Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 39:10/רמב"ן על בראשית ל״ט:י׳

אוְטַעַם לִשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ כְּדִבְרֵי רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁיִּשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ בְּסָמוּךְ, הִיא בְּבִגְדָהּ וְהוּא בְּבִגְדוֹ, אוֹ לִהְיוֹת עִמָּהּ לְדַבֵּר שִׂיחוֹת, כִּי לֹא מָצָאנוּ "אֶצְלָהּ" עַל הַמִּשְׁגָּל, רַק עִמָּהּ אוֹ אוֹתָהּ, "שִׁכְבָה עִמִּי", "אִם שָׁכֹב יִשְׁכַּב אִישׁ אֹתָהּ" (ויקרא טו כד), "וְהַנָּשִׁים תִּשָּׁכַבְנָה" (זכריה יד ב):

1TO LIE ‘ETZLA’ (BY HER). The meaning of this expression is as Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra interpreted it: “even to lie near her, each in their garment, or to be with her for general conversation.” This interpretation is correct since we do not find the word etzla (near her) in Scripture in connection with sexual intercourse, only the word ima (with her) or othah (with her), as for example: Lie ‘imi’ (with me);²²⁸ And if any man lie ‘othah’ (with her);²²⁹ And the women ravished (‘tishachavnah’).²³⁰, the plural form of othah is implicit.