Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Leviticus 24:9/רמב"ן על ויקרא כ״ד:ט׳
אוְהָיְתָה לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו הַמִּנְחָה הַזֹּאת, שֶׁכָּל דָּבָר הַבָּא מִן הַתְּבוּאָה בִּכְלַל מִנְחָה הוּא. וַאֲכָלוּהוּ מוּסָב עַל הַלֶּחֶם, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על ויקרא כ"ד:ט'). וְיִתָּכֵן כִּי "וְהָיְתָה" עַל כָּל אַחַת מִן הַמַּעֲרָכוֹת. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת, וְהָיְתָה לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו בְּרִית עוֹלָם, כְּדֶרֶךְ "בְּרִיתִי הָיְתָה אִתּוֹ הַחַיִּים וְהַשָּׁלוֹם" (מלאכי ב ה):
1V’HAYTHAH’ (AND IT SHALL BE) FOR AARON AND HIS SONS — “[The feminine word ‘v’haythah’ refers to] the meal-offering,518 (and it shall be) is in the feminine, and in the preceding verse [7] lechem (bread) is mentioned, which is in the masculine, the word minchah (meal-offering) which is in the feminine must then be added to v’haythah. Ramban will suggest this is not necessary, as will be explained in the text. for anything which is offered of grain is included within the term minchah (meal-offering). [The masculine suffix in] ‘va’achaluhu’ (and they shall eat it), refers to the lechem” [“bread” mentioned in Verse 7, which is a masculine noun]. This is Rashi’s language. It is possible that the verb v’haythah [“and it shall be” — in the feminine] refers to each of the two ma’arachoth [“rows” of six loaves mentioned in Verse 6, since ma’arachah is in the feminine, and hence v’haythah is also in the feminine]. And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabalah], ‘v’haythah’ (and it shall be) for Aaron and his sons refers back to brith olam [“an everlasting covenant” at the end of the preceding Verse 8, since the word brith is in the feminine], similar to what is said, ‘Brithi haythah’ (My covenant was) with him of life and peace.519