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Ramban on Leviticus 5:2/רמב"ן על ויקרא ה׳:ב׳
אוְנֶעְלַם מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא טָמֵא שֶׁנֶּעֶלְמָה מִמֶּנּוּ הַטֻּמְאָה, וְאָשֵׁם בַּאֲכִילַת קָדָשִׁים אוֹ בִּיאַת מִקְדָּשׁ, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על ויקרא ה':ב'). וְאֵין הַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ אֲכִילַת קָדָשִׁים וּבִיאַת מִקְדָּשׁ נִלְמָדִים מִן "וְאָשֵׁם", כִּי בְּכָל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת לְמַעְלָה נֶאֱמַר כֵּן, אֲבָל הַפָּרָשָׁה הַזּוֹ תְּקַצֵּר בַּדָּבָר הַמּוּבָן, כִּי מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין בִּנְגִיעַת נְבֵלָה וְשֶׁרֶץ שׁוּם חֵטְא וְלֹא הֻזְהֲרוּ מִמֶּנָּה אֲפִילּוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים, אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיְּחַיֵּב הַכָּתוּב בִּנְגִיעָתָם קָרְבָּן. אֲבָל אָמַר כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יִטְמָא הָאָדָם וְנֶעְלַם מִמֶּנּוּ הַטֻּמְאָה, אוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׁבַע וְנֶעְלַם מִמֶּנּוּ הַשְּׁבוּעָה, וְיֶחֱטָא בְּהַעֲלָמָה שֶׁל אַחַת מֵאֵלֶּה, יִתְחַיֵּב לְהָבִיא קָרְבָּן. וּבְיָדוּעַ שֶׁאֵין בְּהַעֲלָמַת הַטֻּמְאָה חֵטְא זוּלָתִי שֶׁיֹּאכַל קָדָשִׁים אוֹ יָבֹא לַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְאֵין בְּהַעֲלָמַת הַשְּׁבוּעָה חֵטְא זוּלָתִי שֶׁיַּעֲבֹר עָלֶיהָ. וְזֶה יִשּׁוּב פְּשׁוּטָן שֶׁל מִקְרָאוֹת בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ. וּלְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ בָּהּ עוֹד מִדְרָשִׁים לְחַזֵּק הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה:
1AND IT IS HIDDEN FROM HIM337 — “that is, he had forgotten his state of uncleanness. AND HE INCURRED GUILT — by eating holy food or by entering the Sanctuary.” This is Rashi’s language. Now [Rashi’s] intent is not that the [requirement of] eating the holy food or entering the Sanctuary is derived from the word v’asheim (and he incurred guilt), for this word is used with reference to all the sin-offerings mentioned previously.338 But this section deals in a brief manner with those points which are self-understood. For there is no sin involved in touching a carcass of an unclean beast or swarming thing [which defiles the person]. Even the priests have not been warned against it. So it is impossible that Scripture should require a person to bring an offering just because he touched them and thereby became defiled. Rather, Scripture is stating that when a person becomes defiled and forgets his state of uncleanness, or when he swears [an “oath of utterance”]337 and forgets the oath, and he incurs guilt by violating it — for either of these sins committed through forgetfulness, he is required to bring an offering. Now it is self-understood that the mere forgetfulness of his state of uncleanness involves no sin, except [if in that state] he ate holy food or entered the Sanctuary. Nor is there any sin in the mere forgetfulness of an oath, except if he violated it. This is the literal explanation of the verses in this section. Our Rabbis have further interpretations on this section strengthening this explanation.