Ramban on Leviticus, Introduction

הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה הוּא תּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם, יְבָאֵר בּוֹ עִנְיְנֵי הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת כֻּלָּן וּמִשְׁמֶרֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיָה סֵפֶר אֶחָד בְּעִנְיַן הַגָּלוּת וְהַגְּאֻלָּה מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהִשְׁלִימוֹ בְּעִנְיַן אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּכְבוֹד הַשֵּׁם אֲשֶׁר מָלֵא אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, צִוָּהוּ בַּקָּרְבָּנוֹת וּבִשְׁמִירַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת כַּפָּרָה לָהֶן וְלֹא יִגְרְמוּ הָעֲוֹנוֹת לְסִלּוּק הַשְּׁכִינָה. וְצִוָּה בַּכֹּהֲנִים הַנִּגָּשִׁים אֶל ה' שֶׁיִּתְקַדְּשׁוּ, שֶׁהִזְהִיר עַל טֻמְאַת מִקְדָּשׁ וְקָדָשָׁיו, וְגַם שֶׁלֹּא יֶהֶרְסוּ לַעֲלֹת אֶל ה', כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר "דַּבֵּר אֶל אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ וְאַל יָבֹא בְכָל עֵת אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ מִבֵּית לַפָּרֹכֶת אֶל פְּנֵי הַכַּפֹּרֶת אֲשֶׁר עַל הָאָרֹן וְלֹא יָמוּת כִּי בֶּעָנָן אֵרָאֶה עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת", כְּאַזְהָרַת "פֶּן יֶהֶרְסוּ אֶל ה' לִרְאוֹת וְנָפַל מִמֶּנּוּ רָב". ואח"כ יַגְבִּיל הַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּהַגְבָּלַת הַר סִינַי בְּעֵת הֱיוֹת שָׁם כְּבוֹד אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. ‘VAYIKRA’ (AND HE CALLED).¹I.e., And G-d called unto Moses. — The third book of the Torah thus receives its title from the first Hebrew word of the book. The English title Leviticus is derived from the Septuagint — the first Greek translation of the Bible — which gave it that name because a major part of the book is devoted to the laws relating to the priests and Levites. In the Talmud and related literature it is called Torath Kohanim (Law of the Priests). This is to be distinguished from the early Rabbinic commentary on the book, known also as Torath Kohanim. See further, Notes 65, 73, and 121. This book is the law of the priests and the Levites.²Further, 25:32: But as for the cities of the Levites etc. In it G-d explains matters concerned with all the offerings and watching over the Tabernacle [that it should not become defiled].³Ibid., 15:31: Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile My Tabernacle that is in the midst of them. The reference could not be to the actual guarding of the Tabernacle done by the priests and Levites every night throughout the night, (see “The Commandments,” Vol. I, pp. 31-32), for that duty is mentioned in the Book of Numbers (18:4). It may possibly be also a hint to the special Service on the Day of Atonement which was designed to atone for any uncleanness that may have occurred in the Tabernacle or any part thereof (see further 16:16, and 33). By bringing the prescribed offerings on that day Israel fulfilled its duty of “watching over the Tabernacle” that it should not continue in its state of defilement but instead should be restored to its pristine purity and holiness. This is because one book [i.e., the second book of the Torah] was dedicated to the Egyptian exile and the redemption therefrom, and He completed it with an account of the building of the Tent of Meeting and the Glory of G-d which filled the Tabernacle,⁴Exodus 40:34. therefore He now commanded Moses about the offerings and about watching over the Tabernacle, in order that the offerings effect atonement for [the children of] Israel, and that their sins should not bring about the removal of the Divine Glory. Thus He commanded the priests that come near unto the Eternal that they sanctify themselves,⁵Ibid., 19:22. warning them against defilement of the Sanctuary and its hallowed offerings,⁶See Ramban further, 5:2. and also that they are not to break through to come up unto the Eternal,⁷Exodus 19:24. Ramban’s thought there is clearly based on his exposition [at the beginning of Seder Terumah — ibid., 25:1, Vol. II, pp. 435-436] that the Tabernacle constituted a continuation of the presence of the Divine Glory which had descended upon Mount Sinai. Ramban therefore continues here to show that the strictures which applied at the time of the Revelation find their parallels in the laws concerning the Tabernacle. just as He said, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the ark-cover which is upon the ark, that he die not; for I appear in the cloud upon the ark-cover,⁸Further, 16:2. which is similar to the warning [given at the Revelation] lest they break through unto the Eternal to gaze, and many of them perish.⁹Exodus 19:21. After that¹⁰I.e., in the Book of Numbers (5:1-3). See Ramban there on Verse 2. He set limits to the Tabernacle, even as He had marked off Mount Sinai when the Glory of the G-d of Israel was there.

