Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 33:14/רמב"ן על בראשית ל״ג:י״ד

אעַד אֲשֶׁר אָבֹא אֶל אֲדֹנִי שֵׂעִירָה הָיָה לְיַעֲקֹב בְּשׁוּבוֹ אֶל אַרְצוֹ דֶּרֶךְ בְּאֶרֶץ שֵׂעִיר, וְהִנֵּה אָמַר לוֹ עֵשָׂו "וְאֵלְכָה לְנֶגְדֶּךָ", שֶׁלֹּא יִפָּרֵד מִמֶּנּוּ עַד שׁוּבוּ אֶל אָבִיו, לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ כָּבוֹד בְּבוֹאוֹ אֶל אַרְצוֹ, וְיַעֲקֹב אָמַר אֲנִי אֵלֵךְ לְאִטִּי וַאֲדֹנִי יָשׁוּב אֶל עִיר מֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ, וְאִם אָשׁוּב דֶּרֶךְ עִירוֹ יְכַבְּדֵנִי וְיֵלֵךְ עִמִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ. וְלֹא הָיָה זֶה נֶדֶר מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיָּבֹא אֵלָיו, שֶׁאֵין עֵשָׂו צָרִיךְ לוֹ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (ע"ז כה) עוֹד, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בְּדַעַת יַעֲקֹב לָשׁוּב דֶּרֶךְ שֵׂעִיר, וּרְצוֹנוֹ הָיָה לְהִתְרַחֵק מִמֶּנּוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר יוּכַל, אֲבָל הִרְחִיב לוֹ אֶת הַדֶּרֶךְ, וְגַם זוֹ עֲצַת חָכְמָה. וְעוֹד לָהֶם מִדְרָשׁ אַחֵר (ב"ר עח יד), שֶׁיְּקַיֵּם דְּבָרוֹ לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עובדיה א כא) "וְעָלוּ מוֹשִׁעִים בְּהַר צִיּוֹן לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הַר עֵשָׂו", יֹאמַר כִּי הַמּוֹשִׁיעִים אֲשֶׁר בְּהַר צִיּוֹן יַעֲלוּ לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הַר עֵשָׂו:

1UNTIL I COME UNTO MY LORD UNTO SE’IR. In returning to his land Jacob could have gone by way of the land of Se’ir. Now Esau told him, And I will go before thee,⁹³ meaning that he will not be separated from him until Jacob returns to his father in order to honor him when he comes into his land. But Jacob said, “I will proceed slowly and let my lord return to the city of his rule, and if I will return by way of his city, he will honor me and go with me as he desires.” This was not a vow on the part of Jacob that he will come to him, for Esau did not need him. Our Rabbis have further said⁹⁴ that Jacob had no intention of returning by way of Se’ir, and his desire was to remove himself from him as much as possible, but he mentioned until I come … unto Se’ir in order to extend the length of his journey [so that if Esau meant to do him harm he would wait until Jacob reached his abode at Se’ir]. This also was wise counsel. The Rabbis have yet another Midrash,⁹⁵ which states that Jacob will fulfill his word in the days of the Messiah, as it is said, And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau.⁹⁶ Scripture is saying that the saviors [i.e., the judges of Israel]⁹⁷ who are on Mount Zion shall come up to judge the mount of Esau.