Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Leviticus 8:35/רמב"ן על ויקרא ח׳:ל״ה

אוּפֶתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד תֵּשְׁבוּ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת מִשְׁמֶרֶת ה' וְלֹא תָמוּתוּ עַל דַּעַת הַבָּרַיְתָא שֶׁל תּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (שמיני מלואים מב) עִנְיַן הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה שֶׁלֹּא יֵצְאוּ מִפֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה בִּשְׁעַת עֲבוֹדָה, כְּלוֹמַר עַד שֶׁיַּשְׁלִימוּ כָּל הָעֲבוֹדָה הַמֻּטֶּלֶת עֲלֵיהֶם בְּאוֹתוֹ הָעֵת, וְהִיא מִצְוָה נוֹהֶגֶת לְדוֹרוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יַנִּיחַ כֹּהֵן עֲבוֹדָה וְיֵצֵא וְחַיָּבִין עָלֶיהָ מִיתָה, וְהוּא שֶׁאָמַר בְּכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל (ויקרא כ"א:י"ב) "וּמִן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לֹא יֵצֵא וְלֹא יְחַלֵּל", אָמְרוּ (בת"כ כאן), אֵימָתַי אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא וְאֵינוֹ מְחַלֵּל, הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר בִּשְׁעַת עֲבוֹדָה. וְדָרְשׁוּ (שם), "פֶּן תָּמוּתוּ" (ויקרא י':ז'), מִמַּשְׁמַע לָאו אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ הֵן, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו שֶׁנִּמְשְׁחוּ בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה שֶׁאִם יָצְאוּ בִּשְׁעַת עֲבוֹדָה חַיָּבִין מִיתָה, מִנַּיִן לְכָל הַכֹּהֲנִים שֶׁבְּכָל הַדּוֹרוֹת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר "כִּי שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת ה' עֲלֵיכֶם" (שם), פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר כִּי בְּשֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת ה' אַתֶּם מְשֻׁחִים, וְאָמַר "עֲלֵיכֶם" כְּמוֹ "וְהָיְתָה לִהְיֹת לָהֶם מָשְׁחָתָם לִכְהֻנַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתָם" (שמות מ טו):

1AND AT THE DOOR OF THE TENT OF MEETING SHALL YE ABIDE DAY AND NIGHT SEVEN DAYS, AND KEEP THE CHARGE OF THE ETERNAL, THAT YE DIE NOT. In the opinion of the Beraitha of Torath Kohanim,²²⁵ 42. See also Ramban further, 10:6, where he quotes again this Beraitha more fully. the meaning of this verse is that they shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting²²⁶ day and night at the time of the service, that is to say, until they finish all the work incumbent upon them at that time. This is a commandment which applies for all generations, that a priest may not leave the Sanctuary while he is ministering the Service,²²⁷ and he is liable to death [by the hand of Heaven, for the transgression thereof]. It is with reference to this that He said about the High Priest, Neither shall he go out of the Sanctuary, nor profane [the Sanctuary of G-d].²²⁸ The Rabbis have said about this:²²⁵ 42. See also Ramban further, 10:6, where he quotes again this Beraitha more fully. “When is he not permitted to go out of the Sanctuary [and must stay there in order] not to profane it? One must say that this applies only when he is ministering.” And they have further interpreted:²²⁵ 42. See also Ramban further, 10:6, where he quotes again this Beraitha more fully. “[And ye shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting,] lest ye die.²²⁹ From the negative you infer the positive [that if they do go out whilst ministering, they are liable to death by the hand of Heaven]. I would only know that Aaron and his sons, who were anointed with the oil of anointment, are liable to death [by the hand of Heaven] if they leave the Sanctuary while they are ministering. How do I know that the prohibition applies also to all priests at all times? Scripture therefore says, for the anointing oil of the Eternal is upon you.”²²⁹ The meaning of that is as follows: since He did not say: “for you are anointed with the anointing oil of the Eternal,” but instead He said “upon you,” it is like the verse, and their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.²³⁰