וְהִנֵּה רֹב הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה בַּקָּרְבָּנוֹת, בְּתוֹרַת הַקָּרְבָּן וְהַמַּקְרִיבִין וּבַמָּקוֹם שֶׁיִּתְקָרֵב בּוֹ, וְיָבוֹאוּ בּוֹ קְצָת מִצְוֹת נִגְרָרוֹת עִם אֵלֶּה. כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה צִוָּה בְּקָרְבְּנוֹת הַנְּדָבָה, וְאָסַר הַחֵלֶב וְהַדָּם בַּעֲבוּרָם, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן בְּקָרְבְּנוֹת הַחֵטְא, וְנִגְרָר אַחַר זֶה לְהַזְכִּיר הַמַּאֲכָלִים הָאֲסוּרִים, בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהֵם מְטַמְּאִים וְהָאוֹכֵל אוֹ הַנּוֹגֵעַ בָּהֶן בְּכָל קֹדֶשׁ לֹא יִגָּע וְאֶל הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לֹא יָבֹא, וְאִם נִכְנַס שָׁם בְּטֻמְאָה יִהְיֶה חַיָּב קָרְבָּן עוֹלֶה וְיוֹרֵד שֶׁהִזְכִּירוֹ כְּבָר. וְהֻצְרַךְ לְהַזְכִּיר תּוֹרַת הַמְּצֹרָע וּמִשְׁפְּטֵי הַיּוֹלֶדֶת וְהַזָּב וְהַזָּבָה לְחַיֵּיב אוֹתָם בְּקָרְבָּן וּלְהַזְהִיר עוֹד מִטֻּמְאָתָם, כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר בְּסוֹפָם "וְהִזַּרְתֶּם אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִטֻּמְאָתָם וְלֹא יָמֻתוּ בְּטֻמְאָתָם בְּטַמְּאָם אֶת מִשְׁכָּנִי אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹכָם". וְנִגְרָר אַחַר זֶה שֶׁיַּזְהִיר עַל הָעֲרָיוֹת, כִּי מִשְׁכָּבָם מְטַמֵּא וַעֲוֹנָם יִקָּרֵא טֻמְאָה, גּוֹרֶמֶת לְסִלּוּק הַשְּׁכִינָה וּלְגָלוּת. וְעוֹד כִּי הַשּׁוֹגֵג בָּהֶן מְחֻיָּב הַחַטָּאת שֶׁהִזְכִּיר כְּבָר בּוֹ "אִם נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת תֶּחֱטָא בִשְׁגָגָה". וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן הִזְכִּיר מִצְוַת הַשַּׁבָּת וּמוֹעֲדֵי ה', בַּעֲבוּר הַקָּרְבָּן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר "אֵלֶּה מוֹעֲדֵי ה' אֲשֶׁר תִּקְרְאוּ אֹתָם מִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ לְהַקְרִיב אִשֶּׁה לַה' עֹלָה וּמִנְחָה זֶבַח וּנְסָכִים דְּבַר יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ". וְרֹב פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה יְדַבֵּר בָּהֶן עִם הַכֹּהֲנִים, "דַּבֵּר אֶל אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל בָּנָיו" "צַו אֶת אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת בָּנָיו". וּבְפָרָשַׁת קְדוֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ קְצָת מִצְוֹת לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, רֻבָּן נִגְרָרוֹת עִם עִנְיְנֵי הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת אוֹ בְּדוֹמִים לָהֶם, וּבִמְקוֹמָם אֲפָרֵשׁ בְּעֶזְרָתוֹ שֶׁל הב"ה. Thus the greatest part of this book deals with the offerings, the laws of the offering itself and of those who perform its rite and of the place where it is to be brought; some commandments are also mentioned incidentally to those dealing with the offerings. Thus at first He commanded concerning the freewill offerings,¹¹Freewill offerings are those which can be brought at any time by any individual. These include: the burnt-offering (Chapter 1), the meal-offering (Chapter 2), and the peace-offering (Chapter 3). On the other hand, the sin-offering (Chapter 4) and the guilt-offering (Chapter 5:14-26) can be brought only to expiate certain sins if committed unintentionally, and therefore are not freewill offerings. and prohibited the eating of fat and blood on account of [mentioning] them.¹²Further, 3:17. Following that He commanded concerning the offerings that are to be brought upon committing a sin,¹³Ibid., Chapters 4-5. and incidentally to these He mentioned the laws of forbidden foods;¹⁴Ibid., Chapter 11. for they defile the person, and he who eats them or touches them must not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the Sanctuary, and if he does go in there [or eat of the hallowed things] while in a state of uncleanness, he has to bring the offering of higher or lower value¹⁵This offering was so called [the offering of higher or lower value] because it did not have to be of one specified kind, but varied in accordance with the means of the transgressor who has to offer it. See in my translation of Rambam’s “The Commandments,” Vol. I, pp. 82-83. which He had already mentioned.¹⁶Further, 5:1-13. After that it was necessary to mention the law of the leper¹⁷Ibid., Chapters 13-14. and the ordinances of the woman in childbirth¹⁸Ibid., Chapter 12. and of the zav¹⁹A man suffering a flux. Ibid., 15:1-15. and zavah,²⁰A woman suffering a flux outside her menstrual period. Ibid., Verses 25-30. in order to tell that they must bring an offering [at the end of the period of their uncleanness], and to warn them further concerning their uncleanness — as He said at the end [of these laws], Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile My Tabernacle that is in the midst of them.²¹Ibid., Verse 31. As a result of mentioning these laws, He warned afterwards about those persons with whom it is forbidden to have sexual relations,²²Ibid., Chapter 18. since association with them defiles, and their sin is called “defilement”²³Ibid., Verse 24: Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things. and brings about the removal of the Divine Glory, and exile.²⁴Ibid., 26:31-32. Besides, he who commits any of these sins [of forbidden sexual relations] unwillfully, must bring the sin-offering which He mentioned already in the verse, And if anyone sin through error.²⁵Ibid., 4:27. Following that He mentioned the commandment of the Sabbath and the appointed seasons of the Eternal²⁶Ibid., Chapter 23. on account of the offerings [which are brought on those days], just as He said, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal etc. to bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal.²⁷Ibid., Verse 37. In most of the sections of this book He speaks with reference to the priests: Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons;²⁸Ibid., 22:18. Command Aaron and his sons.²⁹Ibid., 6:2. In the section of Kedoshim³⁰Chapters 19-20. however, there are some commandments addressed to the children of Israel, but most of them are mentioned because of some connection with the offerings or matters similar to them. I will explain them in their place with the help of the Holy One, blessed be He.