Explore every episode of the podcast Ramban on the Torah

Explanation of Ramban - 12:10, 12:11, 20:2, 20:12 - discussion of Rashi, Ramban and Ran's approaches to the two incidents with Pharoah and Avimelech where Sarah is taken by the king, and the differences between them

Explanation of Ramban - 12:7, 15:1, Shemos 12:40 - discussion between Rashi, Tosafos, Ibn Ezra, Ramban and Vilna Gaon, whether Bris Bein Habesarim (ch. 15) happened when Avraham was 70 years old, before Lech Lecha (12:1), or afterwards when he was 75 years old

Explanation of Ramban - 1) 6:18 - debate between Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban what the covenant mentioned to Noach is, 2) 9:12 - debate between Rashi/Ibn Ezra vs. Rav Saadia Gaon/Ramban (and other commentators) whether rainbows are a natural occurence or a miraculous event

Explanation of Ramban - 1) 4:17 - did any of Cain's descendants survive the flood, 2) 4:22 - three views in the midrash what was significant about Naamah, 3) 4:23 - debate with Rashi/Ibn Ezra why Lemech's wives separated from him.

Explanation of Ramban - 1:6, 1:8, 1:10 - debate between Rashi/Ibn Ezra vs. Rambam/Ramban whether the Shamayim in verse 1:1 is the spiritual Heavens or the physical Sky

Explanation of Ramban - 1) 33:2 - debate between Rashi, Rav Saadia Gaon, Ibn Ezra and Ramban where God "came from" to Mt. Sinai, 2) 33:5 - debate between Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban who is the king of Yeshurun, 3) 33:6 - debate between Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban why the tribe of Shimon is skipped in the blessings, and why the tribes are blessed out of order.

Discussion of Ramban - 31:13 - at what age are children brought to Hakhel: as toddlers, or only once they will have some understanding (6-7 years old).

Explantion of Ramban - 23:5, 23:7 - debate between Ibn Ezra and Ramban whether Moav gave the Jewish people food and water, and what it means not to offer them peace.

Explanation of Ramban - 20:10, 20:11, 29:10 - debate between Rashi vs. Rambam/Ramban whether Canaanite nations can surrender, and discussion of why the Gibeonites had to lie to surrender and not do so openly? Rambam, Tosafos and Ramban's answers.

Explanation of Ramban - 1) 17:6 - debate between Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban regarding why the Torah mentions "three witnesses"? 2) 19:19 - Ramban and other commentators' explanations for why if the victim is killed the lying witnesses get no punishment, whereas if he's still alive they get killed?

Explanation of Ramban - 15:1 - debate between Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban what "miketz" means, and when hakhel and cancelling the debts in shemitah happens.

Explanation of Ramban - 10:1 - debate between Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban whether there were one or two arks in the desert.

Explanation of Ramban - 1) 5:15, 16:12 - debate between Rashi/Ibn Ezra versus Rambam/Ramban regarding the two different reasons for Shabbos in the Ten Commandments. 2) 4:19, 32:12, Shemos 12:12, Vayikra 18:25, Bamidbar 11:16, 14:9, 23:23 - Ramban's theory about the mistake of idolatry.

Explanation of Ramban - 1:1, 1:2 - debate between Rashi versus Ibn Ezra/Ramban how to read the first four verses in Devarim and what they are trying to accomplish and setup.

Explanation of Ramban - 33:1 - who cites Rashi and Rambam's explanations for why the Torah lists the locations where the Jewish people stopped in the desert.

Explanation of Ramban - 32:33, 32:40 - debate between Ramban versus Ibn Ezra over the role of the half tribe of Menashe in the story in ch. 32, including the debate between Ramban and Rashi what percentage of Menashe lived outside Israel, and the debate between Meshech Chochma versus the Brisker Rav whether the half tribe of Mhenashe had the same status as the tribes of Reuven and Gad

Explantion of Ramban - 1) 26:46 - what made Serach bat Asher so unique? Three approaches of Rashi, Onkelos and Ramban. 2) 26:13 - discussion of Rashi (and R. Moshe Hadarshan) and Ramban what criteria the Torah used to identify and divide the families in the census.

