Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 21:17/רמב"ן על בראשית כ״א:י״ז

אבַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא שָׁם לְפִי מַעֲשִׂים שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה עַכְשָׁו הוּא נִדּוֹן, וְלֹא לְפִי מַעֲשִׂים שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לַעֲשׂוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מְקַטְרְגִין וְכוּ', לְשׁוֹן רַבֵּינוּ שְׁלֹמֹה מִדִּבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ. וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי בְּדֶרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט שֶׁיֹּאמַר כִּי שָׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶל קוֹל הַנַּעַר בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר הוּא שָׁם, הוֹדִיעַ אוֹתָהּ שֶׁלֹּא תִּצְטָרֵךְ לָלֶכֶת מִשָּׁם אֶל מַעְיָן וּבוֹר כִּי בַּמָּקוֹם הַהוּא יַרְוֶה צְמָאוֹ מִיָּד, וְאָמַר לָהּ "קוּמִי שְׂאִי אֶת הַנַּעַר" אַחֲרֵי שְׁתוֹתוֹ, "כִּי לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל אֲשִׂימֶנּוּ". וְכָמוֹהוּ "בַּאֲשֶׁר כָּרַע שָׁם נָפַל שָׁדוּד" (שופטים ה כז), "וּבַאֲשֶׁר חֲלָלִים שָׁם הוּא" (איוב לט ל), יִרְמֹז לַמָּקוֹם:

1WHERE HE IS. He shall be judged according to his present deeds, and not according to those actions which he may do in the future. This was because the ministering angels laid charges, etc. Thus the words of Rashi quoting from the teachings of our Rabbis.³³⁶, 19.The correct interpretation, in line with the simple meaning of Scripture, appears to me to be that the verse is stating that G-d heard the voice of the lad in the place in which he was. He informed her that she will not need to go from there to a fountain or well for in that very place he will quench his thirst immediately. He thus said to her, “Arise, lift up the lad³³⁷ after you will have given him to drink, for I will make him a great nation.³³⁷ Similarly, the word sham (there) in verses, Where he sunk, there he fell down dead;³³⁸ And where the slain are, there is she,³³⁹ alludes to the place.