Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 31:46/רמב"ן על בראשית ל״א:מ״ו

אוַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב לְאֶחָיו לַאֲחֵי לָבָן הַנִּזְכָּר אֲשֶׁר בָּאוּ עִמּוֹ, כִּי לֹא רָצָה לֵאמֹר כֵּן לְחָמִיו, שֶׁהָיָה נוֹהֵג בּוֹ כָּבוֹד. וְכֵן "וַיִּקְרָא לְאֶחָיו לֶאֱכָל לָחֶם", לַאֲחֵי לָבָן, וְלֹא קָרָא לְלָבָן דֶּרֶךְ כָּבוֹד, כְּאִלּוּ הַכֹּל בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ וְהַכֹּל שֶׁלּוֹ. וְדוֹמֶה לָהֶם וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה לְאֶחָיו מָה מַעֲשֵׂיכֶם (בראשית מ"ז:ג'). וְרַשִׁ"י פֵּרֵשׁ לְאֶחָיו שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב, כִּי הַבָּאִים עִם לָבָן אוֹהֲבָיו וְרֵעָיו הֵם. וְיִתָּכֵן כִּי מָה שֶׁאָמַר בְּלָבָן "וַיִּקַּח אֶת אֶחָיו עִמּוֹ" (בראשית ל"א:כ"ג), הֵם קְרוֹבָיו בְּנֵי מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ מִזֶּרַע נָחוֹר אֲחִי אַבְרָהָם, וְעָשָׂה כֵן בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁלֹּא יִרְצֶה לְהָבִיא עַל יַעֲקֹב אֲנָשִׁים נָכְרִים, שֶׁלֹּא יָרִיבוּ עִמּוֹ בְּכֹחַ אוֹ יַחְמְדוּ וְיִגְזְלוּ וְיִגְנְבוּ מֵאֲשֶׁר לוֹ. וְהִנֵּה אֵלֶּה קְרוֹבִים לְיַעֲקֹב כְּמוֹ לְלָבָן, עַל כֵּן יִקָּרְאוּ אַחִים לִשְׁנֵיהֶם. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים (פסיקתא זוטרתא לעיל כט ד) שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם אַחַי דֶּרֶךְ מוּסָר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לָרוֹעִים (שם) "אַחַי מֵאַיִן אַתֶּם". וּבִבְרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה (בראשית רבה ע"ד:י"ג) אָמְרוּ, "וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב לְאֶחָיו", אֵלּוּ בָּנָיו, שֶׁהָיָה קוֹרֵא אוֹתָן בִּלְשׁוֹן כָּבוֹד אֶחָיו. אֲבָל בְּ"וַיִּקְרָא לְאֶחָיו לֶאֱכָל לָחֶם" לֹא פֵּרֵשׁ. וְהַנָּכוֹן מָה שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי תְּחִלָּה:

1AND JACOB SAID UNTO HIS BRETHREN. I.e., to Laban’s brothers mentioned above,²⁴⁴ who had accompanied him, as Jacob did not want to say it to his father-in-law whom he treated with respect. Likewise, the verse, And he [Jacob] called his brethren to eat bread,²⁴⁵ also refers to Laban’s brothers, and he did not invite Laban to eat bread as an act of respect, as if everything is under his authority and is all his. A similar case is the verse, And Pharaoh said unto his brethren: What is your occupation?²⁴⁶ [which means he said it to Joseph’s brethren]. But Rashi explained: “And Jacob said unto his brethren — to Jacob’s brothers, [meaning, his sons, who were like brothers to him since they stood by him in trouble and in battle].” However, those that came with Laban, whom Scripture calls “his brethren”, were really his friends and companions.It is possible that that which is said concerning Laban, And he took his brethren with him,²⁴⁴ refers to his kinsmen, members of his family from the seed of Nahor the brother of Abraham. He did this because he did not want to bring against Jacob strangers lest they fight with him intensely, or covet, rob and steal his belongings. Thus these men were kinsmen to Jacob just as to Laban, and therefore they are called “brethren” of both.And some say²⁴⁷ that Jacob ethically referred to them as “my brothers,” just as he said to the shepherds, My brethren, whence are ye?²⁴⁸ And in Bereshith Rabbah, the Sages have said:²⁴⁹ “And Jacob said unto his brethren — these are his sons, whom, in a respectful manner, he called his brothers.” However, with respect to the verse, And he called his brethren to eat bread,²⁴⁵ the Midrash did not explain [that “his brethren” refers to his sons]! The correct interpretation is the one I wrote at the outset.

בוַיֹּאכְלוּ שָׁם עַל הַגָּל אָכְלוּ שָׁם מְעַט לְזִכָּרוֹן, אוֹ שֶׁהוּא דֶּרֶךְ הַבָּאִים בִּבְרִית לֶאֱכֹל שְׁנֵיהֶם מִלֶּחֶם אֶחָד לְאַהֲבָה וּלְחֶבְרָה, וְאַחֲרֵי בּוֹאָם בַּשְּׁבוּעָה וּבַבְּרִית זָבַח לָהֶם זֶבַח וְעָשָׂה לָהֶם כֵּרָה גְּדוֹלָה. וְיִתָּכֵן כִּי טַעַם "וַיֹּאכְלוּ שָׁם עַל הַגָּל", הַזֶּבַח הַנִּזְכָּר לְמַטָּה, כִּי אָמַר לָהֶם לִקְטוּ אֲבָנִים וְנַעֲשֶׂה גַּל לֶאֱכֹל עָלָיו, וְיִהְיֶה עֵד בְּבוֹאֵנוּ בַּבְּרִית, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן אָכְלוּ עָלָיו זֶבַח. וְטַעַם "וַיֹּאכְלוּ לֶחֶם", שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶם סְעוּדָה גְּדוֹלָה לָלוּן עִמּוֹ, לֹא מִשְׁתֶּה בִּלְבַד:

2AND THEY DID EAT THERE UPON THE STONE-HEAP. They ate a little there as a remembrance. Perhaps it was customary for both of those who made a covenant to eat from one bread as a sign of love and companionship. After having entered into an oath and a covenant, they offered sacrifices and made a great feast. It is possible that the verse stating, and they did eat there upon the stone-heap, refers to the offerings mentioned below,²⁵⁰ for he said to them, “Gather stones²⁵¹ and we will make a heap to eat thereon, and it will also serve as a witness when we make the covenant,” and afterwards they ate the offerings upon it. And the meaning of the verse, And they did eat bread,²⁵⁰ is that Jacob made them a great feast, and not just a party, in order that they should tarry with him all night.