Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 40:15/רמב"ן על בראשית מ׳:ט״ו

אוְטַעַם מֵאֶרֶץ הָעִבְרִים מֵאֶרֶץ חֶבְרוֹן אֲשֶׁר גָּרוּ שָׁם אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, כִּי אַבְרָהָם שֶׁהָיָה רֹאשׁ הַיַּחַס נִקְרָא אַבְרָהָם הָעִבְרִי (בראשית י"ד:י"ג), כִּי הָיָה מֵעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר וְגָדוֹל שְׁמוֹ בַּגּוֹיִם, כִּי נִתְקַיֵּם בּוֹ "וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ" (בראשית י"ב:ב'), וְעַל כֵּן נִקְרְאוּ כָּל זַרְעוֹ הָעִבְרִים, וְהֵם עַצְמָם יַחֲזִיקוּ אֶת שְׁמָם כֵּן, שֶׁלֹּא יִתְעָרְבוּ בְּעַמֵּי הָאֲרָצוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִים, וְהֻחְזַק הַשֵּׁם הַזֶּה בְּכָל זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעוֹלָם. וְזֶה טַעַם "הֵבִיא לָנוּ אִישׁ עִבְרִי" (בראשית ל"ט:י"ד), כִּי יוֹסֵף אָמַר לָהֶם עִבְרִי אָנֹכִי, וְלֹא רָצָה שֶׁיַּחֲזִיקוּהוּ בִּכְנַעֲנִי. וְהִנֵּה אֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵיהֶם קְרָאָהּ "אֶרֶץ הָעִבְרִים", כְּלוֹמַר הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הָעִבְרִים שָׁם, אוֹ שֶׁנִּקְרָא שְׁמָהּ כֵּן כִּי הֵם גְּדוֹלֵי הָאָרֶץ וַאֲצִילֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כ"ג:ו') "נְשִׂיא אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה בְּתוֹכֵנוּ", וּכְתִיב (תהלים קה טו) "אַל תִּגְּעוּ בִמְשִׁיחָי":

1THE LAND OF THE HEBREWS. This means the land of Hebron, wherein dwelt Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Abraham, the head of the lineage, was called “Abraham the Hebrew”²⁷⁵ since he came from across the River Euphrates, and he was honored among the nations for in him was fulfilled the blessing, And I will make thy name great.²⁷⁶, 12:2. It is for this reason that all of his seed are called Ivrim (Hebrews). They hold on to this name in order not to intermingle with the various peoples in the Canaanite lands, and this name has been established as the name for all Israel’s seed forever. This is the meaning of the verse, He hath brought in a Hebrew unto us,²⁷⁷, 39:14. since Joseph told them “I am a Hebrew,” and he did not want them to take him as a Canaanite. And the land where they resided was called “the land of the Hebrews,” that is to say, the land in which the Hebrews are.²⁷⁸ It may be that it was so called because they were its leaders and nobles, even as it says, Thou art a prince of G-d in the midst of us,²⁷⁹ and it is further written, Touch not My anointed ones.²⁸⁰