Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 8:4/רמב"ן על בראשית ח׳:ד׳

אוַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ כָּתַב רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית ח':ד') מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁהָיְתָה מְשֻׁקַּעַת בַּמַּיִם י"א אַמָּה, כְּפִי הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַכָּתוּב בְּפֵרוּשָׁיו. וְהוּא כֵּן בִּבְרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה (בראשית רבה ל"ג:ז'), אֲבָל כֵּיוָן שֶׁרַשִׁ"י מְדַקְדֵּק בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אַחֲרֵי מִדְרְשֵׁי הַהַגָּדוֹת וְטוֹרֵחַ לְבָאֵר פְּשָׁטֵי הַמִּקְרָא, הִרְשָׁה אוֹתָנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, כִּי שִׁבְעִים פָּנִים לַתּוֹרָה, וּמִדְרָשִׁים רַבִּים חֲלוּקִים בְּדִבְרֵי הַחֲכָמִים. וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁאֵין הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַזֶּה שֶׁאָמְרוּ נָאוֹת בִּלְשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב, כִּי אִם נִסְבֹּל לְפָרֵשׁ "וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי" לַיּוֹם הַזֶּה הַנִּזְכָּר שֶׁכָּלָא בּוֹ הַגֶּשֶׁם, וְשָׁבוּ הַמַּיִם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ הָלוֹךְ וְחָסוֹר שֶׁלֹּא כְּמִנְיַן הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי הַנִּזְכָּר בְּהַתְחָלַת הַפָּרָשָׁה (ז יא), וְכַמִּנְיָן הָאָמוּר בְּסוֹף הַפָּרָשָׁה (ח יד), אֵיךְ יִתָּכֵן שֶׁיַּחְזֹר מִיָּד בַּפָּסוּק הַשֵּׁנִי וְיֹאמַר "עַד הַחֹדֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי" לְמִנְיָן אַחֵר, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָעֲשִׂירִי לִירִידַת הַגְּשָׁמִים. וְהָרְאָיָה מִן הַתֵּבָה שֶׁהָיְתָה מְשֻׁקַּעַת בַּמַּיִם מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנּוֹתֵן חֶסְרוֹן שָׁוֶה לְכָל הַיָּמִים, אַמָּה לְד' יָמִים, אֵינָהּ רְאָיָה, כִּי מִן הַיָּדוּעַ בְּחֶסְרוֹן הַמַּיִם כִּי הַנַּחַל הַגָּדוֹל כַּאֲשֶׁר יֶחְסַר בִּתְחִלָּתוֹ אַמָּה לְד' יָמִים יֶחְסַר בְּסוֹפוֹ ד' אַמּוֹת לְיוֹם אֶחָד, וַהֲרֵי לְפִי הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַזֶּה בְּאֶחָד לְחֹדֶשׁ אָב נִרְאוּ רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים, וּבְאֶחָד בְּתִשְׁרֵי חָרְבוּ הַמַּיִם, וְהִנֵּה בְּשִׁשִּׁים יוֹם חָסְרוּ כָּל גֹּבַהּ הֶהָרִים הַגְּבוֹהִים שֶׁהֵם כַּמָּה אֲלָפִים אַמָּה. וְעוֹד כִּי שָׁלַח הַיּוֹנָה בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם לְחֹדֶשׁ אֱלוּל, וְהַמַּיִם עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ וְהָאִילָנוֹת מְכֻסִּים, וְהִנֵּה חָרְבוּ כֻּלָּם בִּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר יָמִים. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הַסְּבָרָא אִם הָיְתָה מְשֻׁקַּעַת בַּמַּיִם י"א אַמָּה, וְהוּא יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלִישׁ קוֹמָתָהּ, תִּטְבַּע, בַּעֲבוּר הֱיוֹתָהּ רְחָבָה מִלְּמַטָּה וְכֹלָה אֶל אַמָּה, כִּי הִיא הֵפֶךְ הַסְּפִינוֹת וְיֵשׁ בָּהּ כְּבֵדוּת גְּדוֹלָה. וְהַנִּרְאֶה בְּדֶרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט כִּי חֲמִשִּׁים וּמְאַת יוֹם הָאֲמוּרִים בְּתִגְבֹּרֶת הַמַּיִם (בראשית ז':כ"ד) יִכְלְלוּ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם שֶׁל יְרִידַת הַגֶּשֶׁם, כִּי בָּהֶם עִקַּר הָרִבּוּי וְהַתִּגְבֹּרֶת, וְהִנֵּה הֵחֵלּוּ לַחְסֹר בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּנִיסָן, וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה אַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם עַל הָרֵי אֲרָרָט בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ אִיָּר, הוּא הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי לִירִידַת הַגֶּשֶׁם, וְאַחֲרֵי ע"ג יָמִים בְּאֶחָד לְחֹדֶשׁ אָב, הוּא הַחֹדֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי לַיְּרִידָה, נִרְאוּ רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים. וְהִנֵּה תִּקַּנְנוּ תִּקּוּן מוּעָט בִּלְשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב. וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי כִּי חֲמִשִּׁים וּמְאַת יוֹם הָיוּ מִשִּׁבְעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי הוּא חֹדֶשׁ מַרְחֶשְׁוָן, עַד שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי הוּא חֹדֶשׁ נִיסָן, וְהוּא יוֹם מְנוֹחַ הַתֵּבָה, כִּי אָז הֶעֱבִיר הַשֵּׁם רוּחַ קָדִים עַזָּה כָּל הַלַּיְלָה וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת הַמַּיִם לֶחָרָבָה, שֶׁחָסְרוּ מְאֹד, וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה. וְהָרְאָיָה כִּי לֹא אָמַר הַכָּתוּב בְּכָאן "וַיַּחְסְרוּ הַמַּיִם בְּחֹדֶשׁ פְּלוֹנִי בְּיוֹם פְּלוֹנִי וְהָיוּ הַמַּיִם הָלוֹךְ וְחָסוֹר עַד הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה וְגוֹ'" כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר בַּחֶסְרוֹן הָאַחֵר שֶׁנִּרְאוּ בּוֹ רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים, כִּי בְּיוֹם הַחֶסְרוֹן נָחָה הַתֵּבָה. וְהַסֵּדֶר בָּעִנְיָן הַזֶּה כִּי בְּיוֹם רֶדֶת הַגֶּשֶׁם נִבְקְעוּ מַעְיְנֹת תְּהוֹם וְנִפְתְּחוּ אֲרֻבּוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְיָרַד הַגֶּשֶׁם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וּבָהֶם גָּבְרוּ הַמַּיִם חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה מִלְמַעְלָה, וְנִפְסַק הַגֶּשֶׁם בְּסוֹף הָאַרְבָּעִים וְנִשְׁאֲרוּ מַעְיְנֹת תְּהוֹם וַאֲרֻבֹּת הַשָּׁמָיִם פְּתוּחוֹת, וְהָיָה הָאֲוִיר לַח מְאֹד וְכָל הָאָרֶץ מְלֵאָה מַיִם וְאֵינָם נִגְרָרִים בַּמּוֹרָד וְלֹא יִבְשׁוּ לְעוֹלָם, וְעָמְדוּ כֵּן בִּגְבוּרָתָם עַד מְלֹאת ק"נ יוֹם לִירִידַת הַגֶּשֶׁם, וְאָז הֶעֱבִיר הַשֵּׁם רוּחַ חָזָק מְאֹד בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ, וַיִּסָּכְרוּ מַעְיְנֹת תְּהוֹם, כִּי חָזְרוּ הַמַּיִם הַנּוֹבְעִים מֵהֶם אֶל מְקוֹמָם עַד אֲשֶׁר נִתְמַלֵּא הַתְּהוֹם כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בַּתְּחִלָּה וְנִסְגְּרוּ פִּתְחֵי מַעְיְנוֹתָיו, וַאֲרֻבּוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם נִסְגְּרוּ, וַיִּיבַשׁ הָאֲוִיר מְאֹד בָּרוּחַ הַמְּיַבֵּשׁ, וְהַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ לִחֵכָה. וְהִנֵּה חָסְרוּ הַמַּיִם הַרְבֵּה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה שֶׁהָיְתָה מְשֻׁקַּעַת בַּמַּיִם כִּשְׁתַּיִם וְשָׁלֹשׁ אַמּוֹת, וְאַחַר שִׁבְעִים וְשָׁלֹשׁ יוֹם בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי הוּא חֹדֶשׁ תַּמּוּז נִרְאוּ רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים, וּמִקֵּץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם בְּעַשְׁתֵּי עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ בַּעֲשָׂרָה לַחֹדֶשׁ פָּתַח נֹחַ חַלּוֹן הַתֵּבָה, וְאַחֲרֵי שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁבוּעוֹת הָלְכָה הַיּוֹנָה מֵאִתּוֹ, וְאַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם הֵסִיר מִכְסֵה הַתֵּבָה:

