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Ramban on Leviticus 17:7/רמב"ן על ויקרא י״ז:ז׳

אלַשְּׂעִירִם לַשֵּׁדִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיהו יג כא) "וּשְׂעִירִים יְרַקְּדוּ שָׁם", לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על ויקרא י"ז:ז') מִתּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (פרק ט ח). וְאָמַר ר"א (אבן עזרא על ויקרא י"ז:ז') שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ הַשֵּׁדִים כֵּן בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁיִּשְׂתָּעֵר הַגּוּף הָרוֹאֶה אוֹתָם. וְהַקָּרוֹב, בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁיִּרְאוּ אוֹתָם הַמְּשֻׁגָּעִים כִּדְמוּת שְׂעִירִים. וּמִלַּת "עוֹד" תּוֹרֶה שֶׁכֵּן הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂים בְּמִצְרַיִם. אֲשֶׁר הֵם זֹנִים כִּי כָל מְבַקֵּשׁ אוֹתָם וּמַאֲמִין בָּהֶם הוּא זוֹנֶה מִתַּחַת אֱלֹהָיו, שֶׁיַּחְשֹׁב כִּי יֵשׁ מִי שֶׁמֵּטִיב אוֹ יָרַע חוּץ מֵהַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד וְהַנּוֹרָא. וּכְבָר רָמַז רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם בְּמִלַּת "עוֹד" הָאֱמֶת כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי לְמַעְלָה (רמב"ן על ויקרא ט"ז:ח'). וְכֵן שֵׁם הַשְּׂעִירִים יִתְבָּרֵר לְךָ מִשָּׁם. וְיִקָּרְאוּ "שֵׁדִים" בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁמִּשְׁכְּנָם בְּמָקוֹם שָׁדוּד, כְּגוֹן הַמִּדְבָּר, וְעִקַּר מְצִיאוּתָם בַּקְּצָווֹת, כְּגוֹן פְּאַת צָפוֹן הֶחָרֵב מִפְּנֵי הַקֹּר. וְדַע כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר הַבְּרִיאָה מִתְּחִלָּה בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּגוּף הָאָדָם וּבְכָל בַּעֲלֵי הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְהַצְּמָחִים וְהַמַּתָּכוֹת מֵאַרְבַּע יְסוֹדוֹת, וְנִתְחַבְּרוּ אַרְבַּעְתָּם בְּכֹחַ אֱלֹהִי לִהְיוֹת מֵהֶן גּוּף גַּס מֻרְגָּשׁ לְכָל חֲמֵשׁ הַהַרְגָּשׁוֹת לְעָבְיוֹ וּלְגַסּוּתוֹ, כָּךְ הָיְתָה יְצִירָה מִשְּׁנֵי יְסוֹדוֹת, מִן הָאֵשׁ וְהָאֲוִיר, וְהָיָה מֵהֶם גּוּף אֵינוֹ נִרְגָּשׁ וְלֹא מֻשָּׂג לְאַחַת מִן הַהַרְגָּשׁוֹת, כַּאֲשֶׁר נֶפֶשׁ הַבְּהֵמָה אֵינֶנָּה מֻשֶּׂגֶת לַהַרְגָּשׁוֹת לְדַקּוּתָהּ, וְהַגּוּף הַזֶּה הוּא רוּחָנִי, יָטוּס לְדַקּוּתוֹ וְקַלּוּתוֹ בָּאֵשׁ וּבַאֲוִיר, וְכַאֲשֶׁר הַהַרְכָּבָה בְּכָל דָּבָר סִבַּת הַהֲוָיָה וְהַהֶפְסֵד בַּמֻּרְכָּב מֵאַרְבַּע יְסוֹדוֹת, כָּךְ הִיא בַּמֻּרְכָּבִים הָאֵלּוּ מִשְּׁנֵי הַיְּסוֹדוֹת, כִּי בְּהִתְחַבְּרוּתָם יִהְיֶה בַּעַל הַגּוּף חַי וּבְהִתְפָּרְדָם יִהְיֶה כַּמֵּת. וּלְכָךְ אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (חגיגה טז), שִׁשָּׁה דְּבָרִים נֶאֶמְרוּ בַּשֵּׁדִים, שְׁלֹשָׁה כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת וּשְׁלֹשָׁה כִּבְנֵי אָדָם, שְׁלֹשָׁה כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת - יֵשׁ לָהֶם כְּנָפַיִם כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, וְטָסִים כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, וְיוֹדְעִין מַה שֶׁעָתִיד לָבֹא כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, יוֹדְעִין סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ, אֶלָּא אֵימָא שׁוֹמְעִין מַה שֶׁעָתִיד לִהְיוֹת; שְׁלֹשָׁה כִּבְנֵי אָדָם - אוֹכְלִין וְשׁוֹתִין כִּבְנֵי אָדָם, פָּרִין וְרָבִין כִּבְנֵי אָדָם, וּמֵתִים כִּבְנֵי אָדָם. וְסִבַּת הַמִּיתָה פֵּרוּד הַחִבּוּר, הִיא הַסִּבָּה בְּכָל הַמֻּרְכָּבִים, וְסִבַּת הַטִּיסָה בְּקַלּוּת יְסוֹדוֹתָם, כַּאֲשֶׁר נִרְאֶה גַּם בָּעוֹף, כִּי מִפְּנֵי שֶׁגָּבְרוּ עָלָיו הָאֵשׁ וְהָאֲוִיר, וְהַיְּסוֹדוֹת הָאֲחֵרִים בּוֹ מְעַטִּים, הוּא טַס וּפוֹרֵחַ, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן אֵלּוּ שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם מִן הַיְּסוֹדוֹת הַכְּבֵדִים כְּלוּם, שֶׁטִּיסָתָן גְּדוֹלָה, יָעוּפוּ וְלֹא יִיגָעוּ. וְעִנְיַן הָאֲכִילָה, לִלְחֹךְ מִן הַמַּיִם וְהָאֵשׁ הָרֵיחוֹת וְהַלֵּחוֹת, כְּעִנְיַן הָאֵשׁ שֶׁתִּלְחוֹךְ הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר בַּתְּעָלָה (מלכים א יח לח). וְהוּא עִנְיַן הַהַקְטָרוֹת שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ בַּעֲלֵי נגרומנסיא"ה לַשֵּׁדִים, וְסִבָּתָהּ הַיֹּבֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר תִּיבַשׁ הָאֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר בַּאֲוִיר בְּגוּפָן וְצָרִיךְ לְהַחְזִירָהּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר הִיא הָאֲכִילָה בָּאָדָם לְצֹרֶךְ מָה שֶׁהוּא נִתָּךְ מִמֶּנּוּ. וְעִנְיַן מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ שׁוֹמְעִין מַה שֶׁעָתִיד לִהְיוֹת, כִּי בְּטִיסָתָן בַּאֲוִיר הַשָּׁמַיִם יְקַבְּלוּ הָעֲתִידוֹת מִשָּׂרֵי הַמַּזָּלוֹת הַשּׁוֹכְנִים בָּאֲוִיר, וְהֵם נְגִידֵי הַתְּלִי, וּמִשָּׁם יַגִּידוּ גַּם בַּעֲלֵי הַכְּנָפַיִם הָעֲתִידוֹת, כַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא מְנֻסֶּה בַּנְּחָשִׁים וְכַאֲשֶׁר אֲפָרֵשׁ בִּמְקוֹמוֹ (דברים יח ט) בע"ה. וְאֵלּוּ וְאֵלּוּ אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים בַּמֶּה שֶׁעָתִיד לִהְיוֹת לְיָמִים רַבִּים וּלְעִתִּים רְחוֹקוֹת, רַק יוֹדִיעוּ בֶּעָתִיד לִהְיוֹת בְּקָרוֹב, כִּי יָדַעְנוּ בְּנִסְיוֹנוֹתָם שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ מִן הַשֵּׁדִים בַּנִּגְזָר לָבֹא. וּלְכָךְ תִּרְגֵּם אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על ויקרא י"ז:ז') "יִזְבְּחוּ לַשֵּׁדִים לֹא אֱלֹהַּ" (דברים לב יז) - "דַּבַּחוּ לְשֵׁדִין דְּלֵית בְּהוֹן צְרוֹךְ", יֹאמַר שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם שׁוּם צֹרֶךְ, כִּי לֹא יִמְנְעוּ הַנֶּזֶק הֶעָתִיד וְלֹא יַעֲשׂוּ שׁוּם תּוֹעֶלֶת, וְגַם לֹא יוֹדִיעוּ בָּרָחוֹק שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּמֵּר מִמֶּנּוּ הָאָדָם בְּדַעְתּוֹ. וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב גַּם כֵּן "לֹא אֱלוֹהַּ", כְּאִלּוּ אָמַר "לֹא כֹּחַ וּמֶמְשָׁלָה", כִּי אֱלֹהִים לְשׁוֹן אֱיָלוּת וְכֹחַ, אֵל הֵם, יֹאמַר שֶׁאֵין בַּשֵּׁדִים אֱיָלוּת וְשׁוּם כֹּחַ וּלְכָךְ אֵין צֹרֶךְ בָּהֶם, כִּי לֹא יָרֵעוּ וְגַם הֵיטֵב אֵין אוֹתָם:

1AND THEY SHALL NO MORE SACRIFICE THEIR SACRIFICES ‘LA’SE’IRIM’ AFTER WHOM THEY GO ASTRAY. “La’se’irim means ‘unto the demons.’ Similarly it states, ‘u’se’irim’ (and demons) shall dance there.”¹⁶⁷ This is Rashi’s language, derived from the Torath Kohanim.¹⁶⁸ 9:8. Now Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that “the demons are so called [se’irim, a word which is connected with sei’ar, meaning ‘hair’], because on seeing them a person’s hair stands up on his body. But it is likely that they are called se’irim [a word which also means ‘goats’], because mentally deranged persons see them in the form of goats. And the word ‘more’ [in the verse before us, and they shall no ‘more’ sacrifice …] indicates that the Israelites used to do so in Egypt. After whom they go astray denotes that whoever seeks after them and believes in them ‘goes astray’ from his G-d, since he thinks that there is a power that can cause good or evil apart from the Glorious and Fearful Name.” [Thus far the words of Ibn Ezra.]Now Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra has indeed hinted at the truth concerning the word “more,” as I have written above.¹⁶⁹ The name se’irim will also be made clear to you there. They are also called sheidim [“demons,” as Rashi interpreted here — a word which is connected with shodad, meaning “devastate, despoil, ruin”], because they dwell in “devastated” places, such as the desert, and their principal habitat is in the far corners [of the earth], such as the northern extremity of the earth which is wasteland on account of the cold climate.Know that just as the formation at the original Creation of man’s body as well as that of all living creatures, vegetation and minerals, was from the four elements,¹⁷⁰ which were combined by Divine power to form material bodies which as a result of their thickness and coarseness could be perceived by the five senses,¹⁷¹ even so there was a creation from only two elements, fire and air, resulting in a body which cannot be felt, nor perceived by any of the [five] senses, just as the soul of an animal cannot be perceived by human senses because of its delicacy. The body [of these creatures of two elements] is of a spiritual nature; on account of its delicacy and lightness it can fly through fire and air. And just as the combination of the four elements