioned in the first verse, time came into being, for although our time consisting of minutes and hours is measured in light and darkness, yet from the moment some substance came into existence time was already part of it. If so, after the heavens and the earth were created they so remained for the length of a night without light. Then He said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light, and He decreed that it remain the same period as the first, and that after that it be absent from the elements. Thus, there was evening, and there was morning.