Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Torah

I STOOD BETWEEN THE ETERNAL AND YOU AT THAT TIME, TO DECLARE UNTO YOU THE WORD OF THE ETERNAL. For Moses would go up to the mountain and hear the words of G-d and come down and tell them to the people, until G-d spoke with them face to face. This is an allusion to all that is mentioned in the section In the third month, beginning with Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, Verse 3. [and concluding with] And the Eternal said unto him, Go, get thee down., Verse 24. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that this [occurrence referred to in the verse, I stood between the Eternal and you etc.,] happened after the Revelation at Mount Sinai, the purport of the verse being as follows: “He spoke with you face to face [at the giving of the Ten Commandments], and from that day on I stood between G-d and you.” But it is not correct. It appears to me that the correct interpretation is that Moses is alluding to what we have explained there, 20:7 — Vol. II, pp. 305-306. that Israel understood from the mouth of the Almighty only the commandments I am the Eternal thy G-d etc., Verse 2. and Thou shalt have no other gods before Me., Verse 3. As for the rest of the commandments, it was Moses who declared to them what G-d said. This is the meaning [of the expression here], to declare unto you the word of the Eternal, for he explained to them each and every commandment. And the meaning of the expression (I stood) between the Eternal and you is that, at the time of the giving of the commandments, Moses was nearer than they to the place of the Divine Glory, for they had removed themselves far [from the mountain] as I have explained there., Verse 15 — Vol. II, pp. 324-326. This is [the sense of the words] for ye were afraid because of the fire, and went not up into the Mount meaning that you did not approach it [even the part] that was permissible to you [to approach]. Therefore I stood between you and the place of the Glory — in the middle — because it was distant between you and Him, and from there I declared [the rest of] the commandments [to you].
SAYING. “This [word] refers to [the expression in the preceding verse], the Eternal spoke with you in the Mount out of the midst of the fire — saying: I am the Eternal thy G-d etc.” This is Rashi’s language. And Rabbi Abraham [ibn Ezra] said: “Pay no attention to the fact that the word saying is far [from the phrase it modifies in the preceding verse], for there are many such cases in Scripture, and the one who spoke [Moses] neither separated his words into verses nor sections.” It would be more correct to connect the word saying with [the preceding phrase in the same verse], (saying) with a phrase in the preceding Verse 4. Ramban holds that if the word leimor is to be interpreted as referring to a preceding phrase in the above text, we need not look for that phrase in the preceding verse, but find a preceding phrase in the same verse. Ramban will, however, continue that the word leimor requires no connection with any preceding verse or phrase. Instead it can be properly interpreted in the natural sequence of the verse as it is written. to declare unto you the word of the Eternal—saying: I am the Eternal thy G-d, similar to the expression, And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying [in which case the word saying connects itself properly with the preceding and following phrases: saying — It is because of that which the Eternal did for me when I came forth out of Egypt]. But in my opinion there is no need at all [for either interpretation], for its meaning is as follows: “for ye were afraid because of the fire, and went not up into the Mount, saying, ‘We will not go up, for we are afraid because of the fire.’” He is thus mentioning that they told him so clearly, and not that he is saying so from his own assumption.

