Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Leviticus 5:7/רמב"ן על ויקרא ה׳:ז׳
אוְאִם לֹא תַגִּיעַ יָדוֹ דֵּי שֶׂה הֵקֵל הַכָּתוּב עַל הַחוֹטֵא בְּאֵלּוּ לְהָבִיא קָרְבָּן עוֹלֶה וְיוֹרֵד. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁהַטַּעַם בַּשְּׁבוּעוֹת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינָן חַיָּבֵי כְּרֵיתוֹת, וּבְטֻמְאַת מִקְדָּשׁ וְקָדָשָׁיו מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא טוֹעֶה בִּדְבַר מִצְוָה, כִּי הַכֹּהֵן הָאוֹכֵל קָדָשִׁים וְהַבָּא לַמִּקְדָּשׁ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת אוֹ לְהַקְרִיב קָרְבָּן עוֹסֵק הוּא בַּמִּצְוָה וְדַעְתּוֹ לַשָּׁמַיִם, וּלְפִיכָךְ אע"פ שֶׁחָטָא בְּהַעֲלָמַת הַטֻּמְאָה רִבָּה לוֹ הַכָּתוּב כַּפָּרוֹת. וְאָמַר ר"א (אבן עזרא על ויקרא ה':ז') כִּי טַעַם "אֶחָד לְעֹלָה" שֶׁיִּקְרַב עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ כְּנֶגֶד הָאֵמוּרִין בְּחַטַּאת הַבְּהֵמָה. וְיָפֶה פֵּרֵשׁ:
1AND IF HIS MEANS SUFFICE NOT FOR A LAMB. Scripture has been lenient towards these sinners by allowing them to bring an offering of either higher or lower value. It is possible that the reason for the leniency with regard to the offering in the case of oaths [i.e., the “oath of testimony” and the “oath of utterance”, as explained above] is because the punishment is not excision [were they to be done wilfully]. In the case of defilement of the Sanctuary and the holy food [He mitigated the obligation of the offering] because the person who did it erred whilst engaged in performing a religious duty, for the priest who eats the holy food or enters into the Sanctuary to prostrate himself or to bring an offering is engaged in performing a religious duty, and his intention is towards Heaven. Therefore even though he sinned on account of having forgotten his state of uncleanness, Scripture gave him more ways of atonement.Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that the reason why one [of the two birds brought by the poor man in the offering of higher or lower value] was a burnt-offering, is so that it should be offered on the altar in lieu of the fats of the animal sin-offering [brought by the affluent person].350 He has explained it well.