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Ramban on Leviticus 17:2/רמב"ן על ויקרא י״ז:ב׳

אאֶל אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל בָּנָיו וְאֶל כָּל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעֲבוּר הֱיוֹת הַפָּרָשָׁה אַזְהָרָה לְהַקְרִיב כָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, יַזְהִיר הַכֹּהֲנִים שֶׁהֵם הַמַּקְרִיבִים הַקָּרְבָּן שֶׁלֹּא יַקְרִיבוּם בַּחוּץ, וְיַזְהִיר גַּם יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיְּבִיאוּם לַה' שָׁם וְלֹא יַקְרִיבוּ אוֹתָם בַּחוּץ עַל יְדֵי עַצְמָם. וְהַנָּכוֹן בַּפָּרָשָׁה מַה שֶׁהִזְכִּירוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (חולין טז), שֶׁאָסַר בְּשַׂר תַּאֲוָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְלֹא יֹאכְלוּ רַק שְׁלָמִים שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ עַל מִזְבַּח ה'. וּלְכָךְ אָמַר שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁיִּשְׁחֹט מִשְּׁלֹשֶׁת מִינֵי הַבְּהֵמוֹת אֲשֶׁר מֵהֶן יָבִיאוּ כָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, שֶׁהֵם שׁוֹר וְכֶשֶׂב וָעֵז, שֶׁיְּבִיאוּם כֻּלָּם אֶל פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְיַעֲשׂוּ אוֹתָם זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים, לְהַקְרִיב הַחֵלֶב וְהַדָּם עַל מִזְבַּח ה', וְאָז יֹאכַל הוּא הַבָּשָׂר כַּמִּשְׁפָּט. וְאָמַר שֶׁאִם יִשְׁחָטֵם בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר יִהְיֶה חַיָּב כָּרֵת. וְהַקָּרוֹב בִּלְשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב, כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה חִיֵּב כָּרֵת בְּכָל שׁוֹחֵט בַּחוּץ, אֲפִלּוּ הַחֻלִּין, וְהוּא הָאִסּוּר בִּבְשַׂר הַתַּאֲוָה, וְנָתַן הַטַּעַם בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁיַּקְדִּישׁוּם לַה' וְיִזְרֹק הַכֹּהֵן הַדָּם עַל מִזְבַּח ה' וְיַקְטִיר עָלָיו הַחֵלֶב, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן (בפסוקים ח-ט) הִזְהִיר שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֶׂה מִזְבֵּחַ לַה' בַּחוּץ וְיַקְרִיב עָלָיו הַשְּׁלָמִים הַנִּזְכָּרִים אוֹ עוֹלָה, כָּעִנְיָן הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בַּמֻּקְדָּשִׁין בִּשְׁעַת הֶתֵּר הַבָּמוֹת, רַק בְּפֶתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד יַעֲלֶה אוֹתָם לַשֵּׁם. וְהִנֵּה רִקֵּן כָּל הַשְּׁחִיטוֹת בְּחֻלִּין וּבְמֻקְדָּשִׁין לִהְיוֹת כֻּלָּן בִּפְנִים. וּלְכָךְ אָמַר בְּמִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה (דברים יב י יא) "וַעֲבַרְתֶּם אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן וִישַׁבְתֶּם בָּאָרֶץ וגו' וְהָיָה הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר ה' שָׁמָּה תָּבִיאוּ עוֹלוֹתֵיכֶם וְזִבְחֵיכֶם", וְאָמַר (שם פסוקים יג יד) "הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן תַּעֲלֶה עֹלֹתֶיךָ בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֲשֶׁר תִּרְאֶה כִּי אִם בַּמָּקוֹם" וגו', לִהְיוֹת אִסּוּר שְׁחוּטֵי חוּץ בְּמֻקְדָּשִׁין עוֹמֵד בִּמְקוֹמוֹ בִּשְׁעַת בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה, אֲבָל הִתִּיר אוֹתוֹ בְּחֻלִּין. זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר (שם פסוק טו), "רַק בְּכָל אַוַּת נַפְשְׁךָ תִּזְבַּח וְאָכַלְתָּ בָשָׂר" וגו', לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא תִּתְנַהֵג בָּאָרֶץ הַמְּנִיעָה הַנֶּאֱמֶרֶת כָּאן שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁחֹט חֻלִּין כְּלָל וְשֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הַכֹּל זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים עַל מִזְבַּח ה'. וּפֵרֵשׁ שָׁם (דברים י"ב:כ') הַטַּעַם, "כִּי יַרְחִיב ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת גְּבוּלְךָ" וגו', לוֹמַר כִּי הָיָה הָאִסּוּר מִתְּחִלָּה בִּהְיוֹתָם בַּמִּדְבָּר שֶׁיֵּקַל עֲלֵיהֶם לְהָבִיא כָּל זִבְחֵיהֶם אֶל פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, אֲבָל אַחֲרֵי שֶׁיַּרְחִיב גְּבוּלָם יֹאכְלוּ בְּשַׂר תַּאֲוָה וְיִשְׁחֲטוּ בְּשַׁעֲרֵיהֶם, אַךְ לֹא הַמֻּקְדָּשִׁין. וְזֶה טַעַם מַה שֶׁהִזְכִּיר בְּכָאן "אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁחַט בַּמַּחֲנֶה אוֹ אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁחַט מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה", יַזְכִּיר גַּם הַשּׁוֹחֲטִים מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ חַיָּבִים לְהָבִיא אוֹתָם אֶל פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, כִּי אע"פ שֶׁיַּתִּיר בְּשַׂר תַּאֲוָה כְּשֶׁיַּרְחִיב הַשֵּׁם גְּבוּלָם מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינָם בִּמְקוֹם הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, לֹא יַתִּיר כֵּן בַּמִּדְבָּר אֲפִלּוּ חוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָם רְחוֹקִים מִן הַמִּזְבֵּחַ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִהְיוּ בָּאָרֶץ שֶׁיַּרְחִיב הַשֵּׁם גְּבוּלָם, כִּי אָז יַתִּיר לָהֶם בְּשַׂר תַּאֲוָה. וְזֶהוּ דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל (חולין טז) בַּפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַלָּלוּ, וּמִכָּאן אָמַר דְּמֵעִקָּרָא אִתְּסַר לְהוּ בְּשַׂר תַּאֲוָה, וְהוּא הַנָּאוֹת בַּכָּתוּב עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט. וְזֶהוּ מַאֲמָרָם בַּהַגָּדָה (דב"ר ד ו), רַבָּנִין אָמְרִין, הַרְבֵּה דְּבָרִים אָסַר אוֹתָם הקב"ה וְחָזַר וְהִתִּירָם בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר. תֵּדַע לְךָ, אָסַר הקב"ה לִשְׁחֹט וְלֶאֱכֹל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַד שֶׁיְּבִיאֶנּוּ פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא י"ז:ד') "וְאֶל פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד" וְגוֹ', מַה כְּתִיב שָׁם, "דָּם יֵחָשֵׁב לָאִישׁ הַהוּא" וְגוֹ', וְכָאן חָזַר וְהִתִּירוֹ לָהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יב כ) "בְּכָל אַוַּת נַפְשְׁךָ תֹּאכַל בָּשָׂר", מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶׁקָּרְאוּ בְּעִנְיָן "כִּי יַרְחִיב ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ". וּמַה שֶׁכָּתַב רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על ויקרא י"ז:ג') בְּמֻקְדָּשִׁין הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר וכו', הוּא מִדְרָשׁוֹ שֶׁל הָאוֹמֵר (חולין טז) בְּשַׂר תַּאֲוָה לָא אִתְּסַר כְּלָל, וְעַל דַּעְתּוֹ נִשְׁנֵית הַבָּרַיְתָא שֶׁבְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (כאן). אֲבָל דֶּרֶךְ יִשּׁוּב הַמִּקְרָאוֹת עַל אוֹפַנֵּיהֶם וְדֶרֶךְ חֲכָמִים בַּהַגָּדוֹת וּבְרוֹב הַמְּקוֹמוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ:

1SPEAK UNTO AARON, AND UNTO HIS SONS, AND UNTO ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.¹⁴³ Since this section contains the warning that all offerings are to be brought only in the Tent of Meeting [i.e., in the Sanctuary Court], He therefore admonishes the priests who perform the rites of the offerings that they are not to perform the rites outside [the Sanctuary Court], and He also admonishes the Israelites that they should bring them there to G-d, and not offer them outside by themselves.The correct interpretation of this section is as our Rabbis have mentioned,¹⁴⁴ that He forbade Israel whilst in the desert to eat an ordinary meal of meat¹⁴⁵ [i.e., one which was not part of an offering], and they were to eat only the meat of peace-offerings [the fat portions and the blood of which] had been offered upon the altar of G-d. Therefore He said that whoever wants to slaughter any of the three kinds of animals from which all offerings are brought, namely, the ox, lamb, and goat, must bring them unto the door of the Tent of Meeting, and make them offerings of peace-offerings,¹⁴⁶ bringing the fats and the blood upon the altar of G-d, and then he may eat the meat thereof according to the law [of peace-offerings, which is that the priest is given the breast and the right thigh, and the rest of the meat is eaten by the owner and his family for two days and the intervening night]. He further stated that if he slaughtered them in any other place, he is liable to the punishment of excision.¹⁴⁷. See Ramban further, 18:29 for the specific meaning of this form of punishment.It appears likely from the language of Scripture that at first [i.e., in Verse 3-7] He declared a person liable to the punishment of excision in the case of any slaughtering outside [the Sanctuary Court] even of unconsecrated animals, this being the prohibition against eating an ordinary meal of meat,¹⁴⁵ and He stated that the reason for it is so that they should consecrate them to G-d and the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the Eternal¹⁴⁸ and burn on it the fat. Afterwards [in Verses 8-9] He warned against making an altar to G-d outside [the Sanctuary Court] and offering on it the peace-offerings mentioned [in Verse 5] or a burnt-offering, as used to be done with holy offerings at the time when the bamoth¹⁴⁹, Note 122 for full explanation of this term. were permitted, but they were to offer them to G-d in front of the door of the Tent of Meeting.