Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Leviticus 26:45/רמב"ן על ויקרא כ״ו:מ״ה
אוְטַעַם וְזָכַרְתִּי לָהֶם בְּרִית רִאשֹׁנִים שֶׁאֶזְכּוֹר לָהֶם כֵּן בֵּין בָּאָרֶץ בֵּין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ בַּגָּלוּת הַנִּרְמֶזֶת כָּאן, וְכֵן בְּכָל הַדּוֹרוֹת. וְזֶה טַעַם "לְעֵינֵי הַגּוֹיִם" כִּי יַעֲשֶׂה בָּהֶם בַּעֲבוּר שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁלֹּא יִתְחַלֵּל בַּגּוֹיִם, וְלֹא לְמַעֲנָם, כִּי לֹא עָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה וְלֹא נִתְכַּפְּרוּ עֲוֹנֹתָם. וְכָךְ אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (תו"כ פרק ח י), "לֹא מְאַסְתִּים" בִּימֵי אַסְפַּסְיָנוּס, "וְלֹא גְעַלְתִּים" בִּימֵי יָוָן, "לְכַלֹּתָם לְהָפֵר בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם" בִּימֵי הַמָּן, "כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיהֶם" בִּימֵי גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג:
1AND I WILL FOR THEIR SAKES REMEMBER THE COVENANT OF THEIR ANCESTORS. This means that I will remember it for their sakes whether in the Land or outside the Land, both in the [first] exile alluded to here and likewise throughout all generations. This is the sense of the expression in the sight of the nations [And I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors … in the sight of the nations], for He will do [good] to them because of His Great Name, so that it be not profaned among the nations, but not for their sake, since they have not repented, and [thus] their iniquities have not been forgiven. And so did our Rabbis say:184 8:10. “I will not reject them185 in the days of Vespasian.186 Neither will I abhor them185 in the days of Greece.187 [Neither will I abhor them] to destroy them utterly, and to break My covenant with them185 in the days of Haman. For I am the Eternal their G-d185 in the days of Gog and Magog.”188