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Ramban on Numbers 15:22/רמב"ן על במדבר ט״ו:כ״ב

אוְכִי תִשְׁגּוּ וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ אֵת כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת הָאֵלֶּה – הַפָּרָשָׁה הַזֹּאת סְתוּמָה בְּמַשְׁמָעָהּ, וְיִטְעוּ בָהּ בַּעֲלֵי הַפְּשָׁט לוֹמַר שֶׁהוּא קָרְבָּן עַל מִי שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה מַה שֶׁצִּוָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת וְהוּא שׁוֹגֵג. וְדִבְרֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי רוּחַ, שֶׁאִם כֵּן יִהְיֶה חִיּוּב קָרְבָּן בְּכָל מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה כְּשֶׁלֹּא קִיֵּם אֶת כֻּלָּם וְשָׁגַג בְּאַחַת מֵהֶם, וְיִהְיֶה חִיּוּב כָּרֵת בְּכָל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְקַיֵּם אֶת כֻּלָּם כְּשֶׁיַּעֲבֹר עַל אַחַת מֵהֶן בְּמֵזִיד, כִּי הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר ״אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' (אותו) אֲלֵיכֶם״ (במדבר ט״ו:כ״ג). וְעוֹד שֶׁאָמַר כָּאן ״וְהָיָה אִם מֵעֵינֵי הָעֵדָה נֶעֶשְׂתָה לִשְׁגָגָה״ (במדבר ט״ו:כ״ד), כִּי שִׁגְגָתָם בְּמַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁעָשׂוּ, לֹא שֶׁיָּשְׁבוּ וְלֹא עָשׂוּ. וְכֵן ״אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה בְּיָד רָמָה״ (במדבר ט״ו:ל׳). אֲבָל טַעְמוֹ שֶׁתִּשְׁגּוּ וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ מַה שֶׁצִּוָּה הַשֵּׁם אֲבָל תַּעֲשׂוּ הֶפְכּוֹ, אוֹ יֹאמַר שֶׁתִּשְׁגּוּ וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ מִצְוֹתָיו בְּמַה שֶׁהִזְהִיר אֶתְכֶם שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת, כִּי הַמְּנִיעוֹת בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה יִקָּרְאוּ מִצְוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר ״כִּי תֶחֱטָא בִשְׁגָגָה מִכָּל מִצְוֹת ה' אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֵעָשֶׂינָה״ (ויקרא ד ב). וְהִנֵּה חִיּוּב הַקָּרְבָּן הַזֶּה בְּשִׁגְגַת הָעֵדָה מְשֻׁנֶּה מִן הַקָּרְבָּן הָאָמוּר בְּפָרָשַׁת וַיִּקְרָא, כִּי שָׁם חַיָּב לְהָבִיא פַּר לְחַטָּאת (שם פסוק טו) וְכָאן פַּר לְעוֹלָה וְשָׂעִיר לְחַטָּאת. וְעַל כֵּן הֻצְרְכוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ לוֹמַר (הוריות ח) שֶׁזֶּה הַקָּרְבָּן עַל שִׁגְגַת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. וּלְשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב שֶׁלֹּא נוֹצִיא אוֹתוֹ מִפְּשׁוּטוֹ וּמַשְׁמָעוֹ יֹאמַר: וְכִי תִשְׁגּוּ מִכָּל הַמִּצְוֹת וְתַעַבְרוּ עַל כָּל מַה שֶׁצִּוָּה הַשֵּׁם לָכֶם בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה שֶׁלֹּא תַעֲשׂוּ דָּבָר מִכָּל מַה שֶׁצִּוָּה אֶתְכֶם, תַּקְרִיבוּ הַקָּרְבָּן הַזֶּה. וּלְכָךְ לֹא הִזְכִּיר בְּכָאן כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר בְּקָרְבְּנוֹת הַחֵטְא "אַחַת מִכָּל מִצְוֹת ה'". וְהִנֵּה זֶה כְּפִי מַשְׁמָעוֹ הוּא קָרְבַּן הַמְּשֻׁמָּד לְכָל הַתּוֹרָה בְּשׁוֹגֵג, כְּגוֹן הַהוֹלֵךְ וְנִדְבַּק לְאַחַת מִן הָאֻמּוֹת לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּהֶם וְלֹא יִרְצֶה לִהְיוֹת בִּכְלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּלָל, וְיִהְיֶה כָּל זֶה בְּשׁוֹגֵג, כְּגוֹן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בְּיָחִיד תִּינוֹק שֶׁנִּשְׁבָּה לְבֵין הָאֻמּוֹת, וּבְקָהָל כְּגוֹן שֶׁיַּחְשְׁבוּ שֶׁכְּבָר עָבַר זְמַן הַתּוֹרָה וְלֹא הָיְתָה לְדוֹרוֹת עוֹלָם, אוֹ שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁזָּכַר בְּסִפְרֵי (שלח קט״ו): מִפְּנֵי מָה אָמַר הַמָּקוֹם? לֹא שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה וְנִטּוֹל שָׂכָר? אָנוּ לֹא עוֹשִׂים וְלֹא נוֹטְלִין שָׂכָר! כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים וְשׁוֹאֲלִים אֶת יְחֶזְקֵאל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בָּאוּ אֲנָשִׁים מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּשְׁבוּ לְפָנַי״ (יחזקאל כ׳:א׳), אָמְרוּ לוֹ: רַבֵּנוּ יְחֶזְקֵאל, הֲרֵי עֶבֶד שֶׁמְּכָרוֹ רַבּוֹ לֹא יָצָא מֵרְשׁוּתוֹ וְכוּ׳. אוֹ שֶׁיִּשְׁכְּחוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, וּכְבָר אֵרַע לָנוּ כֵן בַּעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ בִּימֵי מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָרְשָׁעִים כְּגוֹן יָרָבְעָם, שֶׁשָּׁכְחוּ רֹב הָעָם הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְווֹת לְגַמְרֵי, וְכַאֲשֶׁר בָּא בְּסֵפֶר עֶזְרָא בְּאַנְשֵׁי בַּיִת שֵׁנִי. וְזֶהוּ שִׁמּוּשׁ לְשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב, שֶׁהַשְּׁגָגָה הַזֹּאת הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת כָּאן הִיא בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַמִּצְווֹת בִּכְלָלָן, וְעַל כֵּן יִחֲדוּ לָהֶם רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מִצְוָה אַחַת שֶׁבְּשִׁגְגָתָהּ יֵצֵא מִכְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִכָּל הַמְּצֻוֶּה בָּהֶם, וְהִיא עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. וְיִהְיֶה שִׁעוּר הַכָּתוּב: וְכִי תִשְׁגּוּ לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ דָּבָר מִכָּל מִצְוֹת ה׳, כִּי הַמּוֹדֶה בֶּאֱלוֹהַּ זוּלָתוֹ כְּבָר הוּא בָּטֵל אֶצְלוֹ כָּל מַה שֶׁצִּוָּה הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד, בֵּין בְּמִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה בֵּין בְּמִצְוֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁאִם יֵשׁ אֱלוֹהַּ זוּלָתוֹ - יִרְאָתוֹ וּמִצְוֹתָיו וְכָל הַחִיּוּב בָּהֶם אֵינוֹ כְּלוּם. וּבָאָה זֹאת הַפָּרָשָׁה לְהַשְׁלִים בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים דִּין שִׁגְגַת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כִּי הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה יַשְׁלִים דִּינֵי הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת כַּאֲשֶׁר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי (בתחלת הספר), וְנִכְנְסָה כָּאן בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהֵם מָרוּ דְּבַר הַשֵּׁם וְאָמְרוּ: ״נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ וְנָשׁוּבָה מִצְרָיְמָה״ (במדבר י״ד:ד׳), לִהְיוֹת שָׁם בְּמִצְרַיִם כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיוּ בָרִאשׁוֹנָה בְּלֹא תּוֹרָה וּבְלֹא מִצְוֹת. וְהִנֵּה בָּאָה הַפָּרָשָׁה לְהוֹדִיעָם כִּי אֲפִלּוּ בַּע״ז יְכַפֵּר עַל הַשּׁוֹגְגִים, אֲבָל הָעוֹשִׂים בְּיָד רָמָה יַכְרִית אוֹתָם, וּכְבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי הַכָּרֵת הַזֶּה בְּסֵדֶר אַחֲרֵי מוֹת (ויקרא י״ח:כ״ט):

1AND WHEN YE SHALL ERR, AND NOT OBSERVE ALL THESE COMMANDMENTS. This section is obscure in meaning, and the commentators of the plain meaning of Scripture¹⁸³ have mistakenly explained it as referring to an offering which must be brought by one who has unwittingly failed to observe what G-d has commanded him to do. But these words are words of wind!¹⁸⁴ For if so, there would be an obligation to bring an offering for any of the positive commandments of the Torah, if a person did not fulfill them all and unwittingly [neglected to do] any one of them, and there would [also] be the punishment of excision¹⁸⁵ for anyone who does not fulfill them all, that is, who neglected knowingly to do [any] one of them, since Scripture states, even all that the Eternal hath commanded him unto you!¹⁸⁶ Moreover, He stated here, And it shall be if it be ‘done’ in error by the congregation,¹⁸⁷ [clearly indicating] that the error consists of a [positive] act which they did, and not of sitting back and failing to act! Similarly, But the soul that ‘doeth’ ought with a high hand¹⁸⁸ [which also indicates that the sin consisted of doing something which the Torah prohibited]. But the meaning [of the verse before us] is: “When ye shall err and not observe what G-d has commanded [you to do], but you do the opposite.” Or it [may be that the verse] is stating that [if] “ye shall err and not observe His commandments, namely those things that He has commanded you not to do,” since matters prohibited by a negative commandment are also called “commandments,” just as He said, If any one shall sin through error against any of ‘the commandments’ of the Eternal concerning things which ought not to be done.¹⁸⁹ Now this offering [mentioned here] which the congregation has to bring when sinning in error is different from the offering mentioned in the section of Vayikra, for there He commanded [the congregation] to bring a bullock for a sin-offering,¹⁹⁰, Verse 14. and here He commanded them to bring a bullock for a burnt-offering and a he-goat for a sin-offering.