Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Numbers 14:41/רמב"ן על במדבר י״ד:מ״א

אוְטַעַם לָמָּה זֶּה אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים אֶת פִּי ה' אֵינֶנּוּ בִּגְזֵרַת ״בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה יִפְּלוּ פִגְרֵיכֶם״ אֲשֶׁר אָמַר (במדבר י״ד:כ״ט), אֲבָל יֹאמַר: לָמָּה אַתֶּם עוֹבְרִים אֶת פִּי ה', כִּי הוּא צִוָּה אֵלַי שֶׁלֹּא תַעֲלוּ כְּלָל וְלֹא תִּנָּגְפוּ לִפְנֵי אוֹיְבֵיכֶם. וְכֵן אָמַר בְּמִשְׁנֵה תוֹרָה: ״וַתָּהִינוּ לַעֲלוֹת הָהָרָה וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֵלַי אֱמֹר לָהֶם לֹא תַעֲלוּ וְלֹא תִלָּחֲמוּ כִּי אֵינֶנִּי בְּקִרְבְּכֶם וְלֹא תִּנָּגְפוּ לִפְנֵי אוֹיְבֵיכֶם״ (דברים א' מא-מב):

1WHY NOW DO YE TRANSGRESS THE COMMANDMENT OF THE ETERNAL? This does not refer to the [Divine] decree which He mentioned [previously] that your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness,¹⁷¹ but it means: “Why do ye transgress the commandment of the Eternal: for He has commanded me that you should not go up at all, that ye be not smitten down before your enemies.”¹⁷² And similarly Moses said in the Book of Deuteronomy, And ye deemed it a light thing to go up into the hill-country. And the Eternal said unto me: ‘Say unto them: Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.’¹⁷³

בוְטַעַם וְהִיא לֹא תִצְלָח – זוֹ שֶׁאַתֶּם עוֹשִׂים לֹא תִצְלָח, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ״י (רש״י על במדבר י״ד:מ״א). אוֹ הַעֲבָרַת פִּי הַשֵּׁם אֵין בּוֹ הַצְלָחָה, לְשׁוֹן ר״א (אבן עזרא על במדבר י״ד:מ״א). וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת - הִיא מִתְהַלֶּכֶת (יחזקאל א י״ג):

2V’HI’ (AND IT) SHALL NOT SUCCEED. “This [attempt] that you are making¹⁷⁴ [literally: “and she”] can refer, Rashi interprets it as referring to “this attempt that you are making.” Ramban suggests two other explanations. will not succeed.” This is Rashi’s language. Or it may mean that “the violation of G-d’s commandment does not carry with it success,” as Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote. By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala, this is like] ‘hi’ mithhalecheth’ (she moved to and fro) between the living creatures].¹⁷⁵ thus refers back to the pi Hashem (“the commandment of the Eternal”) which, when violated cannot bring success, for the Eternal is not among you (Verse 42 — Abusaula).