Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Numbers 4:20/רמב"ן על במדבר ד׳:כ׳
אוְלֹא יָבֹאוּ לִרְאוֹת כְּבַלַּע אֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ – כְּשֶׁמַּכְנִיסִין אֶת הַכְּלִי לְתוֹךְ נַרְתִּיקוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ לְמַעְלָה בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ ״וּפָרְשׂוּ עָלָיו בֶּגֶד פְּלוֹנִי וְכִסּוּ אוֹתוֹ בְּמִכְסֶה פְּלוֹנִי״, וּבִלּוּעַ שֶׁלּוֹ זֶהוּ כִּסּוּיוֹ, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ״י (רש״י על במדבר ד׳:כ׳), וְהוּא דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על במדבר ד׳:כ׳). וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ בְּמַסֶּכֶת סַנְהֶדְרִין (סנהדרין פ״א) שֶׁזּוֹ אַזְהָרָה עַל הַגּוֹנֵב כְּלִי שָׁרֵת שֶׁחַיָּב מִיתָה, וְהַקַּנָּאִין פּוֹגְעִין בּוֹ, שֶׁהַגְּנֵבָה וְהַגָּזֵל יִקָּרְאוּ בְּלִיעָה, מִלְּשׁוֹן ״חַיִל בָּלַע וַיְקִיאֶנּוּ״ (איוב כ טו), ״וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶת בִּלְעוֹ מִפִּיו״ (ירמיהו נא מד). וְר״א (אבן עזרא על במדבר ד׳:כ׳) אָמַר כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹאוּ לִרְאוֹת כַּאֲשֶׁר יוּסַר פָּרֹכֶת הַמָּסָךְ וְיִגָּלֶה הָאָרוֹן, רַק אַחֲרֵי כֵן כַּאֲשֶׁר יְכֻסֶּה יָבֹאוּ לָשֵׂאת אוֹתוֹ. וְיִהְיֶה כְּבַלַּע אֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר יוּסַר הַבִּנְיָן מֵעַל הָאָרוֹן שֶׁהוּא הַקֹּדֶשׁ, מִלְּשׁוֹן ״בִּלַּע ה' וְלֹא חָמַל״ (איכה ב ב), ״יַחַד סָבִיב וַתְּבַלְּעֵנִי״ (איוב י ח). וְהִנֵּה הַלְוִיִּם מֻזְהָרִים שֶׁלֹּא יִגְּעוּ אֶל אֲרוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ וָמֵתוּ, רַק בַּבַּדִּים יִשָּׂאֻהוּ, וְעוֹד יַזְהִירֵם שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹאוּ לִרְאוֹת כְּלָל הֲסָרַת הַבִּנְיָן בְּעוֹד שֶׁיּוֹרִיד אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַפָּרֹכֶת, כְּעִנְיַן ״כִּי רָאוּ בַּאֲרוֹן ה'״ (שמואל א ו יט). וְיָפֶה אָמַר. אֲבָל עַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת, טַעַם הַכָּתוּב כִּי בַּעֲבוּר הֱיוֹת כְּבוֹד יוֹשֵׁב הַכְּרוּבִים שָׁם, הֻזְהֲרוּ הַלְוִיִּם שֶׁלֹּא יֶהֶרְסוּ לִרְאוֹת אֶת ה' עַד שֶׁיּוֹרִידוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים אֶת הַפָּרֹכֶת, כִּי אָז יִתְרָאֶה הַכָּבוֹד בְּחֶבְיוֹן עֻזּוֹ וְיָשׁוּב אֶל מְקוֹמוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן לְקֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, וְיִהְיֶה כְּבַלַּע אֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ, וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין:
1AND THEY [i.e., the Kohathites] SHALL NOT GO IN TO SEE THE HOLY THING ‘K’VALA’ (AS THEY ARE BEING COVERED) — “as they [the priests] put each vessel into its wrapping, as I have explained above in this section: ‘and they shall spread upon it such-and-such a garment, and they shall cover it with such-and-such a cover,’ the [term] ‘k’vala’ referring to its ‘covering.’” This is Rashi’s language. It is also Onkelos’ opinion [who translated the verse as quoted above]. But our Rabbis have said in Tractate Sanhedrin217 that this verse constitutes a prohibition against stealing a sacred vessel, for which one suffers death [by the hand of Heaven], and zealous people have the right to strike such a thief, for stealing and robbing are referred to as b’liah (swallowing, devouring), as in the expressions: ‘bala’ (he hath swallowed down) riches, and he shall vomit them up again;218 and I will bring forth out of his mouth ‘eth bil’o’ (that which he hath swallowed up).219But Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained [the verse] in its plain sense: that [the Kohathites] should not come in to see when the screening Veil is removed and the ark becomes exposed; only afterwards when it is covered are they to come in to carry it. Accordingly, the expression k’vala eth hakodesh means [they shall not come in to see] “when the structure [i.e., the screening Veil] is being removed from the ark, which is hakodesh (the holiness),” [the word ‘k’vala’] being related to the expressions: ‘bila Hashem’ (the Eternal hath swallowed up) unsparingly220 [which means that He “destroyed the structure” of the habitations of Jacob mentioned further on in the verse]; Thy hands have framed me … together round about; yet ‘va’tval’eini’ (Thou dost destroy me).221Thus the Levites are warned not to touch the holy ark lest they die, and only by means of its staves are they to carry it. He furthermore warned them against coming in at all to see the dismantling of the structure, while Aaron is taking down the screening Veil, in a similar way to that which is said [of the people of Beth-shemesh that they were punished] because they had gazed upon the ark of the Eternal.222 He [i.e., Ibn Ezra] has explained it well [i.e., the simple meaning of the verse]. But the [true] intention of the verse is that since the Glory that resides upon the cherubim [on the cover of the ark] is there, the Levites were warned not to break through “to see the Eternal”223 until the priests take down the Veil, for then the Glory is seen in the hiding of His power,224 and it returns to its former place225 in “the Holy of Holies.”226 In this way the expression k’vala eth hakodesh is to be understood in its literal sense. The student learned in the mysteries of the Cabala will understand.Naso