## Ramban on Exodus Chapter 27

###### Ramban on Exodus 27:20:1
[Ramban on Exodus 27:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Exodus/r/27:20:1)

אָמַר הַכָּתוּב בְּכָאן **וְאַתָּה תְּצַוֶּה** בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁאָמַר בַּמִּשְׁכָּן תָּמִיד "וְעָשִׂיתָ", וְהוּא בְּצִוּוּי, אָמַר בְּכָאן וְאַתָּה בְּעַצְמְךָ תְּצַוֶּה לָהֶם שֶׁיִּקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ אֶת שֶׁמֶן הַמָּאוֹר, כִּי אֵין לָהֶם דֶּרֶךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּר רַק אִם הָיָה אֶצְלָם מִשְׁמֶרֶת. וְהַנְּשִׂיאִים הֱבִיאוּהוּ (להלן לה כז-כח):

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
Scripture states here, *and thou shalt command* [and does not say, “command the children of Israel”], because He always said with reference to the Tabernacle *and thou shalt make*,¹ which means by your command [i.e., “you Moses command them to do it”]. Therefore He said here “and you yourself command them that they bring to you the oil for the light.” [It says *that they bring* and not “that they make”] because they had no way of making the oil in the wilderness; [therefore they were told] to bring it if they had it in reserve. Actually it were the princes that brought it.²

footnotes:
¹ Above, 25:11, etc.
² Further, 35:27-28.


###### Ramban on Exodus 27:20:2
[Ramban on Exodus 27:20:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Exodus/r/27:20:2)

וְטַעַם **אֵלֶיךָ** שֶׁיְּבִיאוּהוּ לְפָנָיו וְהוּא יִרְאֶנּוּ אִם הוּא זַךְ וְכָתִית כָּרָאוּי, וְכֵן "צַו אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ" (ויקרא כד ב):

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
The meaning of the word *eilecha* (unto thee) — [*that they bring ‘unto thee’ pure olive oil*] is that they were to bring it to Moses and he would see if it was pure and beaten properly. A similar intent is present in the verse, *Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee* [*pure olive oil beaten for the light*].³

footnotes:
³ Leviticus 24:2.


###### Ramban on Exodus 27:20:3
[Ramban on Exodus 27:20:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Exodus/r/27:20:3)

וְטַעַם **מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל** שֶׁיִּקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ הַשֶּׁמֶן מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֵת אֲשֶׁר יִמָּצֵא בְּיָדָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר "מֵאֵת כָּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ" (שמות כ"ה:ב'). וְכֵן אָמַר "וְאַתָּה הַקְרֵב אֵלֶיךָ אֶת אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ" (שמות כ"ח:א'), כִּי אַתָּה בְּעַצְמְךָ תִּקְרָאֵם וּתְבַשְּׂרֵם בַּמַּעֲלָה הַזֹּאת, וְעָשִׂיתָ לָהֶם בִּגְדֵי קֹדֶשׁ (שמות כ"ח:ב'), בְּצִוּוּי לַחֲכָמִים הָעוֹשִׂים בַּמְּלָאכָה, כְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל מְלֶאכֶת הַתַּבְנִית. וְכֵן "וְאַתָּה תְּדַבֵּר אֶל כָּל חַכְמֵי לֵב" (שם ג), שֶׁיְּדַבֵּר עִמָּהֶם הוּא עַצְמוֹ, כִּי הוּא יַכִּיר אֶת חָכְמָתָם וְיֵדַע הַמְּלָאכָה הָרְאוּיָה לְהִמָּסֵר לְכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם. וּבַעֲבוּר שֶׁאָמַר "וְאַתָּה הַקְרֵב" "וְעָשִׂיתָ", הֻצְרַךְ לְפָרֵשׁ (שמות כ"ז:ג') "וְאַתָּה תְּדַבֵּר אֶל כָּל חַכְמֵי לֵב", כִּי בְּצִוּוּי יַעֲשׂוּ הַבְּגָדִים כִּשְׁאָר הַמְּלָאכָה אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר בָּהּ "רְאֵה קָרָאתִי בְשֵׁם בְּצַלְאֵל" וְגוֹ' (שמות ל"א:ב'):

