Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 31:42/רמב"ן על בראשית ל״א:מ״ב

אוּפַחַד יִצְחָק הָיָה לִי לֹא רָצָה לוֹמַר אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק לְפִי שֶׁאֵין הַקָּבָּ"ה מְיַחֵד שְׁמוֹ עַל הַצַּדִּיקִים בְּחַיֵּיהֶם, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ בְּצֵאתוֹ (בראשית כ"ח:י"ג) "אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיךָ וֵאלֹהֵי יִצְחָק" בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁכָּהוּ עֵינָיו וַהֲרֵי הוּא כַּמֵּת, נִתְיָרֵא יַעֲקֹב לוֹמַר לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית ל"א:מ"ב). וְכֵן דַּעַת אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על בראשית ל"א:מ"ב), כִּי פַּחַד יִצְחָק – אֱלֹהָיו, "דְּדָחֵל לֵיהּ יִצְחָק". וְרַבִּי אַבְרָהָם אָמַר (אבן עזרא על בראשית ל"א:מ"ב) יִרְאַת יִצְחָק אֶת הַשֵּׁם הוֹעִילַתְנִי, כִּי זְכוּת הָאָב תּוֹעִיל לַבֵּן, "וַיִּשָּׁבַע יַעֲקֹב בְּפַחַד אָבִיו יִצְחָק" (בראשית ל"א:נ"ג), בְּמִי שֶׁיִּצְחָק מִתְפַּחֵד מִמֶּנּוּ. וְהִנֵּה אֵין פֵּרוּשׁוֹ שָׁוֶה. עוֹד כָּתַב (שם), וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים כִּי זֶה הַפַּחַד רֶמֶז לְיוֹם הָעֲקֵדָה, וְאֵינֶנּוּ רָחוֹק. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת יָבֹא הַלָּשׁוֹן כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ וּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, וְהוּא מִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁל מַעְלָה, וּמִמֶּנּוּ אָמַר הַכָּתוּב (הושע ג ה) "אַחַר יָשֻׁבוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבִקְשׁוּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֵיהֶם וְאֵת דָּוִד מַלְכָּם וּפָחֲדוּ אֶל ה' וְאֶל טוּבוֹ בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים", יֹאמַר כִּי יְבַקְשׁוּ הָרַחֲמִים וּמִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁל מַטָּה, וְיָבִיאוּ פַּחַד יִצְחָק אֶל הַשֵּׁם וְאֶל טוּבוֹ הַנִּזְכָּרִים:

1AND THE FEAR OF ISAAC HAD BEEN ON MY SIDE. “He did not want to say “G-d of Isaac” because G-d does not associate His name with the righteous during their lifetime. Although G-d said to Jacob when he was departing from the Land of Israel, I am the Eternal, the G-d of Abraham thy father and the G-d of Isaac,²³¹ this was because Isaac’s eyes were dim, and he might therefore be regarded as dead. Jacob, however, feared to say so, [and instead said, ‘the Fear of Isaac’].” Thus the words of Rashi. It is also the opinion of Onkelos that pachad Yitzchak means “his G-d,” for he translated it as: “He Whom Isaac fears.”And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said: “Isaac’s fear of G-d helped me, for the merit of the father helps the son. And Jacob swore ‘bepachad’ of his father Isaac,²³² — by Him Whom Isaac fears.” Ibn Ezra’s explanations of the same expression are thus not alike. Ibn Ezra further wrote,²³² “And there are some who say²³³ that this ‘fear’ is an allusion to the day of Isaac’s Binding.” This is not far fetched.By way of the Truth [namely, the mystic lore of the Cabala] the language fits its plain meaning and intent, that is, it refers to the attribute of Justice on high.²³⁴ Based on this, Scripture says: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Eternal their G-d, and David their king; and shall come trembling unto the Eternal and to His goodness in the end of days.²³⁵ The verse is stating that they will seek the Merciful One and the attribute of Justice on earth, and bring the Fear of Isaac to G-d and His goodness mentioned.

בוַיּוֹכַח אָמֶשׁ לְשׁוֹן תּוֹכָחָה וְלֹא לְשׁוֹן הוֹכָחָה, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית ל"א:מ"ב). וְיוֹתֵר נָכוֹן לְשׁוֹן הוֹכָחָה, כִּי אָמַר לְמַעְלָה "וְיוֹכִיחוּ בֵּין שְׁנֵינוּ", וְאָמַר עַתָּה כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים הַיּוֹדֵעַ הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת הוּא הוֹכִיחַ בֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶם, וּלְכָךְ לֹא אָמַר "וַיּוֹכַח אוֹתְךָ אָמֶשׁ":

2‘VAYOCHACH’ YESTERNIGHT. “The word here has the meaning of ‘reproof’ [and he reproved] and not of ‘clarification.’” These are the words of Rashi. But is is more correct to say that it is an expression meaning “clarification.” Since Jacob said above, ‘veyochichu’ (that they may judge) between us both,²²⁸ he now said that it is G-d, Who knows the hidden secrets, Who should clarify the dispute between the two of them. This is why Jacob did not say, vayochach othcha emesh, [which would mean, “and He reproved ‘thee’ yesternight,” for the meaning of the word is not “rebuke” but “clarify”].