Explanation of Ramban - 22:5, 22:31, 23:4, 23:16, 23:23, 24:1 - debate over what Bilam's abilities were: Rashi (prophet) vs. Ibn Ezra (astrologer) vs. Ramban (magician), and discussion of Bilam's prophetic abilities compared to Moshe.

Explanation of Ramban - 22:13, 19 - debate between Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban about the book cited in 21:14, and the meaning of the two poems recorded in the Sixth Aliyah.

Explanation of Ramban - 16:1, 4, 5 - 1) Debate between Ibn Ezra versus Ramban whether Korach's rebellion was before or after the spies, 2) Who joined Korach's rebellion and why? A) Rashi - Korach wanted power, and got his neighbors from Reuven to join. B) Rabbenu Chananel - Korach led Leviim in rebelling against the Kohanim's elevation. C) Ibn Ezra - Korach led firstborns in rebelling against the Leviim's elevation. D) Ramban - It was a disunited group, Korach wanted power, some people from Reuven opposed Moshe's leadership, and some firstborns opposed the Leviim's elevation

Explantion of Ramban - 1) 13:2 debate between Rashi vs. Ramban about what the mission of the spies was, and whether sending spies was a mistake to begin with, 2) 13:27, 13:32, 14:37 - Ramban's theory that the spies told lies about the land of Israel

Explanation of Ramban - Introduction, 5:2, 5:6, 8:1, 9:1 - Ramban's comprehensive theory, versus Rashi and Ibn Ezra, for the order and central themes of Sefer Bamidbar, particularly the placement of Sotah, Nazir, Menorah, and Pesach Sheni.

Explanation of Ramban - 5:18, 5:20 - 1) Debate between Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban what the Torah means in calling the Sotah water 'bitter', and the debate over what the Ibn Ezra's secret is. 2) Ramban's explanation that Sotah only happens when the Jewish people are worthy of a miracle

Explanation of Ramban - 3:14 - Ramban's two explanations for why the Leviim were the smallest tribe, and discussion of Ohr Hachaim and Klei Yakar's (3:39) approach.

Explanation of Ramban - 26:16, Devarim 28:48 - discussion of Ramban's theory that the Vayikra tochacha refers to the first exile, and the Devarim tochacha refers to the second (current) exile, versus R. Avraham bar Chiya who argues precisely the opposite.

Explanation of Ramban - 25:1, 16:1 - when were parshas Behar (shemita) and Bechukosai (tochacha) said? Three way debate between Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban where these parshas fit in chronologically.

Explanation of Ramban - 23:2 - debate between Rashi/Ramban vs. Ibn Ezra whether 'moadim' includes Shabbos, and discussion of Ramban's insight that davening with a minyan on Yom Tov may be a Torah obligation.

Explanation of Ramban - 19:19 - debate between Rashi vs. Ramban whether there is a reason for the kilayim prohibitions, debate between Ibn Ezra vs. Rambam vs. Ramban what that reason is, discussion of Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Ramban how to translate shatnez, and debate between Rashi vs. Ramban/Tosafos about the details of shatnez

Discussion of Ramban - 18:6, 18:18, 18:19 - debate between Rambam/Ibn Ezra versus Ramban why incest is prohibited, and discussion whether Ramban authored Iggeret Kodesh with a positive attitude towards sexual relations

Explanation of Ramban - 12:2, 12:4, 18:19, Bereishit 31:35 - discussion of Ramban's medical theory that there are toxins in menstrual blood, and the Dvar Avraham of Kovno's 1936 speech defending this notion based on the contemporaneous scientific notion of menotoxins.

Explanation of Ramban - 11:9 - Ramban's stringency that the scales of fish must be peelable, and the debate based on this whether sturgeon and swordfish are kosher, and the story surrounding Noda Biyehuda's permitting sturgeon.