And now he begins the review of the Torah. He told them the Ten Commandments, not changing and not explaining anything in [the first two commandments]: I am the Eternal etc., and Thou shalt have no other gods before Me, for they heard them from the mouth of the Almighty. So, too, [there are no changes or explanations] in the third commandment etc. because he already stated [here, as in the text of the third commandment in Exodus 20:7, Thou shalt not take] the Name of the Eternal thy G-d [etc.], as I have explained in the section Ye shall be holy. Then he began to exposit to them, saying ‘Observe’ [the Sabbath-day] instead of ‘Remember’ [the Sabbath-day], this being in line with the plain meaning of Scripture [i.e., that ‘Observe’ is the explanation of ‘Remember’]. And in the opinion of our Rabbis “[Remember and Observe] both were spoken in one utterance.” He explained this to them [here] because they all know Remember, and he is thus informing them [now] that Observe was said with it. And so it is by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], that they were both spoken in one utterance seeing that the Voice was both in “remembering” and “observing,” for the Torah is an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, and he [i.e., Moses] heard from [the attribute of] Remember while they [i.e., the people, heard] from that of Observe. The student [learned in the mystic teachings of the Cabala] will know this from what we have hinted there. He explained [with reference to the commandment that we are to Observe the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy] as the Eternal thy G-d commanded thee — “before the Giving of the Torah, at Marah, [for there it is said], there He made for them a statute and an ordinance.” This is the language of Rashi. But if so, the commandment to honor father and mother was also given at Marah [for in the commandment, to honor parents, too, it is stated as the Eternal thy G-d commanded thee], but the Rabbi [Rashi] mentioned there [in connection with the verse referring to Marah] only “the Sabbath, the Red Heifer, and the laws of justice” [as having been given at Marah, but not the honoring of parents]. It appears to me by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], concerning this matter [of the Ten Commandments] as well as the whole Book of Deuteronomy that Moses was speaking as if from the mouth of the Almighty, as he said, And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command you this day, to love the Eternal your G-d, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, that I will give rain for your Land in its season. Now Moses is not the one who giveth rain upon the earth, nor the one who gives grass in the fields! Rather, the communication of the Torah was given with Remember, and that of Deuteronomy with Observe. Therefore, Moses everywhere in Deuteronomy mentions the Eternal thy G-d while in [the first four books of] the Torah he mentions only the Proper Name of G-d [i.e., the Tetragrammaton] except in the Ten Commandments as it is said, And G-d spoke etc. Understand this.

He added here [in the commandment on the Sabbath] stating nor thine ox, nor thine ass to explain that He prohibits working the earth [on the Sabbath] even though it involves the livelihood of man, similar to what He said, in plowing time and in harvest shalt thou rest. He stated here that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou; and thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt etc., in order to explain that He commanded concerning the resting of the servant as well as yourself, because, since you were a servant and G-d gave you rest, so you too are to give rest to your servant. Thus the sense of the verses is as follows: “When your manservant and your maidservant will rest as well as you then you will remember that you were a servant etc.”

