Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Leviticus 6:3/רמב"ן על ויקרא ו׳:ג׳

אוְלָבַשׁ הַכֹּהֵן מִדּוֹ בַד הִיא הַכֻּתֹּנֶת, וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר "מִדּוֹ", שֶׁתְּהֵא כְּמִדָּתוֹ. עַל בְּשָׂרוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא דָּבָר חוֹצֵץ בֵּינְתַיִם, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על ויקרא ו':ג'). וְהִנֵּה תְּרוּמַת הַדֶּשֶׁן צְרִיכָה בִּגְדֵי כְּהֻנָּה וְאֵין עֲבוֹדָה בִּשְׁנֵי הַבְּגָדִים מֵהֶם, אֲבָל הִזְכִּיר אֵלֶּה הַשְּׁנַיִם לְדָבָר שֶׁנִּתְחַדֵּשׁ בָּהֶם כָּאן, לוֹמַר שֶׁתְּהֵא הַכֻּתֹּנֶת כְּמִדָּתוֹ, וְהָעִנְיָן לוֹמַר שֶׁאִם הָיוּ מְסֻלָּקִין, קְצָרִים וְאֵינָן מַגִּיעִין עַד רַגְלָיו וְעָבַד בָּהֶן עֲבוֹדָתוֹ פְּסוּלָה, וְלִמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא בֵּינוֹ וְלֹא בֵּין הַמִּכְנָסַיִם לִבְשָׂרוֹ כְּלוּם, וְהוּא הַדִּין שֶׁצְּרִיכָה כָּל בִּגְדֵי כְּהֻנָּה, כִּי כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב שֶׁהִיא צְרִיכָה בְּגָדִים לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהִיא צְרִיכָה אַרְבָּעָה לְהֶדְיוֹט וּשְׁמֹנֶה לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל. וְכֵן מְפֹרָשׁ בְּמַסֶּכֶת יוֹמָא בְּפֶרֶק שֵׁנִי (כג) וּבְתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (צו ב א), מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר "יִלְבָּשׁ", לְהָבִיא אֶת הַמִּצְנֶפֶת וְאֶת הָאַבְנֵט. וְאוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על ויקרא ו':ג') תִּרְגֵּם "מִדּוֹ" - "לְבוּשִׁין", וְנִרְאֶה כִּי אֶצְלוֹ "מִדּוֹ" - שֵׁם יִכְלֹל כָּל בְּגָדָיו, כְּאִלּוּ אָמַר וְלָבַשׁ הַכֹּהֵן בִּגְדֵי בַּד, וְכֵן "מַדָּיו קְרוּעִים" (שמואל א ד יב), "שֶׁיֹּרֵד עַל פִּי מִדּוֹתָיו" (תהלים קלג ב), עַל פִּי מַלְבּוּשָׁיו, "חָגוּר מִדּוֹ לְבוּשׁוֹ" (שמואל ב כ ח), וְיִהְיֶה זֶה כְּדַעַת הָאוֹמֵר אַבְנֵטוֹ שֶׁל כֹּהֵן הֶדְיוֹט לֹא זֶהוּ אַבְנֵטוֹ שֶׁל כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל (יומא יב):
1AND THE PRIEST SHALL PUT ON ‘MIDO’ (HIS GARMENT OF) LINEN. “This is a reference to the k’toneth (tunic). Why then does Scripture here call it mido [which means ‘his measure’]? It is to indicate that the tunic is to be made to his measure. AND HIS LINEN BREECHES SHALL HE PUT UPON HIS FLESH — that there should be nothing interposing between them.” This is Rashi’s language.Now the [daily] removal of the ashes [from the altar, which is the subject-matter of this verse], must be done with the priest wearing the [four] garments of priesthood,26 as no Service can be performed with only two of the [four] garments! However, He mentioned only these two garments because of new points that are added here to them, namely, that the tunic must be made to the priest’s measure. This means to say that if it was raised [above his feet], being so short that it did not reach his feet, and he performed therein one of the acts of offering, his Service is invalid. It further teaches that there must be nothing intervening between the breeches and his flesh. But the law requires equally that the priest who removes the ashes from the altar should wear all [four] priestly garments, for since Scripture mentioned that the removing of the ashes must be done with priestly garments, we know [automatically] that it requires four for the common priest and eight for the High Priest.26 So also is it explained in the second chapter of Tractate Yoma27 and in Torath Kohanim:28 2:1. “Why does Scripture repeat the term yilbash [‘he shall put on’ — ‘V’lavash hakohein’ (and the priest shall put on) his linen garment, and his linen breeches ‘yilbash’ (he shall put) upon his flesh]? It is to include the turban and the belt” [which the priest is also to put on for the removing of the ashes].Now Onkelos translated the word mido as levushin [“garments” — as opposed to Rashi’s interpretation, according to which it refers only to one garment, the tunic]. It would appear then that according to Onkelos, the word mido is a term which includes all of the priest’s garments, as if the verse were stating, “and the priest shall put on linen garments.” Similarly we are to understand the expressions: ‘madav’ (his clothes) rent;29 that cometh down upon the collar ‘midothav’,30 which means upon the edge of his garments; girded with ‘mido’ (his apparel) of war,31 which means his garments. This then will be in accordance with the opinion of the Sage who says32 (Exodus 39:28, Vol. II, p. 614). that the belt of the common priest was unlike the belt of the High Priest.33 as an inclusive term for “all” the priest’s garments, and the verse states, and the priest shall put on ‘mido’ (his ‘garments’ of) linen, Onkelos accordingly must agree with Rabbi Dosa that the belt of the common priest was unlike that of the High Priest, as the belt of the common priest was only of linen. Hence it states that the common priest shall put on all his garments of linen which includes the belt.