Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Numbers 12:3/רמב"ן על במדבר י״ב:ג׳
אוְטַעַם וְהָאִישׁ מֹשֶׁה עָנָו מְאֹד – לְהַגִּיד כִּי הַשֵּׁם קִנֵּא לוֹ בַּעֲבוּר עַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ, כִּי הוּא לֹא יַעֲנֶה עַל רִיב לְעוֹלָם, אַף אִם יָדַע. וְר״א מְפָרֵשׁ לֵאמֹר כִּי הוּא לֹא הָיָה מְבַקֵּשׁ גְּדֻלָּה עַל שׁוּם אָדָם, וְלֹא יִתְגָּאֶה בְּמַעֲלָתוֹ כְּלָל, אַף כִּי עַל אֶחָיו, וְהֵם חוֹטְאִים שֶׁמְּדַבְּרִים עָלָיו חִנָּם. אֲבָל בְּסִפְרֵי (בהעלתך ק) רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: אַף בְּפָנָיו שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה דִּבְּרוּ בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיִּשְׁמַע ה' וְהָאִישׁ מֹשֶׁה עָנָיו מְאֹד״, אֶלָּא שֶׁכָּבַשׁ מֹשֶׁה עַל הַדָּבָר. יַזְכִּיר עַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ שֶׁסָּבַל וְלֹא עָנָם, וְהַשֵּׁם קִנֵּא לוֹ:
1NOW THE MAN MOSES WAS VERY MEEK. This [is stated] to tell us that G-d Himself was zealous for Moses’ sake on account of his [great] humility, since he would never pay attention to injustice [meted out to him] even if he were to consider it such [and therefore G-d vindicated his innocence]. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained [the meaning of this phrase] by saying that Moses never sought superiority over any person, nor did he ever pride himself at all about his high position, and certainly not in relation to his brother, thus they [Miriam and Aaron] sinned by speaking against him for no reason.270 But in the Sifre [it is said]:271 100. “Rabbi Nathan says: They spoke against Moses even in his presence, as it is said, And the Eternal heard it. Now the man Moses was very meek,272 and he restrained himself about the matter.” [According to the Sifre, therefore, Scripture] mentions Moses’ meekness in that he endured [their insult] and did not answer them back, and that G-d was [therefore] zealous for his sake.