1AND THE ARK RESTED IN THE SEVENTH MONTH, ON THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF THE MONTH. Rashi wrote: “From here you may infer that the ark was submerged in the water to a depth of eleven cubits.” This he wrote on the basis of the calculation written in his commentaries, and it is so found in Bereshith Rabbah.¹¹⁰ But since in certain places Rashi minutely examines Midrashic traditions and for the same verses also takes the trouble to explain the simple meanings of Scripture, he has thus given us permission to do likewise for there are seventy ways of interpreting the Torah,¹¹¹ and there are many differing Midrashim among the words of the Sages. And so I say that this calculation which they have mentioned does not fit into the language of Scripture unless we bear with that which explains And the ark rested in the seventh month as referring to that day mentioned above [in Verses 2-3] when the rain was withheld and the waters receded from the earth and decreased continually. [This interpretation of the seventh month is] unlike the counting of the second month¹¹² mentioned in the beginning of the section, [which Rashi explains there as being “the second month” of the creation calendar], and unlike the counting stated at the end of the section [in Verse 13: in the first month, which Rashi similarly explains as being “the first month” of the creation calendar]! And how is it possible that in the second verse Scripture should immediately retract [from using the withholding of the rain as a reference point for counting] and state, until the tenth month,¹¹³ and proceed to another reference point, counting it, as Rashi explains, as the tenth month with reference to the coming of the rains!The evidence Rashi brings from the submergence of the ark in the waters is no proof for he attributes an equal decrease of water to each of the days — namely, a cubit every four days — and it is known in nature concerning the decrease of water that a great river which decreases at first a cubit every four days will at the end decrease four cubits in a day. Thus according to this calculation of Rashi, on the first day of the month of Ab the tops of the mountains were seen,¹¹⁴ and on the first day of Tishri the earth dried.¹¹⁵ Thus in sixty days the waters decreased the entire height of the high mountains consisting of many thousands of cubits, [surely a greater rate than four cubits a day, as Rashi would have it]! Besides, when Noah sent forth the dove on the seventeenth day of the month of Ellul,¹¹⁶ the waters were yet on the face of the entire earth,¹¹⁷ and the trees were covered, and in a matter of twelve days¹¹⁸ the whole earth dried! And by way of reason, if the ark was submerged in the waters eleven cubits, that being more than a third of its height [which was thirty cubits],¹¹⁹ it would have sunk because it was wide at the bottom and finished to a cubit at the top,¹²⁰, Verse 16. contrary to the structure of ships, and there was also in it great weight!From the simple interpretation of Scripture it appears that the hundred and fifty days mentioned in connection with the prevailing of the waters¹²¹ include the forty days of the coming down of the rains¹²², Verse 12. since the main increase and prevailing of the waters took place during these days. Thus the waters began decreasing on the seventeenth day of Nisan,¹²³ and thirty days later — the seventeenth day of the month Iyar,¹²⁴ which was the seventh month from the time the rain began to fall¹²⁵ — the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat. Seventy-three days later, on the first of Ab, which was the tenth month from the time the rain began to fall, the tops of the mountains were seen. We have thus made a small correction in the interpretation of the language of Scripture, [namely, that all counting begins from the time the rain began to fall].But the correct interpretation appears to me to be that the hundred and fifty days¹²¹ were from the seventeenth day of the second month, namely, the month of Marcheshvan, to the seventeenth day of the seventh month, namely, the month of Nisan, and that was the day when the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat.¹²⁶ For then G-d caused a strong east wind to pass all the night and made the waters dry land,¹²⁷ meaning that they decreased very much, and the ark rested. The proof for this is that Scripture does not say here, “and the waters decreased on such a month and on such a day and the waters decreased continually until the seventh month, and the ark rested, etc.,” as it said concerning the other decrease when the tops of the mountains were seen, for on the very day the waters began decreasing, the ark rested. The order of events in this matter was thus: on the day the rain began to fall all the fountains of the great deep were broken up,¹¹² and the windows of the heavens were opened and the rain came down for forty days. During that time the waters prevailed fifteen cubits above¹²⁸ [the summits of all the mountains]. The rain stopped at the end of forty days, but “the fountains of the deep” and “the windows of the heavens” remained open. The atmosphere was very damp, and the whole earth was full of water, not like waters poured down a precipice,¹²⁹ nor ever to become dried. And they stood thus in their power until one hundred and fifty days from the day the rain began were completed. Then G-d caused a very powerful wind to pass through the heavens and over the earth, and the fountains of the deep were stopped¹³⁰ for the water that flowed from them returned to its place until the deep filled up as it was before the flood, and the openings of its fountains were locked, as were “the windows of the heavens.” And the air was dried very much by a drying wind, and the water on the earth was licked up.¹³¹ Thus the waters decreased exceedingly on that day, and the ark, which was submerged in the waters about two to three cubits, rested. Seventy-three days after that — on the first day of the tenth month, namely, the month of Tammuz — the tops of the mountains were seen. At the end of forty additional days — on the tenth day of the eleventh month, Ab — Noah opened the window of the ark, and three weeks later the dove left him; thirty days later, he removed the covering of the ark.