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
The meaning of the expression *of the children of Israel*,⁴ is that they bring you the oil from the children of Israel, from whoever has it in his possession, just as He said, *of every man whose heart maketh him willing*.⁵ Similarly He said, *And bring thou near unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him*,⁶ meaning that you yourself are to call them and give them the tidings of this distinction. *And thou shalt make* them *holy garments*⁷, Verse 2. means by commanding the wise men who wrought the work as was done with *all the work of this pattern*.⁸ Likewise, *And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted*⁹ means that Moses himself is to speak to them, for he will recognize their qualifications and know which is the work that ought to be given over to each of them. Now because He said, *And bring thou near;*⁶ *And thou shalt make*,⁷, Verse 2. it was necessary that He explain, *And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted* [*…that they make Aaron’s garments*],⁹ for it was by the command of Moses that they were to make the garments,¹⁰] means that Moses himself is to speak to Aaron and his sons, as explained above, Verse 2 following [*And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron…*] also means that Moses himself is to make them; hence it was necessary to explain in Verse 3 [*And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted… that they make Aaron’s garments*], meaning that they are to be made in the same way as the rest of the work. as was the case with the rest of the work of which it is said, *See, I have called by name Bezalel etc*.¹¹

footnotes:
⁴ Verse 21.
⁵ Above, 25:2.
⁶ Further, 28:1.
⁷ Ibid.
⁸ I Chronicles 28:19.
⁹ Further, 28:3.
⁶ Further, 28:1.
⁷ Ibid.
⁹ Further, 28:3.
¹⁰ For one might have thought that since Verse 1 [And bring thou near unto thee…
¹¹ Further, 31:2.


###### Ramban on Exodus 27:20:4
[Ramban on Exodus 27:20:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Exodus/r/27:20:4)

**לְהַעֲלֹת נֵר תָּמִיד** כָּל לַיְלָה וְלַיְלָה קָרוּי "תָּמִיד", כְּמוֹ שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר "עוֹלַת תָּמִיד" (במדבר כח ו), וְאֵינָהּ אֶלָּא מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם, וְכֵן בְּמִנְחַת חֲבִתִּים נֶאֱמַר "תָּמִיד" (ויקרא ו יג), וְאֵינָהּ אֶלָּא מַחֲצִיתָהּ בַּבֹּקֶר וּמַחֲצִיתָהּ בָּעָרֶב. אֲבָל "תָּמִיד" הָאָמוּר בְּלֶחֶם הַפָּנִים (שמות כ"ה:ל') הוּא מִשַּׁבָּת לְשַׁבָּת. לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות כ"ז:כ'). וּמִדְרַשׁ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אֵינוֹ כָּךְ, אֶלָּא כָּךְ שָׁנוּ בְּסִפְרֵי (ריש בהעלותך) "יָאִירוּ שִׁבְעַת הַנֵּרוֹת" (במדבר ח ב), שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ דּוֹלְקִין לְעוֹלָם, ת"ל "מֵעֶרֶב עַד בֹּקֶר" (ויקרא כד ג). אִי מֵעֶרֶב עַד בֹּקֶר, יָכוֹל יִהְיוּ דּוֹלְקִים מֵעֶרֶב עַד בֹּקֶר וִיכַבֵּם, ת"ל "יָאִירוּ שִׁבְעַת הַנֵּרוֹת". הָא כֵּיצַד, יָאִירוּ שִׁבְעַת הַנֵּרוֹת מֵעֶרֶב עַד בֹּקֶר. "לִפְנֵי ה' תָּמִיד" (שם), שֶׁיְּהֵא נֵר מַעֲרָבִי דּוֹלֵק תָּדִיר, שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ מַדְלִיקִין אֶת הַמְּנוֹרָה בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם. וּבְתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים (שם כד ב) נָמֵי אָמְרוּ כָּךְ, "לְהַעֲלֹת נֵר תָּמִיד", שֶׁיְּהֵא נֵר מַעֲרָבִי תָּדִיר. וְקָתָנֵי הָתָם, מְצָאוֹ שֶׁכָּבָה מְדַשְּׁנוֹ וּמַדְלִיקוֹ מִמִּזְבַּח הָעֹלָה, דַּאֲפִילּוּ בַּיּוֹם נָמֵי מַדְלִיק נֵר מַעֲרָבִי לְפִי שֶׁהוּא תָּמִיד לְעוֹלָם:
וּבְמַסֶּכֶת תָּמִיד (ג ט) שָׁנִינוּ כָּךְ, מִי שֶׁזָּכָה בְּדִשּׁוּן הַמְּנוֹרָה נִכְנַס וּמָצָא שְׁתֵּי נֵרוֹת מִזְרָחִיִּים דּוֹלְקִין, מְדַשֵּׁן אֶת הַשְּׁאָר וּמַנִּיחַ אֶת אֵלּוּ דּוֹלְקִין בִּמְקוֹמָן. מְצָאָן שֶׁכָּבוּ, מְדַשְּׁנָן וּמַדְלִיקָן מִן הַדּוֹלְקִין, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מְדַשֵּׁן אֶת הַשְּׁאָר. וּסְתָם מִשְׁנָה זוֹ שְׁנוּיָה כְּדִבְרֵי רַבִּי (מנחות צח:) שֶׁאָמַר בַּנֵּרוֹת מִזְרָח וּמַעֲרָב הָיוּ מֻנָּחִין, וּלְדַעְתּוֹ נֵר מַעֲרָבִי הוּא הַשֵּׁנִי, וְנִקְרָא מַעֲרָבִי לְפִי שֶׁהוּא מַעֲרָבִי לָרִאשׁוֹן, וּלְפִי שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר מַעֲרָבִי לְקַיֵּם בּוֹ "לִפְנֵי ה' תָּמִיד" צָרִיךְ לְהַדְלִיק הַמִּזְרָחִי, שֶׁאֵין הַשֵּׁנִי נִקְרָא מַעֲרָבִי עַד שֶׁיְּהֵא זֶה מִזְרָחִי אֶצְלוֹ. אֲבָל לְדִבְרֵי הָאוֹמֵר (שם) צָפוֹן וְדָרוֹם הָיוּ מֻנָּחִין, נֵר מַעֲרָבִי הוּא הָאֶמְצָעִי שֶׁבְּגוּפָהּ שֶׁל מְנוֹרָה, וְהוּא לְבַדּוֹ מַדְלִיק בַּבֹּקֶר. וְעַל הַכְּלָל, "לִפְנֵי ה' תָּמִיד" בְּנֵר מַעֲרָבִי, שֶׁהוּא דּוֹלֵק תָּמִיד בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה:

