Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Leviticus 3:12/רמב"ן על ויקרא ג׳:י״ב

אוְאִם עֵז קָרְבָּנוֹ הִזְכִּיר הַמִּין אִם מִמִּין הָעִזִּים קָרְבָּנוֹ כְּדַעַת אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על ויקרא ג':י"ב) שֶׁאָמַר "מִן בְּנֵי עִזַּיָּא", וְכֵן מַה שֶׁאָמַר בָּעוֹלָה (ויקרא א':י') "מִן הַכְּשָׂבִים אוֹ מִן הָעִזִּים" מִמִּינָם. וְעַל דַּעְתִּי לֹא יַקְפִּיד לְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ בְּשֵׁם הַבְּהֵמוֹת, כִּי בְּרֻבָּם שֵׁם אֶחָד לַזָּכָר וְלַנְּקֵבָה, כְּגָמָל וַחֲמוֹר וְשָׁפָן וְאַרְנֶבֶת וַחֲזִיר, וּבָעוֹפוֹת יוֹנָה וְתוֹר, וְגַם בַּמִּינִים אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם שֵׁמוֹת לַזָּכָר וְלַנְּקֵבָה, כְּגוֹן שׁוֹר וּפָרָה כֶּשֶׂב כִּשְׂבָּה תַּיִשׁ וְעֵז, לֹא יַקְפִּיד וְאָמַר שֶׂה וְשׁוֹר לִנְקֵבָה, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב (ויקרא כ"ב:כ"ח) "וְשׁוֹר אוֹ שֶׂה אֹתוֹ וְאֶת בְּנוֹ" וְהוּא בְּפָרָה וְכִשְׂבָּה בִּלְבַד, כְּדַעַת הָאוֹמֵר אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין לְזֶרַע הָאָב (חולין עח). וְכֵן "מִן הָעִזִּים זָכָר תָּמִים יַקְרִיבֶנּוּ" (ויקרא א':י'), מִן הַתְּיָשִׁים, "וְאִם עֵז קָרְבָּנוֹ" זָכָר אוֹ נְקֵבָה, וְכֵן "וְאִם לֹא תַגִּיעַ יָדוֹ דֵּי שֶׂה" (ויקרא ה':ז'), כִּשְׂבָּה אוֹ שְׂעִירַת עִזִּים:

1AND IF HIS OFFERING BE A GOAT. He mentions here the species, thus meaning, “if of the species of goats is his offering,” [and thus includes male and female]. This is like the opinion of Onkelos who translated: “and if of the ‘bnei’ (species of) the goats is his offering.” Similarly, that which He said in connection with the burnt-offering, whether of the sheep, or of the goats,²⁹¹ also means of their species [for since the male of the goats is called tayish, the verse there which speaks of a burnt-offering which can be only a male, must perforce mean “the species of the goats,” which automatically includes the males].In my opinion²⁹² the Sacred Language is not particular as to the names of animals, for the majority of them have the same name for both male and female, such as camel, ass, rock-badger, hare, and swine, and among the birds the young pigeon and the turtle-dove. Even among the species which do have different names for the male and female — such as shor and parah (ox and cow), kesev, kisbah (he-lamb, ewe-lamb), tayish and eiz (he-goat and she-goat) — Scripture is not particular, and will sometimes say seh and shor of the female, similar to that which is written, ‘V’shor o seh’ [literally: “and ox or lamb] ye shall not kill it and its young both in one day,²⁹³ which applies only to the dam and the lamb [it being permissible to slaughter the male parent and its young in one day], in accordance with the opinion of the Sage who says²⁹⁴ that [in animals] one does not take into consideration the seed of the male parent. Similarly, of ‘ha’izim’ (the goats) for a burnt-offering, he shall offer it a male without blemish,²⁹¹ means of the t’yashim (the he-goats). And if his offering be an ‘eiz’ (a goat)²⁹⁵ means a male or female [since a peace-offering, which is the subject of this verse, can be brought either from the male or the femals]. So also, And if his means suffice not for a ‘seh’ (lamb)²⁹⁶ means a ewe-lamb or a she-goat [as is expressly stated there in the preceding verse].²⁹⁷, Verse 6. The section there deals with the offering of higher or lower value, Scripture first stating that where the offender can afford it he should bring as a sin-offering a ewe-lamb or a she-goat. Then follows the verse: And if his means suffice not for a ‘seh’ (lamb). The word seh in this case must perforce mean a ewe-lamb or she-goat. Thus it is proven that Scripture uses the term seh also for the female.