Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 1:8/רמב"ן על בראשית א׳:ח׳

אוַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָרָקִיעַ שָׁמָיִם בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי קְרָאָם בַּשֵּׁם הַזֶּה כַּאֲשֶׁר הִלְבִּישׁ אוֹתָם צוּרַת רָקִיעַ, כִּי בָּרִאשׁוֹן הָיוּ שָׁמַיִם בַּבְּרִיאָה אֲבָל אֵין הַשֵּׁם נִתְפָּשׂ בָּהֶם עַד שֶׁלָּבְשׁוּ הַצּוּרָה הַזּוֹ. וּפֵרוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם הַזֶּה כְּאִלּוּ הוּא נָקוּד בְּסֶגוֹל תַּחַת הַשִּׁי"ן. כְּמִלַּת (שיר השירים א ז) "שַׁלָּמָה אֶהְיֶה כְּעֹטְיָה", כְּאִלּוּ אָמַר שָׁמַיִם הֵם שֶׁנִּרְקְעוּ וְנִמְתְּחוּ כְּאֹהֶל בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, הוֹדִיעַ בַּשֵּׁם הַזֶּה סוֹד יְצִירָתָם. וּבַגְּמָרָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת חֲגִיגָה (חגיגה י"ב) אָמְרוּ, מַאי שָׁמַיִם שֵׁם מַיִם, וְאִם כֵּן הוּא יֶחְסַר מֵ"ם אֶחָד לְהִתְחַבְּרוּת שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת שָׁווֹת כְּמִלַּת "יְרֻבַּעַל" (שופטים ו לב ועוד), וְיֹאמַר שֵׁם מַיִם, כְּלוֹמַר שֵׁם שֶׁקָּרָא לַמַּיִם בְּלָבְשָׁם צוּרָה אַחֶרֶת, וְזֶה פְּשַׁט הַכְּתוּבִים עַל הַדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה שֶׁכָּתַב רַשִׁ"י, וְהוּא דַּעַת רָב שֶׁהִזְכַּרְנוּ (רמב"ן על בראשית א':ו'), וִיהִי שֵׁם "הַשָּׁמַיִם" וְ"הָאָרֶץ" בַּפָּסוּק הָרִאשׁוֹן עַל הֶעָתִיד לִקְרֹא לָהֶם, כִּי לֹא יִתָּכֵן לְהוֹדִיעָם רַק בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה. אֲבָל יוֹתֵר נָכוֹן לְפִי פְּשַׁט הַכְּתוּבִים שֶׁנֹּאמַר כִּי הַשָּׁמַיִם הַנִּזְכָּרִים בַּפָּסוּק הָרִאשׁוֹן הֵם הַשָּׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, אֵינָם מִכְּלַל הַגַּלְגַּלִּים אֲבָל הֵם לְמַעְלָה מִן הַמֶּרְכָּבָה, כְּעִנְיַן וּדְמוּת עַל רָאשֵׁי הַחַיָּה רָקִיעַ כְּעֵין הַקֶּרַח הַנּוֹרָא נָטוּי עַל רָאשֵׁיהֶם מִלְמָעְלָה (יחזקאל א כב), וּמֵהֶם נִקְרָא הקב"ה "רוֹכֵב שָׁמַיִם" (דברים לג כו), וְלֹא סִפֵּר הַכָּתוּב בִּבְרִיאָתָם דָּבָר כַּאֲשֶׁר לֹא הִזְכִּיר הַמַּלְאָכִים וְחַיּוֹת הַמֶּרְכָּבָה וְכָל דָּבָר נִפְרָד שֶׁאֵינוֹ בַּעַל גּוּף, רַק הִזְכִּיר בַּשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁהֵם נִבְרָאִים, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁקַּדְמוּתָם אֶפֶס, וְאָמַר בַּשֵּׁנִי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּיִם, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁיִּתְהַוֶּה מִן הַמַּיִם הַנִּזְכָּרִים שֶׁהִזְכִּיר בְּרִיאָתָם דָּבָר מְרֻקָּע מַבְדִּיל בֵּינֵיהֶם, וְקָרָא גַּם לְאֵלּוּ הַכַּדּוּרִים שָׁמַיִם כְּשֵׁם הַשָּׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, וְלָכֵן יִקְרָאֵם בַּפָּרָשָׁה (בראשית א':י"ז) "רְקִיעַ שָׁמַיִם" "וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם", לְבָאֵר שֶׁאֵינָם הַנִּזְכָּרִים בְּשֵׁם הַשָּׁמַיִם רַק הָרְקִיעִים שֶׁקְּרָאָם שָׁמַיִם. וְגַם זֶה דַּעַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ הִזְכִּירוּהוּ בִּבְרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה (בראשית רבה ד':ב'), אָמְרוּ, כָּל רַבָּנִין אָמְרִין לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנַנְיָה בְּרַבִּי פִּנְחָס וְרַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בְּרַבִּי אָבִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בְּרַבִּי נַחְמָן, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר הקב"ה "יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם" גָּלְדָה טִפָּה הָאֶמְצָעִית וְנַעֲשׂוּ שָׁמַיִם הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, וּמַאֲמַר זֶה יִתְפַּשֵּׁט לְכַדּוּרֵי הַגַּלְגַּלִּים שֶׁבָּהֶם תַּחְתּוֹנִים וְעֶלְיוֹנִים נִקְרָאִים "שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם", כְּדִכְתִיב (תהלים קמח ג-ד) הַלְלוּהוּ שֶׁמֶשׁ וְיָרֵחַ הַלְלוּהוּ כָּל כּוֹכְבֵי אוֹר הַלְלוּהוּ שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם וְהַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל הַשָּׁמָיִם. אֲבָל הַשָּׁמַיִם הַנִּזְכָּרִים בָּרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁשָּׁם כִּסְאוֹ שֶׁל הקב"ה, דִּכְתִיב (ישעיהו סו א) הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאִי, הֵם הַנִּזְכָּרִים בִּתְחִלַּת זֶה הַמִּזְמוֹר (תהלים קמח א-ב), הַלְלוּ אֶת ה' מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הַלְלוּהוּ בַּמְּרוֹמִים הַלְלוּהוּ כָל מַלְאָכָיו. וְזֶה הַלָּשׁוֹן נָכוֹן בִּפְשַׁט הַכָּתוּב, עִם מָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ עוֹד בְּשֵׁם הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבְשֵׁם הַכִּסֵּא סוֹד נִשְׂגָּב וְנֶעֱלָם, כִּי יֵשׁ שָׁמַיִם לַשָּׁמַיִם וְכִסֵּא לַכִּסֵּא, וּמִזֶּה אוֹמְרִים הַחֲכָמִים (ברכות יג) כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם, וְאָמְרוּ (שם ז) יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם, וְהַכָּתוּב אָמַר דִּי שַׁלִּטִן שְׁמַיָּא (דניאל ד כג), וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם מִדְרָשׁ נִפְלָא (ספר הבהיר אות ק) בְּמָה שֶׁכָּתוּב וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם (מלכים א ח לב), וְכָל זֶה יִרְאֶנּוּ נִרְמָז בַּפָּסוּק הָרִאשׁוֹן הַזּוֹכֶה לוֹ. וְהִנֵּה בֵּאֲרוּ הַכְּתוּבִים כִּי הַנִּבְרָאִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הֵם מֵאַיִן, וְהַשְּׁאָר מוֹצָאָם מִן הַחֹמֶר הָרִאשׁוֹן הַנִּבְרָא. וְאַל יִקְשֶׁה עָלֶיךָ מַאֲמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַגָּדוֹל (פרקי דר"א ג) שֶׁאָמַר, שָׁמַיִם מֵהֵיכָן נִבְרְאוּ, מֵאוֹר לְבוּשׁוֹ שֶׁל הקב"ה, וְכֵן הוּא בִּבְרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה עוֹד, כִּי בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁיִּרְצוּ הַחֲכָמִים עוֹד לְהַעֲלוֹת הַחֹמֶר הָרִאשׁוֹן עַד תַּכְלִית וְלַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ דַּק מִן הַדַּקִּים, לֹא יִרְאוּ שֶׁהַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁהֵם גּוּף מִתְנוֹעֵעַ בַּעַל חֹמֶר וְצוּרָה הֵם הַנִּבְרָאִים מִן הָאַיִן, אֲבָל אוֹר הַלְּבוּשׁ הוּא הַנִּבְרָא הָרִאשׁוֹן וּמִמֶּנּוּ יָצָא חֹמֶר הַמַּמָּשׁ בַּשָּׁמַיִם, וְנָתַן לָאָרֶץ חֹמֶר אַחֵר וְאֵינֶנּוּ כְּדַקּוּת הָרִאשׁוֹן, וְהוּא שֶׁלֶג שֶׁתַּחַת כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד, כִּי כִסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד נִבְרָא וּמִמֶּנּוּ הָיָה הַשֶּׁלֶג שֶׁתַּחְתָּיו וּמִמֶּנּוּ נַעֲשָׂה חֹמֶר הָאָרֶץ, וְהִנֵּה הוּא שְׁלִישִׁי בַּבְּרִיאָה:

1AND G-D CALLED THE FIRMAMENT HEAVEN. On the second day He gave them this name when He clothed them with the form of the firmament for on the first day the heavens were still in the process of creation, but the name was not attached to them until they took on this form.The meaning of this name [shamayim — heavens] is as if it had the sign of a segol under the letter shin [the prefix shin thus voweled means “that” or “for”] just as in Shalamah (For why) should I be as one that veileth herself?¹⁰⁶ there stands for asher - asher lamah (for why). Similarly in Ibn Ezra, ibid. Likewise here, the word shamayim is as if it said asher mayim (that waters), as is explained further in the text. It is thus as if He said that they [the heavens] are waters which have congealed and stretched like a tent in the midst of the upper and lower waters. By this name shamayim He has made known the secret of their creation.In the Gemara Tractate Chagigah,¹⁰⁷ the Rabbis have said, “What is the meaning of the word shamayim? It means shem mayim.”¹⁰⁸ If so, there is one mem missing here in the word shamayim on account of the adjoining of two similar letters, just as in the word yeruba’al [which stands for yareb bo ba’al — let Baal contend against him].¹⁰⁹ The word shamayim is thus as if it said shem mayim, meaning that “heaven” is the name given the waters when they took on a new form. This is the plain meaning of the verses in accordance with the way of Rashi’s writing,¹¹⁰ [may be regarded as made up of either of these words]: sa mayim (carries water), etc.” Rashi. and it conforms with the opinion of Rav¹¹¹ which we have mentioned. Thus the names “heaven” and “earth” mentioned in the first verse point to the names by which they would be called in the future, as it would be impossible to make them known in any other manner. It is, however, more correct in accordance with the meaning of the verses that we say that the heavens mentioned in the first verse are the upper heavens, which are not part of the lower spheres but are above the merkavah (the Divine Chariot), just as it is stated, And over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, like the color of the transparent ice, stretched forth over their heads above.