THEREFORE THE ETERNAL THY G-D COMMANDED THEE TO KEEP THE SABBATH-DAY. The meaning thereof is that He commanded you to do so [give rest to the servant] on the Sabbath-day. So did Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explain it. But it is not correct, for we say in the Kiddush [i.e., the proclamation of the sanctity] of the Sabbath, “For this day is the first of the hallowed gatherings recalling our going forth from Egypt” just as we say that it “recalls the work of Creation!” of the Sabbath-day equates both reasons — the remembrance of the Creation and the remembrance of the exodus — as applying to the Sabbath itself, rather than referring to two different things as Ibn Ezra differentiated between them (see Note 157 above). And the Rabbi [Moshe ben Maimon] stated in the Moreh Nebuchim that “the ‘first statement’ [i.e., citing the Creation, as given in the Book of Exodus] expresses the honor and distinction of the day, just as He said, therefore the Eternal hath blessed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it, and hence He mentioned the reason for in six days etc. But here he warned us to observe the Sabbath because of our having been slaves, working all day against our will and never having rest, and he commanded us now to abstain from work and rest in order that we remember the kindnesses of G-d towards us in bringing us forth from slavery to rest. Thus the Sabbath in general has two reasons: that we believe in the creation of the world [i.e., that the world was created at some point in time out of absolute nought rather than being of infinite age], that the world has a G-d Who is the Creator, and that we remember further the great kindness that He did with us, that we are His servants, since He acquired us for Himself as servants.” This [statement of Rambam] is also not clear to me, for when we are resting and not doing work on the seventh day we are not provided with a remembrance of the exodus from Egypt, nor does anyone who sees us being idle from work have any knowledge of this [reason]. Rather, the Sabbath is like all the other commandments, but it contains a reminder of the Creation because of the fact that we rest on the day that G-d ceased from work thereon and rested., 31:17. And it is more fitting to say that because the exodus from Egypt is evidence of the existence of an Eternal G-d, Who caused everything to come into existence through His will and Who has supreme power, as I have explained in the first commandment — therefore he stated here: “If there ever arises a doubt in your heart concerning the Sabbath that evidences the creation of the world by the will and power of G-d, you should remember what your eyes saw at the exodus from Egypt which is, to you, the evidence [of His infinite power] and the remembrance [of His deeds].” Thus the Sabbath is a remembrance of the exodus from Egypt, and the exodus is a remembrance of the Sabbath, for on it [the Sabbath] they remember and say that it is G-d Who makes new signs and wonders in everything and does with everything according to His will since it is He Who created everything at the beginning of creation. This, then, is the sense of the expression, therefore the Eternal thy G-d commanded thee to keep the Sabbath-day. Now, he did not explain here that the reason for the rest [on the Sabbath] is that in six days the Eternal made heaven etc., — since this has already been mentioned many times in the Torah. Instead, he said here briefly, and the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Eternal thy G-d, meaning that He, blessed be, ceased from work thereon and rested, 31:17. and he explained to them that from the exodus from Egypt they will know that it was He Who spoke and the world came into existence, and He ceased from work thereon. And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], we can further add to this [subject, by saying] that this commandment was given with [the expression] Observe [Observe the Sabbath-day to keep it holy], in order that we may fear the Glorious and Fearful Name, … The term “observe” found in the commandment of the Sabbath is thus to be understood in the light of that verse which begins with the expression of “observe” and concludes with a reference to the “fear” of G-d, as the text proceeds to explain. and therefore he commands us to remember the mighty hand and the outstretched arm that we saw at the exodus from Egypt, and from it the fear [of G-d] is to come to us, as it is said, And Israel saw the great work which the Eternal did upon the Egyptians, and the people ‘feared’ the Eternal. And therefore the Eternal thy G-d commanded thee to keep the Sabbath-day so that the congregation of Israel be the partner to the Sabbath, as is hinted in the words of our Rabbis. The student [learned in the mysteries of the Cabala] will understand.

He added an explanation in the commandment, Honor thy father and thy mother ‘as the Eternal thy G-d command thee’ from the mouth of the Almighty, as I have explained, and therefore he added, and that it may go well with thee, just as it is said, Yea, the Eternal will give that which is good, and our land shall yield her produce.

NEITHER SHALT THOU BEAR ‘EID SHAV’ (VAIN WITNESS) (false witness). Ramban explains that the admonition here prohibits bearing such false testimony even when it cannot possibly harm the neighbor at all and is consequently “vain” and worthless in court. The prohibition in Exodus, on the other hand, concerns the kind of false testimony which aims to really harm the other person. Thus the verse here explains the full extent of the admonition. AGAINST THY NEIGHBOR. He explained this in order to prohibit even [false] meaningless testimony that will cause no harm at all to his neighbor in court, as, for example, if he testifies, “So-and-so said he will give a hundred [dinars] to that person, but did not obligate himself to do it” [such false testimony is consequently in “vain” and we are prohibited from so doing]. For the term shav [in the above admonition, as elsewhere] signifies “vain, worthless” talk.

He added an explanation in the commandment Neither shalt thou covet in that he mentioned first the [neighbor’s] wife [whereas in the Book of Exodus the neighbor’s house is stated first] for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth with respect to women more than anything else. He further explained, that included in the term “coveting” is even mere “desire” [as stated here, Neither shalt thou ‘desire’ thy neighbor’s house etc.]. Thus if he desires to rob anything from his neighbor, but is unable to do so because his neighbor is stronger than he, or because in his locality there is fear of the government, he transgresses this commandment.. If his desire for the object is so strong that he obtains it through some scheme, he additionally transgresses the commandment, Thou shalt not covet. But if the owner refuses under all circumstances to sell it and he takes it by force, he also transgresses the commandment, Nor shalt thou rob him (Leviticus 19:13). See “The Commandments,” Vol. II, pp. 251-252. He added here his field, wherefrom the Rabbis have interpreted in the Mechilta: 5. “Perhaps I may reason: Just as the specific examples [mentioned in the Decalogue in Exodus, namely, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, or his ass] are movable property which may not be seized from customers in case of non-payment by the creditor, so also, I can include [in the prohibition not to covet] only movable property which may not be resorted to for non-payment. But when it says in Deuteronomy his field [which is immovable property and may be resorted to for non-payment] you must perforce interpret the verse as follows: Just as the specific matters deal with things one can buy and sell, so all things one can buy and sell [are included in this prohibition].”

