Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Leviticus 13:2/רמב"ן על ויקרא י״ג:ב׳
אשְׂאֵת אוֹ סַפַּחַת אוֹ בַהֶרֶת שְׁמוֹת נְגָעִים הֵם, וּלְבָנִים זֶה מִזֶּה, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על ויקרא י"ג:ב'). וְאָמַר ר"א (אבן עזרא על ויקרא י"ג:ב') כִּי "שְׂאֵת" לְשׁוֹן שְׂרֵפָה, מִן "וְהַמַּשְׂאֵת הֵחֵלָּה" (שופטים כ מ), "וַיִּשָּׂאֵם דָּוִד" (שמואל ב ה כא), וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁנִּקְרָא כֵן בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהָאֵשׁ בְּתוֹלַדְתָּהּ לְהִנָּשֵׂא לְמַעְלָה. וְ"סַפַּחַת" מִגִּזְרַת "סְפָחֵנִי נָא" (שמואל א ב לו) "וְנִסְפְּחוּ עַל בֵּית יַעֲקֹב" (ישעיהו יד א) חֹלִי שֶׁיִּתְחַבֵּר אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד. "בַּהֶרֶת" מִגִּזְרַת "בָּהִיר הוּא בַּשְּׁחָקִים" (איוב לז כא), שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה כִּדְמוּת אוֹת וְסִימָן, וְאִם כֵּן תִּהְיֶה שְׂאֵת שֵׁם הַנֶּגַע הַנַּעֲשֶׂה מִן הַמָּרָה הַיְּרוּקָה הַנִּשְׂרֶפֶת, וְהַבַּהֶרֶת מִן הַלֵּחָה הַלְּבָנָה, וְהַסַּפַּחַת הַנֶּאֱסֶפֶת מִשְּׁתֵּיהֶן. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (שבועות ו), אֵין שְׂאֵת אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן גְּבוֹהָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וְעַל כָּל הֶהָרִים הָרָמִים וְעַל כָּל הַגְּבָעוֹת הַנִּשָּׂאוֹת" (ישעיהו ב יד), וְאֵין סַפַּחַת אֶלָּא טְפֵלָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "סְפָחֵנִי נָא" (שמואל א ב לו):
1SE’EITH O SAPACHATH O BAHERETH’ (A RISING, OR A SCAB, OR A BRIGHT SPOT). “These are the names of the plagues, each one whiter than the other.” This is Rashi’s language. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that “se’eith is a term for ‘burning,’ the word being associated with the expressions: ‘v’hamaseith’ (and the beacon) began to arise up;52 ‘va’yisa’eim’ (and) David (burned them).53 It is possible that it is called se’eith [literally: ‘uprising,’ ‘swelling’], because it is in the nature of fire to rise upwards. Sapachath is of the root: ‘sphacheini’ (attach me), I pray;54 ‘v’nispechu’ (and they shall cleave) to the house of Jacob55 — signifying a sickness which attaches to one place. Bahereth is of the root, ‘bahir’ (bright) in the skies,56 becoming a sort of sign or mark.” [Thus far is Ibn Ezra’s interpretation.] If so, the term se’eith is the name of the plague caused by the bitter green burning fluid [in the body],57 Note 264. and bahereth is caused by the white fluid, and sapachath is brought about by a combination of both of these fluids. Now our Rabbis have said:58 “The word se’eith is always an expression of ‘rising,’ and so it is stated in Scripture, And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills ‘hanisa’oth’ (that are lifted up),59 and sapachath always means ‘attachment,’60 and se’eith. To each of these two colors Scripture has added a sapachath — a second shade of it. Thus the number of colors is four. See further, Notes 105 and 107, for the precise nature of these colors and their gradations. and so it is stated in Scripture, ‘sphacheini’ (attach me), I pray.”54