¹¹² It is on account of these higher heavens that the Holy One, blessed be He, is called He Who rideth upon the heavens.¹¹³ Scripture, however, did not relate anything concerning their creation, just as it did not mention the creation of the angels, the chayoth of the merkavah, and all Separate Intelligences which are incorporeal. Concerning the heavens, it mentioned only in a general way that they were created, meaning that they came forth from nought. On the second day He said that there should be a firmament in the midst of the waters, meaning that from the waters, the creation of which had already been mentioned, there should come forth an extended substance separating them [into two distinct waters]. These spherical bodies He also called “heavens” by the name of the first upper heavens. This is why they are called in this chapter “the firmament of the heaven” [rather than “heavens”] — And G-d set them in the firmament of the heaven¹¹⁴ — in order to explain that they are not the heavens mentioned by that name in the first verse but merely the firmaments called “heavens.”This likewise is the opinion of our Rabbis mentioned in Bereshith Rabbah,¹¹⁵ who state, “All Rabbis say it in the name of Rabbi Chananyah the son of Rabbi Pinchas, and Rabbi Yaakov the son of Rabbi Avin says it in the name of Rabbi Shmuel the son of Rabbi Nachman: Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters — the middle drop of water congealed, and the lower heavens and the highest heaven of heavens were formed.” This saying of the Rabbis refers to the spherical bodies in which there are the lower heavens and the upper ones, called “the heavens of heavens,” as it is written: Praise ye Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars of light. Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that are above the heavens.¹¹⁶ The heavens mentioned here in the first verse, in which is the Throne of the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is written, The heaven is My throne,¹¹⁷ are the ones mentioned in the beginning of that Psalm: Praise ye the Eternal from the heavens; praise Him in the heights. Praise ye Him, all His angels.¹¹⁸This interpretation is correct as far as the simple meaning of the verses is concerned. But there is yet a sublime and hidden secret in the name “the heaven” and in the name “the throne” for there is a heaven to the heavens, and a throne to the throne. Based on this, the Sages use the expressions, “In order that a man may first take upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven,”¹¹⁹ and “the fear of Heaven.”¹²⁰, 7a. Scripture likewise says, That the heavens do rule.¹²¹ The Sages also have a remarkable Midrash on the verse, And Thou hear in heaven.¹²² The worthy one will see all this alluded to in the first verse.Thus the verses have explained that the first created things were from nought, and the rest were derived from the first created substance.See no objection to this explanation from the saying of Rabbi Eliezer the Great,¹²³ who states, “Whence were the heavens created? From the light of the garment of the Holy One, blessed be He.” [This would apparently indicate that the heavens were not created from nought but from another preceding substance.] This opinion is also found in Bereshith Rabbah.¹²⁴ Since the Sages wanted to elevate the first substance to the utmost and make it ethereal, they did not find it feasible that the heavens, which are moving corporeal bodies possessing matter and form, were created from nought. Instead, they said “the light of the garment” was created first, and from it came forth the real substance of the heavens. And to the earth He gave another substance,¹²⁵ not as minute as the first [substance from which the heavens were formed], and that is “the snow under the Throne of Glory,” for the Throne of Glory was first created, and from it came forth “the snow” under it, and from it [the “snow”] was formed the substance of the earth, which was third¹²⁶ in the order of creation.