Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Genesis 40:8/רמב"ן על בראשית מ׳:ח׳
אוְטַעַם וּפוֹתֵר אֵין אוֹתוֹ אֵין מוֹדִיעַ הֶעָתִיד מִמֶּנּוּ. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁשָּׁלְחוּ לִקְצָת הַחַרְטֻמִּים בַּבֹּקֶר, אוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ אֲנָשִׁים עִמָּהֶם בְּבֵית הַסֹּהַר וְאֵין פּוֹתֵר אוֹתוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ וְאֵין בָּעוֹלָם פּוֹתֵר אוֹתוֹ כְּפִי דַּעְתֵּנוּ, כִּי נֶעֱלָם הוּא מְאֹד:
1AND THERE IS NO INTERPRETER OF IT. The meaning thereof is that “there is no one to inform us concerning the future which can be derived from the dream.”It is possible that they sent for some magicians in the morning, or that there were people with them in the prison, but no one could interpret it. It may be that they said; “There is no one in the world, in our opinion, who can interpret it, for it is very obscure.”
בהֲלוֹא לֶאֱלֹהִים פִּתְרֹנִים פֵּרֵשׁ רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם (אבן עזרא על בראשית מ':ח') כִּי יֹאמַר כִּי הַמִּקְרִים הָעֲתִידִים לָבֹא בַּחֲלוֹמוֹת לֵאלֹהִים הֵם, כִּי הוּא לְבַדּוֹ הַמַּחֲלִים וְהַמּוֹדִיעַ הֶעָתִיד וְהוּא הָעוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם וּבוֹרֵא רָע, וְאֵין בְּדִבּוּרִי לָכֶם תּוֹעֶלֶת אוֹ הֶפְסֵד. וְזֶה אָמַר שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲנִישׁוּהוּ אִם תָּבֹא לָהֶם רָעָה, אוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּסַפְּרוּ אוֹתָם אֵלָיו וְלֹא יִבְזוּהוּ. וְאִם כֵּן אֵין לְמִלַּת "הֲלֹא" בָּזֶה טַעַם. וְאוּלַי יִהְיֶה פֵּרוּשׁוֹ כְּמוֹ "הִנֵּה", יֹאמַר הִנֵּה לֵאלֹהִים לְבַדּוֹ הַפִּתְרוֹנִים וְלֹא לָאָדָם הַפּוֹתֵר. וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי כִּי אָמַר הֲלֹא לֵאלֹהִים פִּתְרוֹנִים בְּכָל הַחֲלוֹמוֹת הַנֶּעֱלָמִים וְהַסְּתוּמִים, וְהוּא יָכוֹל לְהוֹדִיעַ פִּתְרוֹן חֲלוֹמְכֶם, וְאִם הוּא נֶעֱלָם בְּעֵינֵיכֶם, סַפְּרוּ נָא לִי, אוּלַי יִישַׁר בְּעֵינָיו לְגַלּוֹת סוֹדוֹ אֵלַי:
2DO NOT (‘HALO’) INTERPRETATIONS BELONG TO G-D? Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained it as saying that “future events destined to come as indicated in dreams belong to G-d, for He alone brings on the dream and lets the future be known, and it is He who makes peace, and creates evil,262 but in my speaking to you there is neither benefit nor loss.” This he said so that they should not punish him if evil should befall them, or so that they should tell him the dreams and not scorn him.263But if so, there is no sense for the word halo (do not) in this context.264 is out of place. Perhaps its meaning is the same as that of the word hinei (behold). Thus Joseph is saying, “Behold, to G-d alone belong interpretations, but not to man the interpreter.”In my opinion the correct interpretation is that Joseph is saying; “Do not interpretations of all dreams which are obscure and confined belong to G-d? He can make known the interpretation of your dreams. Now if it is obscure to you tell it to me; perhaps He will be pleased to reveal His secret to me.”