in any object is the cause of its existence and its destruction [since everything that is composite must ultimately revert to its original components],¹⁷² so is it with these beings created from a combination of only two elements; when the elements combine, the creature lives, and when they separate [decompose], it is like the dead. It is for this reason that our Rabbis have said:¹⁷³ “Six characteristics have been said of sheidim, in three they are comparable to the ministering angels and in three to human beings. The three things in which they are comparable to the ministering angels are that they have wings, they fly, and they know what is about to happen, as do the ministering angels. [On this statement the Gemara asked:] ‘How can it enter your mind to say that the sheidim know the future [when even the ministering angels do not know it]! Say rather thus: They hear [from behind the Curtain of heaven] what is about to happen.’ The three things in which they are comparable to human beings are that they eat and drink, procreate, and die as do human beings.”¹⁷⁴ Now the cause of death generally is the separation [decomposition] of the components of the body, this being true of all kinds of bodies [whether they are composed of the four elements like humans or of only two, like sheidim]. The reason for their ability to fly is because of the lightness of the [two] elements [fire and air] of which they are composed, as may also be seen in the case of a fowl, in which, because the elements of fire and air dominate over the small parts of the other two elements [earth and water], the fowl can hover in the air and fly [although it is composed of all four elements]. Surely, then, the above-mentioned creatures that have nothing in them of the heavy elements [earth and water], possess great hovering power in the air, to be able to fly tirelessly. The matter of “eating” [mentioned above in connection with these creatures] means their deriving nourishment from the moisture of water and the odors of fire, something like the fire that licked up the water that was in the trench.¹⁷⁵ This is the purpose of the burnings which necromancers perform to the demons. The reason [for their need to “eat”] is that the fire in the air causes the drying up of their bodies, which must therefore be restored just as man’s need for food is due to depletion in his body. As for that which has been said concerning their “hearing what is about to happen,” it is because in the course of their flying on high they become aware of things that are about to happen from the powerful forces contained in the atmosphere, these being “the princes of the quiver.”¹⁷⁶ It is also from there that “those who have wings tell matters”¹⁷⁷. of the future, as has been tested by enchanters,¹⁷⁸ and as I will explain in its place¹⁷⁹ with the help of G-d. But neither of them know what is to happen for many days to come and for times that are far off;¹⁸⁰ but they can only inform of that which is to happen in the near future, as we know from their encounters [i.e., those of enchanters], that they gain knowledge from the sheidim as to what has been decreed to come. Therefore Onkelos rendered the verse, They sacrificed unto demons, ‘lo eloha’ (no gods),¹⁸¹ as “they sacrificed unto demons in which there is no utility,” meaning that there is no need for them, as they do not prevent harm that is destined to come, neither do they do anything productive, nor do they inform of times far off so that a person may knowingly guard himself. It is this which is the sense of the expression, lo eloha,¹⁸¹ which is as if it said, “no power or rulership,” for the word Elokim is an expression of strength and power, [a composite word consisting of the words] e-il heim.¹⁸² (Force), heim (they), the word “they” alluding to all other forces. Thus Elokim means “the Force of all forces.” Thus the verse is stating that demons have no strength or power whatsoever, and hence there is no need for them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.¹⁸³