Ramban

Ramban (Moshe ben Nahman Gerondi, 1194 – c. 1270) was a Catalan rabbi, philosopher, physician, Kabbalist and biblical commentator. He is often called "Nachmanides", a Greek translation of the Hebrew "Ben Nahman", meaning "Son of Nahman". Ramban (רמב"ן) is an acronym of his Hebrew name and title, Rabbi Moshe ben Nahman (רבי משה בן נחמן). His Catalan name is Bonastruc ça Porta.

Quotes

 * שְׁמַע בְּנִי מוּסַר אָבִיךָ, וְאַל תִּטֹּשׁ תּוֹרַת אִמֶּךָ תִּתְנַהֵג תָּמִיד לְדַבֵּר כָּל דְּבָרֶיךָ בְּנַחַת, לְכָל אָדָם וּבְכָל עֵת, וּבַזֶּה תִּנָּצֵל מִן הַכַּעַס, שֶׁהִיא מִדָּה רָעָה לְהַחְטִיא בְּנֵי אָדָם... וְכַאֲשֶׁר תִּנָּצֵל מִן הַכַּעַס, תַּעֲלֶה עַל לִבְּךָ מִדַּת הָעֲנָוָה, שֶׁהִיא מִדָּה טוֹבָה מִכָּל מִדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת ... לְמַעַן תַּצְלִיחַ בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ, וְתִזְכֶּה לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא הַצָּפוּן לַצַּדִּיקִים.
 * Hear, my son, the instruction of your father and don't forsake the teaching of your mother (Mishlei 1:8). Get into the habit of always speaking calmly to everyone. This will prevent you from anger, a serious character flaw which causes people to sin. ... Once you have distanced yourself from anger, the quality of humility will enter your heart. This radiant quality is the finest of all admirable traits ... so that you will succeed in all your ways. Thus you will succeed and merit the World to Come which lies hidden away for the righteous.
 * Iggeres HaRamban, translation by


 * Therefore, I will now explain to you how to always behave humbly. Speak gently at all times, with your head bowed, your eyes looking down to the ground and your heart focusing on Hashem. Don't look at the face of the person to whom you are speaking. Consider everyone as greater than yourself. If he is wise or rich, you should give him respect. If he is poor and you are richer -- or wiser -- than he, consider yourself to be more guilty than he, and that he is more worthy than you, since when he sins it is through error, while yours is deliberate and you should know better!
 * Iggeres HaRamban, translation by


 * Erring, I wandered in the wilderness, In passion's grave nigh sinking, powerless; Now deeply I repent, in sore distress, That I kept not the statutes of the King!
 * Poem My King trans. Alice Lucas


 * כל התורה כולה שמותיו של הקב״ה
 * The whole Torah is the Name of the Almighty.
 * from the preface to Ramban commentary to the Bible