Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Leviticus 2:14/רמב"ן על ויקרא ב׳:י״ד

אוְאִם תַּקְרִיב מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרִים הֲרֵי אִם מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן כִּי, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵין זֶה רְשׁוּת, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּמִנְחַת הָעֹמֶר הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר שֶׁהִיא חוֹבָה, וְכֵן "וְאִם יִהְיֶה הַיֹּבֵל לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (במדבר לו ד), לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על ויקרא ב':י"ד). וְהַנָּכוֹן כִּי בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁלֹּא יְצַוֶּה עַתָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת אָמַר כֵּן. יֹאמַר כִּי תַּקְרִיב מִנְחַת הַמַּחֲבַת תַּעֲשֶׂנָּה כֵן, וְאִם תַּקְרִיב מִנְחַת מַרְחֶשֶׁת כָּכָה תַּעֲשֶׂה, וְאִם מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרִים תִּהְיֶה הַמִּנְחָה אֲשֶׁר תַּקְרִיב כַּמִּשְׁפָּט הַזֶּה תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָהּ, וְהִנֵּה הָ"אִם" כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ. וְטַעַם "וְאִם יִהְיֶה הַיֹּבֵל לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" כִּי אָמְרוּ גַּם אִם יִנְחֲלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הָאָרֶץ כָּל הַיָּמִים וְיִזְכּוּ לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת שְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל, לֹא תַּחְזֹר לָנוּ הַנַּחֲלָה. וְאֶפְשָׁר גַּם כֵּן שֶׁאָמַר, וְאִם תַּקְרִיב מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרִים כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה, כְּאוֹמֵר אִם יְבִיאֲךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וְתִקְצֹר אֶת קְצִירָהּ וְתָבִיא מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרִים, כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ, כִּי יְרֻשַּׁת הָאָרֶץ בִּתְנַאי יִזְכְּרֶנָּה לָהֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (דברים יא כב כג) "אִם שָׁמֹר תִּשְׁמְרוּן אֶת כָּל הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת וְגוֹ' וְהוֹרִישׁ ה' אֶת כָּל הַגּוֹיִם מִלִּפְנֵיכֶם". וְכֵן בִּמְקוֹמוֹת רַבִּים:

1V’IM (AND IF) THOU BRING A MEAL-OFFERING OF FIRST-FRUITS. “The word im (if) here has the meaning of ki (when), for the bringing [of this meal-offering of the first-fruits] is not a voluntary matter, since Scripture speaks here of the meal-offering of the new barley, which is obligatory.²³⁰ Similarly, ‘V’im’ (and if) the Jubilee of the children of Israel shall be²³¹ [means ‘when’ the Jubilee will be — for it is bound to come].” This is Rashi’s language.The correct interpretation is that He used the expression im (if) because He is not commanding the performance now of this precept [namely bringing the meal-offering of the new barley], and He is thus saying: “When you offer a meal-offering baked on the griddle²³² you shall do it in such-and-such a way; and if you offer a meal-offering of the stewing-pan,²³³ you shall make it in another way; and if the meal-offering you will bring will be the one of first-fruits, you should do it in this manner.” Thus the word im is here to be understood in its literal sense [namely, “if”]. Then the meaning of the verse, ‘V’im’the Jubilee of the children of Israel shall be²³¹ is as follows: [The heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribe of Manasseh] said to Moses: “Even ‘if’ the children of Israel will inherit the Land forever, and will be privileged to sanctify the year of the Jubilee, the inheritance [of Zelophchad] will not return to us” [because his daughters might marry men from other tribes, which would cause the land to be transferred to other tribes].It is also possible that He is stating: “And if you bring a meal-offering of the first-fruits, you shall do it in this prescribed way,” as if He were to say, “if the Eternal your G-d will bring you into the Land, and you will reap the harvest thereof and bring the meal-offering of the first-fruits, you shall do it in such-and-such a manner;” for G-d always mentions the inheritance of the Land to them conditionally, just as He said, For if ye shall diligently keep all this commandment … then will the Eternal drive out all these nations from before you,²³⁴ and so also in many places.