Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Numbers 15:39/רמב"ן על במדבר ט״ו:ל״ט
אוְאָמַר וְלֹא תָתוּרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם – לְהַזְהִיר מִמֶּנָּה שֶׁלֹּא יִטְעוּ בָהּ. וְזֶה הוּא שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (ספרי שלח קטו): ״אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם״ - זוֹ הַמִּינוּת, ״אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם זֹנִים״ - זוֹ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, שֶׁלֹּא יְהַרְהְרוּ מִן הַתְּכֵלֶת בְּמִינוּת אוֹ בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אֲבָל יִהְיֶה לָכֶם הַכֹּל לְצִיצִית וּרְאִיתֶם אוֹתוֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם. וְאָמְרוּ: ״וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם״ - זוֹ זְנוּת, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״וְאָנֹכִי הַיּוֹדֵעַ וָעֵד נְאֻם ה'״ (ירמיהו כט כג), וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין. וּבְמִדְרָשׁוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי נְחוּנְיָא בֶּן הַקָּנָה בַּפָּסוּק ״וְיִתְרוֹן אֶרֶץ בַּכֹּל הוּא״ (קהלת ה ח), וּמַאי נִיהוּ אֶרֶץ, דְּנֶחְצְבָה מִמֶּנּוּ שָׁמַיִם, וְהוּא כִּסְאוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְהִיא אֶבֶן יְקָרָה, וְהִיא יַם הַחָכְמָה, וּכְנֶגְדָּהּ תְּכֵלֶת בְּטַלִּית צִיצִית, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר: מָה נִשְׁתַּנָּה תְּכֵלֶת וְכוּ':
1Scripture states, and that ye go not after your own heart,222 (All) is the all-inclusive attribute it therefore contains all the commandments of the Eternal, and hence the Rabbis have said that the commandment of Tzitzith is of equal importance to the total number of the commandments (Beiur Ha’lvush to Ricanti, quoting the text of Ramban). in order that one should take care concerning it and not err through it.225 It is for this reason that our Rabbis have interpreted:226 115; Berachoth 12a. “After your own heart. This refers to scepticism. After which ye use to go astray. This refers to idolatry.” That is to say, through the t’cheileth he should not think [in his heart] of any scepticism or idolatry, but it shall all be unto you for ‘tzitzith’ — that ye may look upon it, and remember. The Rabbis have also said:226 115; Berachoth 12a. “After your own eyes. This refers to immorality,” similar to that which is written, I am He that knoweth, and am witness, saith the Eternal.227 The student learned [in the mysteries of the Cabala] will understand.In the Midrash of Rabbi Nechunya the son of Hakanah228 it is stated with reference to the verse, and the profit of ‘eretz’ (earth) is ‘bakol’ (in all):229 “And what is the eretz? It is that from which the heavens were hewn, and it is the Throne of the Holy One, blessed be He, and it is ‘the precious stone,’ and ‘the sea of wisdom,’230. — The Ma’or V’shamesh [a commentary by Shem Tob ben Gaon on the Cabalistic passages in Ramban’s commentary] continues, on this basis, to explain a basic law in the commandment of Tzitzith, namely, that it applies only at daytime and not at night. Thus he writes: “Hence [i.e., since the t’cheileth in the Fringes represents the all-inclusive attribute, and we are commanded to look upon it, and remember etc.] the commandment applies only at daytime and not at night, for at night physical features are indistinguishable and nothing can be seen in its entirety, while only at daytime the wholeness and perfect harmony of the t’cheileth can be seen and contemplated for its profound meaning].” and corresponding to it is the blue thread in a garment of Fringes, for Rabbi Meir has said: ‘Why was blue chosen? etc.’” [as quoted above].