Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Leviticus 3:1/רמב"ן על ויקרא ג׳:א׳
אוְאִם זֶבַח שְׁלָמִים קָרְבָּנוֹ וְגוֹ' אִם זָכָר אִם נְקֵבָה הַטַּעַם בָּעוֹלָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה זָכָר וּבַשְּׁלָמִים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ אִם זָכָר אִם נְקֵבָה וּבַחַטָּאת שֶׁתִּהְיֶה נְקֵבָה, דָּבָר בָּרוּר הוּא, כִּי הָעוֹלָה כִּשְׁמָהּ, וְהַשְּׁלָמִים מִלְּשׁוֹן "וְכָל חֶפְצִי יַשְׁלִם" (ישעיהו מד כח), "אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת" (דברים כז ו), וְהַחַטָּאת לְכַפֵּר פָּנָיו בַּמִּנְחָה הַהוֹלֶכֶת לְפָנָיו, וּכְבָר כָּתַבְתִּי זֶה (בראשית מו א), וְהָאָשָׁם זָכָר בַּעֲבוּר כִּי הַחַטָּאת בְּחַיָּבֵי כְּרֵתוֹת, שֶׁתָּשׁוּב הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר נְתָנָהּ, וְהָאָשָׁם לֹא יָבֹא עַל חִיּוּב כָּרֵת, וּכְאִלּוּ הוּא לְרֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ כְּעוֹלָה, וּשְׂעִיר הַנָּשִׂיא בַּעֲבוּר כִּי הוּא הַמּוֹלֵךְ אֲשֶׁר לוֹ הַמִּשְׁפָּט וְהַלּוֹחֵם מִלְחֲמוֹת הַשֵּׁם וְעַל חַרְבּוֹ יִחְיֶה, כְּדֶרֶךְ שְׂעִירֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה:
1AND IF HIS OFFERING BE A SACRIFICE OF PEACE-OFFERINGS: IF HE OFFER OF THE HERD, WHETHER MALE OR FEMALE. The reason why the burnt-offering may only be male,235 whereas in the case of the peace-offering it can be male or female, and the sin-offering must only be female,236 is very clear, since the olah (the burnt-offering) is as its name indicates, [i.e., “ascension” — being that it reaches above all Divine attributes], whilst sh’lamim (the peace-offering) is of the expressions: and all My pleasures ‘yashlim’ (he will perform — literally: he will “perfect”);237 ‘avanim sh’leimoth’ (whole stones).238 The sin-offering is in order to appease Him with the present that goeth before239 Him. I have already written on this matter.240, 46:1 (Vol. I, p. 542): “Jacob offered peace-offerings in order to bring all Divine attributes into accord towards him …”. See also ibid., 32:21 (pp. 402-403). The guilt-offering must be a male,241 because the sin-offering is brought for those transgressions [for which, if committed wilfully, the sinner] incurs the penalty of excision, in order that the spirit return unto G-d who gave it,242 but the guilt-offering is not brought for those transgressions for which [if committed wilfully] one incurs excision, and therefore it is as if it were for a pleasing odor just like the burnt-offering.243 The sin-offering of the prince is a he-goat,244 because the prince is the sovereign unto whom judgment [rightfully] belongs,245 and he fights the battles of G-d and lives by his sword;246 therefore his offering is the same as the he-goat brought in case of idol-worship [by the congregation].247