Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 21:7/רמב"ן על בראשית כ״א:ז׳

אמִי מִלֵּל לְאַבְרָהָם לְשׁוֹן שֶׁבַח וַחֲשִׁיבוּת הוּא, רְאוּ מִי הוּא וְכַמָּה הוּא גָּדוֹל וְשׁוֹמֵר הַבְטָחָתוֹ וּמַבְטִיחַ וְעֹשֶׂה, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית כ"א:ז'). וְלֹא מָצִינוּ מִלַּת "מִי" בְּעֵרֶךְ כָּזֶה לְמַעֲלָה וְכָבוֹד רַק לְבִזָּיוֹן, "מִי אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וּמִי שְׁכֶם" (שופטים ט כח), "מִי דָוִד וּמִי בֶן יִשָׁי" (שמואל א כה י). וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי כִּי אָמְרָה "צְחֹק עָשָׂה לִי אֱלֹהִים כָּל הַשֹּׁמֵעַ יִצְחַק לִי", לְמַלֹּאת פִּיו בְּרִנָּה וּשְׂחוֹק בַּפֶּלֶא הַנַּעֲשֶׂה לִי, כִּי מִי בְּכָל הַשּׁוֹמְעִים שֶׁאָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם מִתְּחִלָּה תָּנִיק בָּנִים שָׂרָה, אֵין בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁיֹּאמַר אֵלָיו כֵּן אֲפִילּוּ לְנַחֲמוֹ, כִּי לֹא עָלָה זֶה עַל לֵב אִישׁ מֵעוֹלָם. וּלְשׁוֹן אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על בראשית כ"א:ז') קָרוֹב לָזֶה, "מַאן מְהֵימָן דַּאֲמַר לְאַבְרָהָם וְקַיֵּם דְּתוֹנֵק בְּנִין שָׂרָה", כְּלוֹמַר כָּל הַשֹּׁמֵעַ יִצְחַק לִי כִּי אֵין אָדָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נֶאֱמָן גַּם בְּעֵינֵי אַבְרָהָם אִם הִגִּיד לוֹ זֶה הַפֶּלֶא:

1‘MI’ (WHO) WOULD HAVE SAID UNTO ABRAHAM. The word mi is used as an exclamation of praise and distinction. The sense of the verse is thus: “See Whom it is and to what extent He keeps His promise. He promises and performs!” Thus the language of Rashi.But we do not find the word mi used in this way in expressions of distinction and honor. Instead, we find it used only in a derogatory sense: ‘Mi’ (Who is) Abimelech, and ‘mi’ (who is) Shechem?³¹⁹ ‘Mi’ (Who is) the son of Jesse?³²⁰The correct interpretation appears to me to be that Sarah said, “G-d hath made laughter for me; and every one that heareth will laugh on account of me,³²¹ filling his mouth with song and laughter for the wonder that has been done to me, for who among the hearers would have previously said to Abraham that Sarah will suckle children? There is not a person in the world who would have told him this, even merely to console him, for the possibility would never have occurred to anyone.” Onkelos’ rendition is close to this interpretation: “How faithful is He who spoke to Abraham! He has fulfilled His word that Sarah will suckle children.” That is to say, “Everyone that heareth will laugh on account of me” for there is no person who would have maintained his credulity even in the eyes of Abraham if he were to have told him this wonder.