Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Genesis 32:30/רמב"ן על בראשית ל״ב:ל׳
אלָמָּה זֶּה תִּשְׁאַל לִשְׁמִי אָמַר אֵין לְךָ בִּידִיעַת שְׁמִי תּוֹעֶלֶת, כִּי אֵין הַכֹּחַ וְהַיְּכֹלֶת בִּלְתִּי לַה' לְבַדּוֹ, אִם תִּקְרָאֵנִי לֹא אֶעֶנְךָ וְגַם מִצָּרָתְךָ לֹא אוֹשִׁיעֲךָ, אֲבָל עַתָּה אֲבָרֵךְ אוֹתְךָ כִּי כֵן צֻוֵּתִי. וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ הַכָּתוּב הַבְּרָכָה, וְהַקָּרוֹב מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (במדרש אגדה ובזוה"ק תולדות קמד), שֶׁהוֹדָה לוֹ עַל כָּל הַבְּרָכוֹת שָׁם בַּמָּקוֹם הַהוּא עַל כָּרְחוֹ, כִּי לֹא רָצָה יַעֲקֹב לְהַמְתִּין לוֹ עַד בֵּית אֵל:
1WHY IS IT THAT THOU DOST ASK AFTER MY NAME? The angel said: “There is no advantage to you in knowing my name for no one possesses the power and the capability other than G-d alone. If you will call upon me I will not answer you, nor will I save you from your trouble. However, I will now bless you, for so I am commanded.”77 But Scripture does not explain the contents of the blessing. That which our Rabbis have said78 is most probable, namely that the angel, despite himself, conceded to him at that place the legitimacy of his father’s blessings, as Jacob did not wish to wait for him until he arrived at Beth-el.