Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 15:17/רמב"ן על בראשית ט״ו:י״ז

אוְהִנֵּה תַנּוּר עָשָׁן וְלַפִּיד אֵשׁ, רָאָה כְּאִלּוּ תַּנּוּר עָשָׁן כֻּלּוֹ וּבְתוֹכוֹ לַפִּיד אֵשׁ בּוֹעֲרָה, כְּעִנְיַן "עָשָׁן גָּדוֹל וְאֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת" (יחזקאל א ד), וְהֶעָשָׁן הוּא הֶעָנָן וְהָעֲרָפֶל הַנִּזְכָּר בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה (דברים ד יא), וְלַפִּיד הָאֵשׁ בְּתוֹכוֹ הוּא הָאֵשׁ הָאָמוּר שָׁם (ד לו) "וּדְבָרָיו שָׁמַעְתָּ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ", וְכָתוּב (שמות כד יז) "וּמַרְאֵה כְּבוֹד ה' כְּאֵשׁ אֹכֶלֶת" וְגוֹ'. וְהִנֵּה הַשְּׁכִינָה עָבְרָה בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים, וְהוּא הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה אִתּוֹ מֵעוֹלָם, וְזֶה טַעַם "כָּרַת ה' אֶת אַבְרָם בְּרִית", כִּי הקב"ה בְּעַצְמוֹ הֶעֱבִיר בְּרִית בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים. וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין:

1AND BEHOLD, A SMOKING FURNACE, AND A FLAMING TORCH. It appeared to Abraham as if the furnace was all smoke and in its midst a flaming torch was burning, similar to a great smoke, with a fire flashing up.³³² The “smoke” mentioned here is the cloud, and thick darkness mentioned at the giving of the Torah,³³³ and “the flaming torch” in its midst is “the fire” mentioned there: And thou didst hear His words out of the midst of the fire;³³⁴, Verse 36. and it is further written: And the appearance of the glory of the Eternal was like devouring fire, etc.³³⁵ Thus the Divine Glory passed between the parts of the sacrifices, and this is the covenant which He made with Abraham forever. This is the meaning of the verse, the Eternal made a covenant with Abraham,³³⁶ as the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself carried through “the covenant of between the parts.” The student versed in the mysteries of the Torah will understand.