Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Genesis 28:20/רמב"ן על בראשית כ״ח:כ׳
אאִם יִהְיֶה אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית כ"ח:כ') אִם יִשְׁמֹר לִי הַבְטָחוֹת הַלָּלוּ שֶׁהִבְטִיחַנִי. וְטַעַם הַתְּנַאי, שֶׁלֹּא יִגְרֹם הַחֵטְא. וְכָךְ אָמְרוּ בִּבְרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה (בראשית רבה ע"ו:ב'), רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם ר' אַחָא, כְּתִיב "הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ" וּכְתִיב "אִם יִהְיֶה אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי", אֶלָּא מִכָּאן שֶׁאֵין הַבְטָחָה לַצַּדִּיקִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. וְיִתָּכֵן עוֹד עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט שֶׁאֵין הַסָּפֵק בַּדָּבָר, אֲבָל בְּכָל הֶעָתִיד יֹאמַר הַכָּתוּב כֵּן, כְּמוֹ "עַד אֲשֶׁר אִם עָשִׂיתִי", וְכֵן "וְאִם יִהְיֶה הַיֹּבֵל לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (במדבר לו ד), אִם יָבֹא הָעֵת שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַתְּנַאי אָז יִתְקַיֵּם הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, כְּלוֹמַר בְּבוֹאוֹ:
1IF (‘IM’) G-D WILL BE WITH ME. Rashi comments: “If He will keep for me these promises which He made to me.” The reason for the condition is lest the sin cause the abrogation of the promises. And so the Rabbis said in Bereshith Rabbah,55 “Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Acha, ‘And behold, I am with thee,56 and yet it is written, If G-d will be with me! However, from here you infer that there is no assurance to the righteous in this world.’”In line with the simple meaning of Scripture it is further possible that the word im does not indicate a doubt in the matter, but such is the way of Scripture when referring to future events, such as: until ‘im asithi’ (I have done).56 And so also: ‘Ve’im’ there shall be the jubilee of the children of Israel.57 In all these cases it means if there will come a time when the condition is satisfied, then the deed will be fulfilled, that is to say, ve’im does not mean “if it occurs,” but rather “when it occurs.”