Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 18:18/רמב"ן על בראשית י״ח:י״ח

אוְאַבְרָהָם הָיוֹ יִהְיֶה מִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה, זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה, הוֹאִיל וְהִזְכִּירוֹ בֵּרְכוֹ. וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא, וְכִי מִמֶּנּוּ אֲנִי מַעֲלִים, וַהֲלֹא חָבִיב לְפָנַי לִהְיוֹת לְגוֹי עָצוּם, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית י"ח:י"ח). וְהַנָּכוֹן כִּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ דִּבֵּר בִּכְבוֹד אַבְרָהָם, אָמַר, הִנֵּה הוּא עָתִיד לִהְיוֹת לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וְעָצוּם, וְיִהְיֶה זִכְרוֹ בְּזַרְעוֹ וּבְכָל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ לִבְרָכָה, לָכֵן לֹא אֲכַסֶּה מִמֶּנּוּ, כִּי יֹאמְרוּ הַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים אֵיךְ כִּסָּה מִמֶּנּוּ, אוֹ אֵיךְ נִתְאַכְזֵר הַצַּדִּיק עַל שְׁכֵנָיו הַחוֹנִים עָלָיו וְלֹא רִחֵם וְלֹא הִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם כְּלָל. וְהַגִּלּוּי אֵלָיו טוֹב וְיָפֶה, כִּי יָדַעְתִּי בּוֹ שֶׁהוּא מַכִּיר וְיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁאֲנִי ה' אוֹהֵב צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט רַק בִּצְדָקָה, וּלְכָךְ יְצַוֶּה אֶת בָּנָיו וּבֵיתוֹ אַחֲרָיו לֶאֱחֹז דַּרְכִּי. וְהִנֵּה אִם בְּדֶרֶךְ צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט יִפָּטְרוּ, יִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנַי לְהַנִּיחָם וְטוֹב הַדָּבָר, וְאִם חַיָּבִין הֵם לְגַמְרֵי, גַּם הוּא יַחְפֹּץ בְּמִשְׁפָּטָם, וְלָכֵן רָאוּי שֶׁיָּבֹא בְּסוֹד ה':

1AND ABRAHAM SHALL SURELY BECOME. A Midrash Agadah comments: The memory of the righteous shall be for a blessing.¹¹⁵ Since He mentioned Abraham, He blessed him. The simple meaning of the verse though is, “Shall I conceal it from him since he is so beloved by Me to become a mighty nation?” Thus the language of Rashi.The correct interpretation is that G-d, blessed be He, spoke of the honor of Abraham, saying: “Behold, he is destined to become a great and mighty nation, and his memory will be a blessing among his seed and all nations of the earth. Therefore, I shall not conceal it from him for the future generations will say, “How could He hide it from him?’ or, ‘How could the righteous one¹¹⁶ be so callous about his close neighbors and have no mercy on them, not praying at all in their behalf, and that which was known to him, [i.e., that the cities will be destroyed], was good and pleasing!’ For I know that he recognizes and is cognizant that I the Eternal loveth righteousness and justice,¹¹⁷ that is to say, that I do justice only with righteousness, and therefore he will command his children and his household after him¹¹⁸ to follow in his path. Now if it is possible in keeping with righteousness and justice to free the cities from destruction, he will pray before Me to let them go, and it will be well and good. And if they are completely guilty, he too will want their judgment. Therefore, it is proper that he enter in the council of G-d.”¹¹⁹