Ramban on Deuteronomy 5:15:1

וְטַעַם עַל כֵּן צִוְּךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, צִוָּה שֶׁתַּעֲשֶׂה כֵן בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, כָּךְ פֵּרֵשׁ ר"א (אבן עזרא על דברים ה':י"ד). וְאֵינוֹ נָכוֹן, וְאָנוּ אוֹמְרִים בְּקִדּוּשׁ הַיּוֹם "כִּי יוֹם זֶה תְּחִלָּה לְמִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ זֵכֶר לִיצִיאַת מִצְרָיִם" כַּאֲשֶׁר נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ זָכָר לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית. וְהָרַב אָמַר בְּסֵפֶר הַמּוֹרֶה (ב לא) כִּי הַמַּאֲמָר הָרִאשׁוֹן הוּא כְּבוֹד הַיּוֹם וְהִדּוּרוֹ, וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָמַר (שמות כ יא) עַל כֵּן בֵּרַךְ ה' אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת וַיְקַדְּשֵׁהוּ, וְעַל כֵּן הִזְכִּיר טַעַם כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה ה', אֲבָל בְּכָאן יַזְהִיר אוֹתָנוּ לִשְׁמֹר הַשַּׁבָּת בַּעֲבוּר הֱיוֹתֵנוּ עֲבָדִים בְּמִצְרַיִם עוֹבְדִים כָּל הַיּוֹם עַל כָּרְחֵנוּ וְלֹא הָיְתָה לָנוּ מְנוּחָה, וְהוּא יְצַוֵּנוּ עַתָּה לִשְׁבּוֹת וְלָנוּחַ כְּדֵי שֶׁנַּזְכִּיר חַסְדֵי הַשֵּׁם עָלֵינוּ בְּהוֹצִיאוֹ אוֹתָנוּ מֵעַבְדוּת לִמְנוּחָה. וְהִנֵּה בְּשַׁבָּת בִּכְלָלָהּ שְׁנֵי טְעָמִים, לְהַאֲמִין בְּחִדּוּשׁ הָעוֹלָם כִּי יֵשׁ אֱלוֹהַּ בּוֹרֵא, וְלִזְכֹּר עוֹד הַחֶסֶד הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁעָשָׂה עִמָּנוּ שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ עֲבָדָיו אֲשֶׁר קָנָה אוֹתָנוּ לוֹ לַעֲבָדִים. גַּם זֶה אֵינוֹ מְחֻוָּר אֶצְלִי, כִּי בִּהְיוֹתֵנוּ שׁוֹבְתִים וְלֹא נַעֲשֶׂה מְלָאכָה בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי אֵין לָנוּ בָּזֶה זִכְרוֹן לִיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, וְאֵין לָרוֹאֶה אוֹתָנוּ בְּטֵלִים מִמְּלָאכָה יְדִיעָה בָּזֶה, רַק הִיא כִּשְׁאָר כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת. אֲבָל יִהְיֶה בּוֹ זֵכֶר לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית שֶׁנִּשְׁבֹּת בַּיּוֹם שֶׁשָּׁבַת הַשֵּׁם וַיִּנָּפַשׁ. וְהָרָאוּי יוֹתֵר לוֹמַר כִּי בַּעֲבוּר הֱיוֹת יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם מוֹרָה עַל אֱלוֹהַּ קַדְמוֹן מְחַדֵּשׁ חָפֵץ וְיָכוֹל כַּאֲשֶׁר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי בַּדִּבּוּר הָרִאשׁוֹן (שם שם ב), עַל כֵּן אָמַר בְּכָאן אִם יַעֲלֶה בְּלִבְּךָ סָפֵק עַל הַשַּׁבָּת הַמּוֹרָה עַל הַחִדּוּשׁ וְהַחֵפֶץ וְהַיְּכֹלֶת, תִּזְכֹּר מָה שֶׁרָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם שֶׁהִיא לְךָ לִרְאָיָה וּלְזֵכֶר. הִנֵּה הַשַּׁבָּת זֵכֶר לִיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם וִיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם זֵכֶר לַשַּׁבָּת, כִּי יִזָּכְרוּ בּוֹ וְיֹאמְרוּ הַשֵּׁם הוּא מְחַדֵּשׁ בַּכֹּל אוֹתוֹת וּמוֹפְתִים וְעוֹשֶׂה בַּכֹּל כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, כִּי הוּא אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא הַכֹּל בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית, וְזֶה טַעַם עַל כֵּן צִוְּךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת. וְהִנֵּה לֹא פֵּרֵשׁ כָּאן טַעַם הַשְּׁבִיתָה כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה ה' וְגוֹ' שֶׁכְּבָר הֻזְכַּר זֶה פְּעָמִים רַבּוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה, אֲבָל אָמַר בִּקְצָרָה וְיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבָּת לַה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, שֶׁהוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ שָׁבַת בּוֹ וַיִּנָּפַשׁ, וּבֵאֵר לָהֶם כִּי מִיְּצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם יֵדְעוּ שֶׁהוּא אָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם וְשָׁבַת מִמֶּנּוּ. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת נוּכַל עוֹד לְהוֹסִיף בָּזֶה, כִּי הַדִּבּוּר הַזֶּה בְּשָׁמוֹר לְיִרְאָה אֶת הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד וְהַנּוֹרָא, וְעַל כֵּן יְצַוֵּנוּ שֶׁנִּזְכֹּר אֶת הַיָּד הַחֲזָקָה וְהַזְּרוֹעַ הַנְּטוּיָה שֶׁרָאִינוּ בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם וּמִמֶּנּוּ לָנוּ הַיִּרְאָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (שם יד לא) וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדֹלָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ה' בְּמִצְרַיִם וַיִּירְאוּ הָעָם אֶת ה', וְעַל כֵּן צִוְּךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, שֶׁתְּהֵא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּת זוּגוֹ לַשַּׁבָּת, כַּנִּרְמָז בְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (ב"ר יא ט), וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין: 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.¹⁵⁷Thus, according to Ibn Ezra, the basic commandment to rest on the Sabbath is in remembrance of Creation as it is given in Exodus 20:11, while the giving of rest to our servants is in remembrance of the exodus as given in our verse. In this way Ibn Ezra resolves the difficulty as to why in the Ten Commandments in the Book of Exodus the reason for the Sabbath is given as remembrance of the Creation, while here the reason is given as the remembrance of the exodus. Ramban will refute this solution of Ibn Ezra, as explained in the text that follows. But it is not correct, for we say in the Kiddush [i.e., the proclamation of the sanctity] of the Sabbath,¹⁵⁸See Vol. II, pp. 313-315. “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!”¹⁵⁹In other words, the text of the Kiddush 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 Nebuchim¹⁶⁰Guide of the Perplexed II, 31. Ramban is following Al-Charizi’s translation, and not that of Ibn Tibbon. 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,¹⁶¹Exodus 20:11. Thus the verse in Exodus indicates that the Sabbath-day was honored because it is symbolic of the Creation which was the handiwork of G-d alone. and hence He mentioned the reason for in six days etc.¹⁶¹Exodus 20:11. Thus the verse in Exodus indicates that the Sabbath-day was honored because it is symbolic of the Creation which was the handiwork of G-d alone. 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.¹⁶²Ibid., 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 will¹⁶³Thus excluding the theory that formation of the world is a result of some natural necessity. Instead we are to believe the universe is a result of G-d’s Will and design. and Who has supreme power, as I have explained in the first commandment¹⁶⁴Exodus 20:2. Vol. II, p. 285. — 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.,¹⁶¹Exodus 20:11. Thus the verse in Exodus indicates that the Sabbath-day was honored because it is symbolic of the Creation which was the handiwork of G-d alone. — 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,¹⁵³Verse 14. meaning that He, blessed be, ceased from work thereon and rested¹⁶²Ibid., 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,¹⁶⁵Further, 28:58. The verse there begins: If thou wilt not ‘observe’ … 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 arm¹⁶⁶Further, 7:19. 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.¹⁶⁷Exodus 14:31. See Vol. II, p. 190: “By way of the Truth etc.” 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.¹⁶⁸Bereshith Rabbah 11:9, see also Vol. I, p. 60. The student [learned in the mysteries of the Cabala] will understand.