Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Leviticus 19:30/רמב"ן על ויקרא י״ט:ל׳
אאֶת שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ הָאַזְהָרוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת רַבּוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה כְּמוֹ בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁגַּם הִיא שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת, כִּי מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְשַׁמֵּר אוֹתָהּ מַכְחִישׁ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית וְאֵין לוֹ תּוֹרָה כְּלָל. וּלְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ בָּהֶן מִדְרָשׁ, אָמְרוּ בְּכָאן, יָכוֹל יְהֵא בִּנְיַן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ דּוֹחֶה שַׁבָּת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר "אֶת שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ וּמִקְדָּשִׁי תִּירָאוּ אֲנִי ה'", בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (פרק ז ו). וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת יְצַוֶּה בַּשַּׁבָּת הַגָּדוֹל וּבַשַּׁבָּת שֶׁהוּא מִקְדָּשׁוֹ, וְצִוָּה בּוֹ שְׁמִירָה וּמוֹרָא, וְהִנֵּה אֵין מְלֶאכֶת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ דּוֹחָה הַשַּׁבָּת וְהַמִּקְדָּשׁ. וְאִם תַּשְׂכִּיל תָּבִין:
1YE SHALL KEEP MY SABBATHS. There are many warnings in the Torah regarding [the observance of] the Sabbath, just as in the case of idolatry, because the law of the Sabbath too, is equal to all the commandments, for one who does not observe it, denies the [Divine] Creation and has no Torah at all.199 Our Rabbis have an interpretation on this verse. Thus they said here in the Torath Kohanim:200 7:7. “I might think that the building of the Sanctuary overrides the Sabbath; Scripture therefore states, Ye shall keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My Sanctuary: I am the Eternal” [meaning: “not even the erection of the Sanctuary can override the keeping of the Sabbath”]. And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], He commands here concerning the Great Sabbath201 and the Sabbath which is His Sanctuary [on high], that it be both guarded and reverenced. For this reason the work on the erection of the Sanctuary [on earth] does not override the Sabbath and the Sanctuary [on high]. The student learned in the mysteries of the Cabala will understand.