Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 17:22/רמב"ן על בראשית י״ז:כ״ב

אוַיַּעַל אֱלֹהִים מֵעַל אַבְרָהָם לְשׁוֹן כָּבוֹד כְּלַפֵּי הַמָּקוֹם, וְלָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ שֶׁל הקב"ה, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית י"ז:כ"ב). אֲבָל לְשׁוֹנָם בִּבְרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה (בראשית רבה מ"ז:ו'), הָאָבוֹת הֵן הֵן הַמֶּרְכָּבָה, יִרְמֹז לְמָה שֶׁכָּתוּב (מיכה ז כ) "תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם" "וּפַחַד יִצְחָק הָיָה לִי" (בראשית ל"א:מ"ב), וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין:

1AND G-D WENT UP FROM ABRAHAM. This is an expression of respect towards G-d,⁴⁵⁸ was standing beside Abraham, why then is it written, And He went up, suggesting that G-d had been above him? It is out of respect to G-d that this is so written. (Gur Aryeh.) and we learn from it that the righteous are the Chariot of the Holy One, blessed be He. Thus the language of Rashi. But the saying of the Sages in the Bereshith Rabbah⁴⁵⁹ is: “It is the patriarchs⁴⁶⁰ that constitute the Chariot.” This is an allusion to that which is written: Thou wilt give truth to Jacob, kindness to Abraham;⁴⁶¹ And the Fear of Isaac had been on my side.⁴⁶² The student learned [in the mysteries of the Torah] will understand.