OUT OF THE MIDST OF THE FIRE, OF THE CLOUD, AND OF THE THICK DARKNESS. “The cloud and the darkness” explain the expression out of the midst of the fire, for Clouds and darkness are round about Him.
A GREAT VOICE, ‘V’LO YASAF.’ “We render this [in the Targum Onkelos] as ‘and He did not pause.’ Because it is the nature of human beings that they cannot say all their words in one breath, but the nature of the Holy One, blessed be He, is different; He did not pause. And since He did not pause [in uttering the Ten Commandments] He did not have to resume, for His voice is strong and eternally enduring. [Thus, the words v’lo yasaf which literally mean ‘did not resume’ or ‘did not continue’ are translated by Onkelos as ‘did not pause,’ because, had He paused, He would have had to continue after the pause. Since G-d can say all the words in one breath, there was no need for a pause followed by a resumption.] Another interpretation of lo yasaf: He ‘never again’ revealed Himself in such a public manifestation.” This is Rashi’s language. But the verse states, And the voice of the horn waxed louder and louder! And the Rabbis also said: 13. This text also shows that the sound was not constant. “And why was it [i.e., the voice of the horn] soft at first [growing gradually stronger]? In order to accustom the ear with [a sound] it was able to hear.” Perhaps this was so with respect to the voice of the horn, but the voice of G-d throughout the Ten Commandments was even. The correct interpretation is that of the Sage who says that [the meaning of v’lo yasaf is] “He did not pause,” thus deriving the translation of yasaf from the expressions: ‘v’ne’esfah’ gladness and joy, ‘toseif’ their breath, they perish which signify, in his opinion, the act of taking something away. The verse here thus states that His greatness and power were “not withdrawn” until He finished all the commandments. Similarly it says, and they prophesied ‘v’lo yasafu’ [which Onkelos renders, “and they did not cease”]. And in line with the plain meaning of Scripture v’lo yasaf means that “there will never again be so great [a voice].” And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala,] the verse is stating that they heard all these words [proclaimed by] the voice of the Great One,. and He did not add anything [perceivable] to all your assembly, except for this one voice, for it was only that voice that they grasped. There I have already explained this subject as well as the whole section. except that one voice,” meaning that they heard the voice but Moses explained to them the words (Abusaula). See my Hebrew commentary, p. 369.

FOR WHO IS THERE OF ALL FLESH, THAT HATH HEARD THE VOICE OF ‘ELOKIM CHAYIM’ (THE LIVING G-D) SPEAKING OUT OF THE FIRE, AS WE HAVE, AND LIVED? Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained that the term living [living G-d] is to distinguish between G-d and the host of heaven which cannot move by itself [but by the living G-d Who is the First Cause].” It is possible to explain that he mentioned this in order to indicate that, if someone hears the voice of G-d with Whom is the fountain of life, his soul will cleave to its “foundation” and he will no longer live the life of the flesh. Similarly Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that ‘E-il chai’ is in your midst; Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth., Verse 11. Ramban’s intent in citing this verse is to show that the Divine Name, E-il chai, used by Joshua in the preceding Verse 10, is not synonymous with the Name Elokim chayim, used in the verse before us. There, Joshua continued to explain it, Behold the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth, thus intimating that E-il chai means “G-d Who gives life to the entire world,” or “G-d of all the living”, while Elokim chayim means “the living G-d,” and therefore alludes to the fact that the soul of someone who hears the voice of G-d will cleave to its “foundation” etc., as explained in the text. See my Hebrew commentary, p. 369. If so, [that E-il chai, as Joshua explained it, means ‘the Lord of all the earth,’ thus intimating that E-il chai means “G-d of all the living,” and is unlike the expression here, Elokim chayim, which means “the living G-d”] and he swore ‘b’chei’ of the world is an oath by His Great Name [meaning that “he swore by Him Who gives life to the world”].

