Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Leviticus 11:8/רמב"ן על ויקרא י״א:ח׳
אוּבְנִבְלָתָם לֹא תִגָּעוּ - אֵינָהּ אַזְהָרָה לֶאֱסֹר לָנוּ הַנְּגִיעָה, אֲבָל יֹאמַר וּבְנִבְלָתָם לֹא תִגָּעוּ כִּי טְמֵאִים הֵם לָכֶם, כְּלוֹמַר לֹא תִגְּעוּ בָּהֶם בִּלְתִּי אִם תִּטַּמְּאוּ. וְהָעִנְיָן לוֹמַר שֶׁיַּחְשֹׁב כָּל נוֹגֵעַ בָּהֶם שֶׁהוּא טָמֵא וְיִזָּהֵר מִן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּמִן הַקֳּדָשִׁים. וְשֶׁמָּא הַמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (תורת כהנים פרק ד ט): "וּבְנִבְלָתָם לֹא תִגָּעוּ" בָּרֶגֶל, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא תִגְּעוּ בּוֹ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאַתֶּם חֲפֵצִים לִהְיוֹת טְהוֹרִים, כִּי טְמֵאִים הֵם וְלֹא תַּעֲלוּ בָּהֶם לָרֶגֶל. אֲבָל אֵין הַנְּגִיעָה נִמְנַעַת בְּלָאו, שֶׁאֵין הַנּוֹגֵעַ בִּנְבֵלָה בָּרֶגֶל מִן הַלּוֹקִין אֶת הָאַרְבָּעִים. וּמַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (ר"ה טז): "חַיָּב אָדָם לְטַהֵר עַצְמוֹ בָּרֶגֶל" - מִצְוָה מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים, וְאֵין בָּזֶה מִן הַתּוֹרָה עֲשֵׂה אוֹ לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, זוּלָתִי מִצְוַת הָעֲלִיָּה. אוֹ שֶׁיְּהֵא "וּבְנִבְלָתָם לֹא תִגָּעוּ" בָּרֶגֶל - אַסְמַכְתָּא, כִּשְׁאָר אַסְמַכְתּוֹת הַרְבֵּה שֶׁשְּׁנוּיוֹת שָׁם בְּת"כ. וְעוֹד שָׁנוּי שָׁם (פרק ד י): אֲחֵרִים אוֹמְרִים: יָכוֹל אִם נָגַע אָדָם בִּנְבֵלָה יִלְקֶה אַרְבָּעִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: "וּלְאֵלֶּה תִטַּמָּאוּ" (ויקרא י"א:כ"ד). יָכוֹל אִם רָאָה אָדָם אֶת הַנְּבֵלָה יֵלֵךְ וְיִטַּמֵּא? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: "וּבְנִבְלָתָם לֹא תִגָּעוּ". הָא כֵיצַד? הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר: רְשׁוּת. וְזֶה עִקַּר הַדִּין מִן הַתּוֹרָה.
1AND THEIR CARCASSES YE SHALL NOT TOUCH. This is not a prohibition [saying that] we are not to touch these carcasses [of the animals that we are forbidden to eat]. Rather, Scripture states, and their carcasses ye shall not touch, for they are unclean to you, meaning to say, “you cannot touch them without becoming unclean.” The meaning thereof is to state that all those who touch them should be aware that they have become unclean and should therefore be careful not to enter the Sanctuary nor [to eat] of the hallowed offerings. Perhaps the meaning of the interpretation which our Rabbis have said:181 “And their carcasses ye shall not touch — on a festival” is to say that “you should not touch them at a time when you want to be clean, for they are unclean [and by touching them you will also become unclean] and you will not be able to go up to the Sanctuary on the festival.” But the [mere] act of touching them is not forbidden by means of a negative commandment, for he who touches carrion [even] on a festival does not incur whipping [by law of the Torah]. Thus that which the Rabbis have said:181 “One is dutybound to purify oneself on a festival,” is a commandment of Rabbinic authority, there being according to Scriptural law neither a positive nor a negative commandment, concerning the touching of carrion, except that of going up to the Sanctuary.182 Or it may be that the interpretation,181 “And their carcasses ye shall not touch — on a festival,” is a Scriptural text used as a support for the Rabbinical enactment,80, p. 314, Note 449. like many other laws of the Sages taught there in the Torath Kohanim, which use Biblical texts as a “support.” It is also taught there:183 2:6. “Other Rabbis184 (others). See Horayoth 13 b, for the reason of this name. say: One might think that if a person touches a carcass [he violates a negative commandment and] is liable to whipping? Scripture therefore says, By these ye shall become unclean.185 From this one might think that if a person sees a carcass he must go and render himself unclean by [touching] it? Scripture therefore says, and their carcasses ye shall not touch. How are we to reconcile these two verses? We must conclude that [touching a carcass] is optional” [i.e., neither obligatory, nor forbidden]. This is the main principle of the Scriptural law.