Short – One Concept a Day. This time: Iggeret HaRamban

Nir Topper
15 hours ago
4 min read

In 1267, in his 70s and following his expulsion from Aragon (a kingdom in present-day northeast Spain) after the "Disputation of Barcelona" (1263)—a forced public theological confrontation at the royal court—the Ramban (Rabbi Moses ben Nahman, also known as Nachmanides) arrived at the ruins of Jerusalem. He found a city ravaged by destruction. In a letter attributed to him sent from Jerusalem to his son, he described the terrible desolation: “The more sacred the place, the greater the ruin.” This devastation was primarily the result of the Khwarazmian invasion in 1244—Turkic tribes displaced by the Mongols—and the tremors left by the battles between Mongols, Crusaders, and Mamluks. At that time, Jerusalem was under Mamluk rule, with only a tiny number of Jewish residents. Amidst this harsh reality, the Ramban established the synagogue that bears his name within a magnificent ruined building—described as having marble columns and a beautiful dome. According to tradition, it was originally founded on Mount Zion and only moved to its current location in the Jewish Quarter around 1400. This institution became a symbol of the renewal of Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel. It is important to distinguish between this historical letter from Jerusalem and the famous "Iggeret HaRamban"—a spiritual testament (Ethical Will) attributed to him that focuses on humility and anger management, which is an entirely separate moral text.

The Ramban’s writings testify to a worldview that regarded dwelling in the Land of Israel as a supreme religious commandment (Mitzvah) applicable to all generations. His arrival in 1267 was part of a broader movement: before him, between 1209 and 1211, approximately three hundred scholars from France and England (from the schools of the Ba'alei HaTosafot) immigrated to the Land, and in 1258, Rabbi Yechiel of Paris arrived with his Yeshiva. Nevertheless, the Ramban’s establishment of the synagogue and the revival of the Jewish community in Jerusalem marked a central milestone in preserving the continuity of Jewish presence in the city. One of his writings, the famous "Iggeret HaRamban"—a spiritual legacy to his son regarding humility and the refinement of character—remains one of the most influential texts in Jewish ethics to this day.

To understand the essence of the Iggeret, one can examine several quotes that have become cornerstones of Jewish education and culture. The letter opens with a verse from the Book of Proverbs: "Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother," and immediately moves to its most identified sentence: "Accustom yourself to speak all your words calmly to every man and at all times, and by this, you shall be saved from anger"—which serves as the starting point of its moral teachings. Regarding the severity of anger, the Ramban cites the Sages: "Whoever becomes angry—all types of Gehinnom (hell) rule over him" (Nedarim 22a), a sharp expression illustrating the loss of control and internal suffering associated with this trait. Immediately after, the Ramban presents humility as the pinnacle of virtues: "The trait of humility is the best of all good traits." He continues with another requirement for human humility—"Always consider from where you came and where you are going"—and practical instructions emphasizing the transition from study to action: "When you rise from the book, search through what you have learned to see if there is something in it that you can fulfill." Another well-known quote, "Let every man be greater than you in your eyes," emphasizes the value of humility as the key to proper human relations. The letter concludes with an instruction to read it weekly to internalize its values.

The Ramban passed away around 1270, likely only three years after his arrival in the Land. His exact burial place remains a historical mystery accompanied by competing traditions. The earliest and most accepted tradition points to the ancient Jewish cemetery in Haifa, at the foot of Mount Carmel—where, according to testimonies, he was buried alongside Rabbi Samson of Sens and Rabbi Yechiel of Paris, both among the Ba'alei HaTosafot. Other traditions identify his grave in Acre, Hebron (near the Cave of the Patriarchs, in accordance with the wish expressed in his letter to his son), a cave in Jerusalem bearing his name, or even Tiberias. The uncertainty regarding his final resting place has only enhanced the myth surrounding his figure, leaving his written legacy as the most significant testament to his presence in the Land.

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Image 1: "Iggeret HaRamban" on the wall of the Ramban Synagogue in the Old City, Jerusalem. Source: Deror avi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Image 2: The Ramban Synagogue (adjacent to and beneath the "Hurva" Synagogue). According to documents from the Sharia Court in Jerusalem, the synagogue building in the "Ashkenazi Courtyard" was purchased on March 25, 1425, during the Mamluk rule. In 1488, Rabbi Obadiah of Bertinoro arrived in Jerusalem and described the synagogue (there is no confirmation he was referring to today's Ramban Synagogue, but the description matches): "The synagogue of Jerusalem is built upon columns; it is long, narrow, and dark, with no light except from the entrance, and inside it is a cistern of water." Source: Nis101, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.