¹⁹¹ Therefore our Rabbis had to say that this offering [mentioned here] applies only to worshipping idols in error [and hence has a stricter form of atonement].The language of the verses [here] without being taken out of its simple meaning and implication is [to be understood as if] He were saying: “And when ye shall err in all the commandments, and transgress all that G-d has commanded you by the hand of Moses,¹⁸⁶ inasmuch as you will not do anything of that which He has commanded you, then you shall bring this offering.” Therefore He does not mention here, as He does with reference to those offerings [brought] for [committing a particular] sin, ‘any of all the commandments’ of the Eternal¹⁹² [since the reference here is to transgressing all the commandments, and not just one of them, as is explained further on]. Thus this section according to its plain meaning refers to [the duty of] one who is unwittingly an “apostate” with regard to the entire Torah, [to bring] an offering, such as one who goes and becomes assimilated amongst one of the nations, and behaves as they do and does not want to be part of Israel at all. This applies if it was all done in error, such as — in the case of an individual — a child who was taken into captivity among the nations [and grew up unaware of his Jewish origin], and in the case of the community, if they [mistakenly] thought that the time of the Torah had already passed, and that it was not given for all generations; or if they say — as is mentioned in the Sifre¹⁹³ 115. — “‘Why did G-d give [the Torah]? Was it not so that we should observe it and be rewarded for it? We will not observe it, and will take no reward!’ This is similar to that which the Israelites said and asked of Ezekiel, as it is stated, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Eternal and sat before me.¹⁹⁴ They said to him: ‘Our master Ezekiel: A slave that was sold by his master, does he not go out of his control?’¹⁹⁵ (50:1). The exile was thus no “sale” of Israel. Instead, it continues to be G-d’s people and duty-bound to keep His commandments. etc.” Or [the section here may refer to a time] when people forget the Torah. This has already happened to us, because of our sins, for in the days of the wicked kings [of the kingdom] of Israel, such as Jeroboam, most of the people forgot the Torah and the commandments completely, as is mentioned [also] — in the Book of Ezra¹⁹⁶ etc. It is thus clear that the majority of the people had forgotten this commandment. See my Hebrew commentary p. 252, for a further elucidation of this point. It is important to point out that Ramban is referring only to the majority of the ordinary people, but of course even in the dark times of the kingdom of Israel, there were a significant number of individuals, who observed every commandment of the Torah. — [Ramban here calls the Book of Nehemiah “Ezra,” because it was Ezra who wrote it (Baba Bathra 15a). It is generally referred to, as such by many commentators (see e.g., Rashi on Succah 12a)]. concerning the people of the Second Temple. This, then, is the purport of our verse, for the “error” mentioned here refers to the totality of the Torah and the commandments. Therefore our Rabbis singled out one commandment, through the unwitting violation of which a person goes out of the community of Israel and all that they have been commanded, namely worshipping idols. The explanation of the verse is thus: “And when ye shall err, to walk after other gods,¹⁹⁷ and not observe one [particular] thing [which is in itself a denial] of all the commandments of the Eternal;” because one who acknowledges any divinity apart from Him, has already rendered meaningless all that the Glorious Name¹⁹⁸, 28:58. has commanded, whether positive commandments or negative commandments, since if there were to be a deity other than Him, then the [duty of] fearing Him and [keeping] His commandments and all the obligations they entail are of no consequence.This section thus comes to complete the laws of the priests with the law of one who worships idols in error, for this book [of Numbers] completes the laws of the offerings, as I have explained.¹⁹⁹ It was put in here because the people [after hearing the false report of the spies] rebelled against the word of G-d, and said, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt,²⁰⁰ which means to remain in Egypt as they were originally, without Torah and without the commandments. The section thus comes to inform them that even in the case of idolatry, He forgives those who are in error, but those who do it in a high hand²⁰¹ He will cut them off [from among their people]. I have already explained in Seder Acharei Moth²⁰² the meaning of this excision.