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
TO CAUSE A LAMP TO BURN ‘TAMID’ (CONTINUALLY). “Doing something each and every night is called *tamid* (continually), just as you say, *olath tamid (a continual burnt-offering)*¹² and yet it was brought only from day to day. Similarly in the case of the meal-offering made on the griddle [brought every day by the High Priest] it is said *tamid*,¹³ and yet it was brought only *half of it in the morning, and half thereof in the evening*.¹³ However, the word *tamid* used in connection with the showbread¹⁴ signifies [the whole period without interruption] from Sabbath to Sabbath.” Thus is Rashi’s language.
But the Midrash [interpretation] of our Rabbis is not so. Instead they taught in the Sifre as follows:¹⁵.— For meaning of “Sifre” see *Seder Yithro*, Note 52. “*The seven lamps shall give light*.¹⁶ I might think that they are to burn always; Scripture therefore says, *from evening to morning*.¹⁷ I might then think that they are to burn from evening to morning and then he is to extinguish them; Scripture therefore says, *the seven lamps shall give light*. — How is this to be understood? *The seven lamps shall give light from evening to morning. Before the Eternal continually*¹⁷ — this refers to the *neir ma’aravi*¹⁸, and therefore is to burn *continually*, for it is to that particular light that the expression *before the Eternal continually*, applies. See further Note 23 as to which of the seven lamps in the candelabrum the term *neir hama’aravi* has reference to. which is to burn perpetually, since the candelabrum was lit from it in the evening.” In the Torath Kohanim¹⁹ 13:7. — Torath Kohanim is another name for the Sifra, which is the Halachic Midrash of the Tannaim on the Book of Leviticus. the Rabbis have likewise said: “*To cause a lamp to burn continually* — this means that ‘the western light’ should burn perpetually.” They have further taught there: “If [the priest who came into the Sanctuary in the morning to trim the candelabrum] found that it had gone out, he cleaned it out and kindled it from [the fire upon] the altar of the whole-offering.” Thus it is clear that even at daytime he kindled the *neir ma’aravi*, for that lamp always burnt regularly [and not as Rashi has it that the candelabrum was lit only in the evening]. And in Tractate Tamid²⁰ we have been taught as follows: “[The priest] who was privileged to clean out the candelabrum [during the morning service] entered [the Sanctuary], and if he found the two easternmost lamps burning, he cleaned out the rest [leaving them to be lit during the evening service], but the two easternmost lamps he left burning as they were. If he found that [the two easternmost lamps] had gone out, he cleaned them out and kindled them from those that were still burning, and then cleaned out the rest” [leaving them to be kindled during the evening service].²¹ was then kindled from the fire upon the altar of the burnt-offering which stood outside in the Sanctuary Court. Now this anonymous Mishnah conforms to the opinion of Rabbi²² Note 64. who says that the lamps of the candelabrum were placed in an east-west direction, and the *neir ma’aravi* (the western light) in his opinion is the second light from the east side.²³, since that expression implies that there is one light still further away from the Holy of Holies [where the Divine Glory abided]. Hence the first lamp of which it might be said that it is *before the Eternal* is the second from the east, and since we must not pass over an occasion for performing a religious act, the second light from the east becomes affixed as being *before the Eternal*, and that is the *neir ma’aravi* (the western light). — There is, however, another opinion [mentioned further on in the text] that the candelabrum was placed in a south-north direction, and the term *neir ma’aravi* was given to the middle lamp, because the three lamps on each side turned towards the center one. — Menachoth 98b. See also Shabbath 22 b, Rashi. It is called *ma’aravi* (western) because it is to the west of the first, and since he has to kindle the western light to fulfill therewith the Divine command *before the Eternal continually*,¹⁷ he must kindle also the easternmost lamp, for the second lamp cannot be called “western” until there be an “eastern” next to it.²⁴ But according to the opinion of the Sage²⁵ who says that the candelabrum was placed in a north-south direction, the *neir ma’aravi* was the middle one — on the central shaft of the candelabrum — and that light alone he kindled in the morning [for since none of the lamps were “outside” of it towards the east it was not necessary that another lamp be lighted].²⁶ Thus the principle is clear that the expression *before the Eternal continually* applies to “the western light,” which burns regularly day and night.

