Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Numbers 23:21/רמב"ן על במדבר כ״ג:כ״א
אלֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב יַחְזוֹר אֶל הָאֵל הַנִּזְכָּר (במדבר כ״ג:י״ט). יֹאמַר שֶׁלֹּא הִבִּיט הַשֵּׁם אָוֶן וָשֶׁקֶר בְּיַעֲקֹב, וְלֹא רָאָה בָהֶם עָמָל וָכַעַס שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ לְפָנָיו, וְעַל כֵּן הוּא עִמָּם וּתְרוּעַת מַלְכוּתוֹ בָּהֶם, כִּי יָרִיעַ אַף יַצְרִיחַ עַל אוֹיְבֵיהֶם יִתְגַּבָּר. זֶה דַּעַת ר״א, וְנָכוֹן הוּא. וְיִתָּכֵן עוֹד לְפָרֵשׁ כִּי "אָוֶן" בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה כְּמוֹ ״תַּחַת אָוֶן רָאִיתִי אָהֳלֵי כוּשָׁן״ (חבקוק ג ז), וְעָמָל כָּמוֹהוּ, וְכֵן ״תַּחַת לְשׁוֹנוֹ עָמָל וָאָוֶן״ (תהלים י ז) - כָּזָב וָשֶׁקֶר, כִּי הַדָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה וְלֹא יָבֹא כִּי שֶׁקֶר הוּא יִקָּרֵא אָוֶן וְעָמָל, בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁלֹּא יַגִּיעַ לָאָדָם מִמֶּנּוּ רַק הֶעָמָל. יֹאמַר: הִנֵּה בָרֵךְ לָקַחְתִּי וּבֵרֵךְ וְלֹא אֲשִׁיבֶנָּה, כִּי לֹא הִבִּיט אָדָם בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא רָאָה אִישׁ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אָוֶן וּדְבַר כָּזָב, אֵין בִּטְחוֹנָם שֶׁקֶר וְאֵין תּוֹחַלְתָּם נִכְזֶבֶת, אֲבָל כָּל בִּרְכוֹתֵיהֶם וּבִטְחוֹנָם יִתְקַיְּמוּ לְעוֹלָם, כִּלְשׁוֹן ״הִנֵּה כֹה מַבָּטֵנוּ״ (ישעיהו כ ו), ״וְחַתּוּ וָבֹשׁוּ מִכּוּשׁ מַבָּטָם״ (שם פסוק ה), וְכֵן ״וְלֹא הִבַּטְתֶּם אֶל עֹשֶׂיהָ וְיוֹצְרָהּ מֵרָחוֹק לֹא רְאִיתֶם״ (שם כב יא) - עִנְיַן בִּטָּחוֹן וְתִקְוָה. וְאָמַר הַטַּעַם כִּי ה' אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְכַזֵּב וְלֹא יִנָּחֵם, וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ גִּבּוֹר בּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יְנֻצַּח לְעוֹלָם, כִּי בְּהוֹצִיאוֹ אוֹתָם מִמִּצְרַיִם הִנֵּה לוֹ תֹּקֶף גָּדוֹל כְּתוֹעֲפוֹת רְאֵם עַל כָּל בְּהֵמָה, וְאֵיךְ לֹא יִתְקַיְּמוּ כָּל בִּרְכוֹתֵיהֶם וְאֵין בָּהֶם נַחַשׁ וְקֶסֶם:
1HE HATH NOT BEHELD ‘AVEN’ (INIQUITY) IN JACOB. It [the pronoun “He”] refers to “G-d” mentioned [in Verse 19. G-d is not a man, that He should lie, and not to Balaam, who is referred to in Verse 20: Behold, I am bidden to bless], the verse stating that G-d has not beheld iniquity and falsehood in Jacob, nor has He seen in them anything perverse or any provocation that they have committed before Him, and therefore He is with them, and the shout of His Kingdom is among them, for He will cry, yea, He will shout aloud, He will prove Himself mighty against their enemies.149 This is the opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra, and it is correct.It is also possible to explain that the usage of the word aven here is like [that in the verse], I see the tents of Cushan under ‘aven’ (falsehood).150 So also the word amal [in the verse before us: neither hath He seen ‘amal’ in Israel — denotes “deception”]. Similarly, under his tongue is ‘amal v’aven’151 — meaning “deception and falsehood,” for a thing which will not happen and will not come to pass because it is false, is called aven v’amal [meaning: “trouble and toil”], because a person will only derive from it toil. Balaam is thus stating: “Behold, I am bidden to bless; and when He hath blessed, I cannot call it back,152 for no man hath beheld in Jacob nor hath anyone seen in Israel any deceit or falsehood. Their Trust is not false. And their hope of Him is not in vain153 for all their blessings and their confidence will exist forever.” [The usage of the word hibit in the verse before us: lo ‘hibit’ aven b’Ya’akov] is similar in expression to: behold, such is ‘mabateinu’ (our expectation);154 and they shall be dismayed and ashamed, because of Ethiopia ‘mabatam’ (their expectation)155, Verse 5. — [thus making the meaning of the verse here to be: “the trust and expectation of Jacob will not end in trouble and sorrow”]. So also ‘v’lo hibatetem’ (but ye looked not) unto Him that hath done this, neither had ye respect unto Him that fashioned it long ago,156, 22:11. [where the word hibatetem is] an expression of trust and hope [thus the verse is saying: “you trusted not in Him, nor did you hope in Him”].Balaam states the reason for this, saying: because the Eternal his G-d is with him, Who does not lie nor repent, and the shout of a mighty King is among them, Who will never be vanquished. For by bringing them forth out of Egypt He has [shown] His great might, like the lofty horns of the wild-ox157 which are above all animals. And so it is not possible that all their blessings should not be fulfilled, seeing that there is no enchantment or divination in Israel!158