בוְטַעַם וַיַּעֲבֵר אֱלֹהִים רוּחַ עַל הָאָרֶץ שֶׁהָיָה רוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה וְחָזָק יוֹצְאָה מִבֶּטֶן הָאָרֶץ עַל פְּנֵי הַתְּהוֹם וּמְרַחֶפֶת בַּמַּיִם, וַיִּסָּכְרוּ בּוֹ מַעְיְנוֹת תְּהוֹם, כִּי לֹא אָמַר הַכָּתוּב "וַיַּעֲבֵר אֱלֹהִים רוּחַ עַל הַמַּיִם":

2AND G-D MADE A WIND TO PASS OVER THE EARTH.¹³² This means that there was a great and powerful wind coming out from the bowels of the earth over the face of the deep and hovering over the waters, and the fountains of the deep were stopped thereby. This is so since Scripture does not say, “and G-d made a wind to pass over the waters.”

גוַיָּשֹׁכּוּ הַמָּיִם שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹבְעִין מִן הַתְּהוֹם וַיָּנוּחוּ, מִלְּשׁוֹן "וַחֲמַת הַמֶּלֶךְ שָׁכָכָה" (אסתר ז י), שֶׁנָּחָה. אוֹ לְשׁוֹן הֶסְתֵּר הַדָּבָר וְהִבָּלְעוֹ, לְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּבְלְעוּ מֵי הַתְּהוֹם בִּמְקוֹמָם. וְכָךְ אָמַר זֶה בְּסֵדֶר עוֹלָם (ד), הַמַּיִם הָעוֹלִים לְמַעְלָה נִגְּבָה אוֹתָם הָרוּחַ, וְהַיּוֹרְדִים לְמַטָּה נִבְלְעוּ בִּמְקוֹמָם:

3AND THE WATERS ASSUAGED (‘VAYASHOKU’).¹³² This means that the waters which were flowing from the deep subsided. It is the same expression as, Then the king’s wrath ‘shachachah’ (assuaged),¹³³ meaning that his anger subsided. Or it may be that this is an expression of a thing being concealed and swallowed up. Thus the verse teaches that the waters of the deep were swallowed up in their place. And so did the Rabbis say in Seder Olam:¹³⁴ “The waters that went up were dried by the wind, and those that went down were swallowed in their place.”

דוְטַעַם וַיִּכָּלֵא הַגֶּשֶׁם מִן הַשָּׁמָיִם שֶׁלֹּא יָרַד עוֹד גֶּשֶׁם עַד צֵאתָם מִן הַתֵּבָה, כִּי הָיוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם בָּרוּחַ הַזֶּה כַּבַּרְזֶל, וְלֹא הוֹרִידוּ טַל וּמָטָר כְּלָל, וַיִּיבַשׁ הָאֲוִיר וְחָרְבוּ הַמַּיִם, כִּי גֶּשֶׁם הַמַּבּוּל כְּבָר כָּלָה מִיּוֹם הָאַרְבָּעִים:

4AND THE RAINS FROM THE HEAVENS WERE WITHHELD.¹³⁵ This means that no more rain came down until they [Noah and his family and all living creatures] went out of the ark for by this wind [which G-d made to pass over the earth] the heavens became as iron.¹³⁶ Neither dew nor rain came down, the air lost its moisture, and the waters dried up for the rain of the flood completely stopped after the fortieth day.

הוַיָּשֻׁבוּ הַמַּיִם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ הָלוֹךְ וָשׁוֹב יֹאמַר שֶׁהָיוּ חֲסֵרִים מְעַט מְעַט עַד שֶׁחָרְבוּ פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה, וַיַּחְסְרוּ הַמַּיִם מִקְצֵה חֲמִשִּׁים וּמְאַת יוֹם דָּבֵק עִם "וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה", לוֹמַר שֶׁחָסְרוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא חֶסְרוֹן גָּדוֹל שֶׁנָּחָה בּוֹ הַתֵּבָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי:

5AND THE WATERS RETURNED FROM OFF THE EARTH CONTINUALLY.¹³⁷ The verse states that the waters decreased gradually until the face of the ground was dried up.¹³⁸And after the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters decreased.¹³⁷ This is connected with the following verse, And the ark rested,¹³⁹ thus stating that on that day there was a great decrease in the waters which enabled the ark to rest [on the mountains of Ararat], as I have explained.