footnotes:
¹² Numbers 28:6.
¹³ Leviticus 6:13.
¹³ Leviticus 6:13.
¹⁴ Above, 25:30.
¹⁵ Sifre, beginning of Seder Beha’alothcha
¹⁶ Numbers 8:2.
¹⁷ Leviticus 24:3, and Verse 2 here.
¹⁷ Leviticus 24:3, and Verse 2 here.
¹⁸ Literally: “the western light.” It is this light which is considered as being before the Eternal
¹⁹ Sifra Emor
²⁰ Tamid 3:9.
²¹ This text again shows that there were lamps burning in the candelabrum the whole day. — In case the priest found that all the lights had gone out it has already been mentioned above in Ramban’s text quoting the Torath Kohanim that the neir ma’aravi
²² Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi. See in Seder Mishpatim
²³ For since the candelabrum was standing with its six branches extending in an east-west direction, the first [the easternmost] light could not be considered as being before the Eternal
¹⁷ Leviticus 24:3, and Verse 2 here.
²⁴ Hence if the ministering priest found that the two easternmost lamps had gone out, he trimmed them and kindled them both. For although the command regarding the perpetual lamp [burning day and night] applied essentially to the second — the western — light, yet since it could not be called “western” unless there was an “eastern” in front of it, the priest lit both.
²⁵ This is Rabbi Eleazar the son of Rabbi Shimon (Menachoth 98 b).
²⁶ Thus there appears an important difference as to the number of lights that burned a whole day in the candelabrum. According to Rabbi who holds that the candelabrum was placed in an east-west direction, the two easternmost lamps burned a whole day [for reasons explained in Note 24]. But according to Rabbi Eleazar the son of Rabbi Shimon who says that the candelabrum was placed in a north-south direction, only the middle lamp burned a whole day.