¹⁵⁰ Thus He ordered all slaughterings, whether of unconsecrated¹⁵¹ or consecrated animals, to be done only within [the Sanctuary Court]. Therefore He said in the Book of Deuteronomy, But when ye go over the Jordan, and dwell in the Land etc., then it shall come to pass that the place which the Eternal your G-d shall choose to cause His Name to dwell there, thither ye shall bring … your burnt-offerings, and your peace-offerings,¹⁵² stating further, Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt-offerings in every place that thou seest; but in the place which the Eternal shall choose etc.¹⁵³, Verses 13-14. This was to state that the prohibition against slaughtering consecrated animals outside [the Sanctuary Court] remains in force as long as the Chosen House of G-d exists,¹⁵⁴ were permitted. After the House of G-d was finally established in Jerusalem, the bamoth were again forbidden and never again permitted (Zebachim 112 b). but He permitted slaughtering of ordinary [unconsecrated] animals [at all places]. It is this which He states, However thou mayest slaughter and eat flesh in all thy gates,¹⁵⁵ meaning to say that this prohibition stated here — not to slaughter unconsecrated animals at all, but rather to bring them all as peace-offerings upon the altar of G-d — will not apply in the Land. And He explained there the reason: When the Eternal thy G-d shall enlarge thy border etc.,¹⁵⁶, Verse 20. meaning to say that the prohibition was only in the beginning when they were in the desert, so that it was easier for them to bring all their offerings to the door of the Tent of Meeting, but after He will enlarge their border [and they will inhabit a wide area], they may eat an ordinary meal of meat¹⁴⁵ by slaughtering [the animal] in their city, except for consecrated animals [which they must slaughter only in the Sanctuary Court]. This is the reason why He mentions here [in Verse 3], What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that slaughtereth … within the camp or that slaughtereth out of the camp. Thus He mentions also those who slaughter out of the camp, so that they [too] should be obliged to bring them to the door of the Tent of Meeting; for although an ordinary meal of meat will be permissible when G-d will enlarge their borders, because they are not near the place of the Sanctuary, He does not likewise permit it in the desert, even outside the camp, because they are not far from the altar of G-d as they will be in the Land when G-d will enlarge their borders, at which time He permitted them an ordinary meal of meat.¹⁴⁵This is the proper interpretation of these verses, and it corresponds to the opinion of Rabbi Yishmael¹⁴⁴ on these sections of the Torah. From this section here originates [what Rabbi Yishmael] said, that “at first [i.e., as long as Israel was in the desert] they were forbidden to have an ordinary meal of meat.” This is the fitting interpretation of the verse by way of the plain meaning of Scripture. It [also] coincides with the saying of the Rabbis in the Agadah:¹⁵⁷ “The Rabbis say: There are many things which the Holy One, blessed be He, prohibited, and in another place permitted them again.¹⁵⁸ You may know this [from the following instance]. The Holy One, blessed be He, forbade Israel to slaughter and eat an animal unless they brought it to the door of the Sanctuary [and slaughtered it as a peace-offering]. Whence do I know this? Because it is written, and he hath not brought it into the door of the Tent of Meeting.¹⁵⁹ What is written there? Blood shall be imputed unto that man etc.¹⁵⁹ And here [in the Book of Deuteronomy] He again permitted it to them, as it is said, thou mayest eat flesh, after all the desire of thy soul.¹⁵⁶, Verse 20. Whence do I know [that this applies to the time after their entry into the Land]? From that which is stated there on this subject, When the Eternal thy G-d shall enlarge thy border.”¹⁵⁶, Verse 20. As for that which Rashi has commented [here in Verse 3 on the expression, what man soever there be that slaughtereth an ox, or lamb etc.] that “Scripture is speaking of consecrated animals etc.” [while we have explained above that Verses 3-6 refer to ordinary animals, the answer is that Rashi here follows] the opinion of that Sage¹⁶⁰ who says that an ordinary meal of meat¹⁴⁵ was never prohibited at all [even when Israel was in the desert]. It is in accordance with that opinion that the Beraitha was taught in the Torath Kohanim,¹⁶¹, Chapters 6, and 9-10. but the explanation of the verses in a manner that accords with them, and the approach of the words of the Sages in the traditions,¹⁶² as well as in most places,¹⁶³ is as we have explained.