Explanation of Ramban - 7:16 - about Ramban's halachic innovation that even Korban meat which can be eaten for 2 days, there's a mitzva to eat it on the first day specifically. And the Chacham Tzvi's extension of this to the Chagiga of the Seder, that must be able to be eaten on Erev Pesach

Explanation of Ramban - 1:9 - debate between Rambam vs. Ramban what the reason for animal sacrifice is.

Explanation of Ramban - 40:2, 40:17, Vayikra 8:2 - debate between Rashi/Ramban vs. Ibn Ezra what date the Mishkan was inaugurated, and debate between Rashi vs. Ibn Ezra/Ramban when Shemos ch. 40 happened

Explanation of Ramban - 31:13, 35:2 - debate between Rashi and Ramban how we know it's forbidden to build the Mishkan on Shabbos, and Meshech Chochma's explanation as to why in Ki Tisa the Mishkan precedes Shabbos, and in Vayakhel it's reversed.

Explanation of Ramban - 32:1, 32:4, 32:5, 32:6, 32:21, 32:22 - reconstruction of the views of Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban about what the sin of the golden calf was and what Ahron's role in it was.

Explanation of Ramban - 33:7, 34:28 - debate between Rashi/Tosafos versus Ramban/Vilna Gaon whether Moshe lived in Heaven two or three times, and discussion of the Vilna Gaon's revolutionary view of what Yom Kippur celebrates.

Explanation of Ramban - 28:2, 28:31, 39:24, 39:28 - debates between Rashi vs. Rambam vs Ramban and other commentators about the specific details of the Kohen Gadol's cloak and hat.

Explanation of Ramban - Introduction to Terumah - discussion of the Rambam/Ramban debate about the purpose of the Mishkan, and the debate between Rashi versus Ibn Ezra/Ramban whether the Mishkan preceded the golden calf or came afterwards.

Explanation of Ramban - 21:1, 21:2, 21:15 - the approaches of Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and Ramban to explain the placement, theme and order of Mishpatim

Explanation of Ramban - 24:1 - the debate between Rashi versus Ibn Ezra/Ramban whether naaseh vnishma happened before Matan Torah or after

Explanation of Ramban - 18:1, 18:13 - debate between Rashi/Ibn Ezra versus Ramban whether Yitro came before the giving of the Torah or after.

Explanation of Ramban - 12:40 - debate between Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban how to calculate the 430, 400, and 210 years which are all part of the Exodus timeline.

Explanation of Ramban - 7:3 - about Hashem hardening Pharaoh's heart and how this fits in with free will and personal responsiblty. Discussion of the views of Rambam, Rashi, Ramban, Rav Yosef Albo, and Professor David Shatz's article.

Explanation of Ramban - 2:23, 3:18 - about Moshe's code to prove he was the redeemer, and the debate between Ramban and Maharal how this worked. Including debate about how old Moshe was when he fled Egypt, and what he did during his years of wandering.

Explanation of Ramban - 49:10 - about Yaakov giving the monarchy to the tribe of Yehuda, and why there were exceptions to this, including the Maccabees, and whether they sinned by becoming kings. Including the debate between Rambam and Ramban whether Chanukah celebrates political sovereignty as well as spiritual salvation.

Explanation of Ramban - 45:27 - the debate between Rashi and Ramban whether Yaakov ever found out the truth that the other brothers had sold Yosef? Rashi - he knew the details, Ramban - he never knew.

Explanation of Ramban - 46:7, 46:15, 17:17 - debate between Rashi and Ramban versus Ibn Ezra as to when Yocheved was born, and why the Torah omits some of the incredible miracles which are recorded in the Midrash

Explanation of Ramban 42:9 - why didn't Yosef contact his father to let him know he was alive? Discussion of Tosafos' 2 answers, Ramban's approach, and the discussion surrounding Ramban's approach.

Explanation of Ramban - 1) 38:3, 38:5 - explanation of Yehuda's three older sons' names and who named them, and 2) 38:8, 38:26, 46:2 - debate between Rashi and Ramban what the purpose of yibum is (a memorial versus the kabbalistic concept of reincarnation) and whether Yehuda's marriage to Tamar was motivated by yibum.