Ramban – Parshas Vayigash: Teva, Miracles.
– Ramban quotes Ibn Ezra disagreeing with Chazal about pshat in when Yocheved was born, and says he must reply since Ibn Ezra was saying Chazal’s pshat was not nittan l’hei’omer. Ramban explains that a Neis Nistar predicted by a
Q&A (Dec. 6, 2021)
Ramban: Vayeshev
– Yaakov chose to live in E”Y under others’ rule rather than elsewhere under his own sovereignty. This fulfilled “ger yihiye zar’acha…” HKB”H’s telling this to Avraham at bris bein haBesarim highlights that being Am Hanivchar involves suffering/sacrifice. Accomplishment is
Ramban: Vayishlach
Ikar 5, 6
– Ikar 5: serve only Hashem. No intermediaries. Davening for others. – Ikar 6: nevuah. Definition of nevuah is that it’s experienced by an adam hashalem.
Ramban, Vayeitzei: Nisayon, Tefillah, Understanding Behavior of Avos.
– Rachel saying to Yaakov that she will die from the tza’ar of not having kids. Yaakov replies that even a tzaddik can’t guarantee that anything will happen via his tefilla, rather it’s up to Hashem. Yaakov is not invalidating
Ramban – Parshas Toldos. Suffering, Tefillah, Eretz Yisroel.
– According to Ramban, Rivka was in such pain that she was questioning why she’s alive. It is possible to be in such pain that one doesn’t want to live. Gemara Kesubos – Chananiah et al would’ve given in if
Ramban’s Hakdama
– Hakdama to peirush al haTorah: Ramban appologizes for writing his peirush even though he “isn’t qualified”, but nafsho choshko baTorah (and that includes teaching.) In his hakdama to the Milchamos Hashem, he apologizes for mistakes, but not for writing
Ramban, Vayera
– People would ask how could it be that Hashem didn’t tell him, or how could it be that Avraham didn’t daven for them; either way HKB”H told Avraham to avoid that reaction.– “Tzedaka u’mishpat v’shamru derech Hashem” – blending
Maaseh Avos Siman Labonim: Ramban on Lech Lecha
There is a causative relationship between what happens to the Avos and what has been decreed on their descendants. As long as a gezeira is in the spiritual realm, it can be preempted, etc. Once it has been figuratively concretized