V’AT’ (AND THOU) [Moses] SPEAK UNTO US. “[The feminine form of the word v’at indicates] that you caused my strength to be sapped like that of a woman, for I was distressed because of you and you weakened my hands when I realized that you were not anxious to approach Him out of love. For was it not better to learn directly from the Almighty rather than from me?!” Thus far is Rashi’s language from words of the Agadah. If so, Moses is saying that he was concerned [over their failure to approach G-d] and G-d informed him [in the following verses] that they did so because they feared Him and it was beneficial to them! But the subject is, as I have explained there, that they thought that G-d wanted to communicate the entire Torah to them; however, the [Divine] Will before Him was to proclaim to them only the Ten Commandments as they desired. Know that now they requested of Moses that they should not hear the voice of the Glorious Name — neither on that day nor during any of the succeeding generations — for it is not at all times that miracles occur [and, as they said in Verse 21, their very survival after hearing the voice of G-d was a miracle in itself, a miracle that could not be expected to recur during future revelations], and that they do not want another such Revelation; rather, they will believe in the prophets and do G-d’s will [as revealed] through them. In compliance Moses told them, A prophet will the Eternal thy G-d raise up unto thee, from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; according to all that thou didst desire of the Eternal thy G-d in Horeb. etc., 18:15-16. If so, the meaning of this request [of the people in the verse before us — and thou shalt speak unto us — that they wished to hear from prophets rather than from G-d] was meant for future generations.

OH THAT THIS THEIR HEART WOULD REMAIN IN THEM, TO FEAR ME. Scripture uses this expression because man has freedom of choice to be righteous or to be wicked, and “Everything is in the power of Heaven except for fear of Heaven.” It is thus an expression of common usage. And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the expression [before us] is similar to the verse, And unto man He said: ‘Behold, the fear of the Eternal, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’ And so the Rabbis have said with regard to the reward for [performance of] the commandments:, the small crown-like decorations atop many of the letters of the Torah. He asked G-d what the tagim represented. G-d answered, “Many generation from now, there will live a man named Akiba, the son of Joseph. He will explain every dot and decoration of all letters.” Moses then requested that he be permitted to listen to one of Rabbi Akiba’s lectures. After hearing it, Moses returned to G-d and said, “You have a man like Akiba and you give the Torah through me!” G-d answered, “Be silent; so I have decreed.” Moses then asked that he be shown Rabbi Akiba’s reward. G-d answered, “Turn around,” Moses then saw etc. — Rabbi Akiba was one of the Ten Martyrs from among the greatest Rabbis of the generation who were put to death by command of the Roman Emperor Hadrian for their public defiance of the Roman ban against studying the Torah and the general practice of Judaism. See Vol. II, p. 301, and Note 369. “Moses saw that they [i.e., the Romans] were cutting the flesh of [the martyr] Rabbi Akiba in meat markets. Moses said to G-d, ‘Master of the universe! Is this the reward for such [knowledge of the] Torah!’ The Holy One, blessed be He, replied, ‘Be silent, thus have I decreed.’” You will understand this from what He has said to Moses, And as for thee, stand thou here by Me.

THAT THEY MAY DO THEM IN THE LAND. I have explained it.

YE SHALL OBSERVE TO DO, THEREFORE, AS THE ETERNAL YOUR G-D COMMANDED YOU. This warning alludes to the Ten Commandments which G-d Himself communicated to them directly, and afterwards he admonished them with respect to the rest of the commandments which they said they [preferred to] hear from Moses and [they promised] to perform them. Therefore, he said, And this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances which the Eternal your G-d commanded to teach you, since G-d agreed to your request and He commanded me to teach you the entire balance of the Torah, that ye may live, that He may fulfill the number of your days, and that it may be well with you with all the good that He promised you in the section of If ye walk in My statutes and other sections besides; and that ye may prolong your days in the Land that you will inherit for your children forever.