Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 1/אבן עזרא על דברים א׳
איש אומרים כי טעם אחד עשר יום מחורב דרך הר שעיר והנה הם הלכו במדבר ארבעים שנה וזה פי' ויהי בארבעים שנה. ואלה טעו כי עד קדש ברנע באו בשנה השנית רק ויהי בארבעים שנה דבק עם דבר משה והישר בעיני שפירושו אלה הדברים שהם דברי המצות הכתובים בפרשת ראה אנכי ושופטים וכי תצא והיה כי תבא כבר אמר אותם כאשר היו במדבר ויהי' דבר משה מושך עצמו ואחר עמו וכן הוא דבר משה במדבר בערבה מול סוף מיום שנסעו מסיני:
1In the name of the one who speaks righteousness and declares things that are right1 I will explain the Torah portion which begins with These Are The Words. Some say that the meaning of eleven days’ journey from Horeb…by the way of mount Seir (v. 2) is: Look. They traveled for forty years in the wilderness.2 (v. 2) is, that it took them 40 years to make a journey that normally takes eleven days. This is the meaning of And it came to pass in the fortieth year (v. 3).3 However, they err, for Israel came up to Kadesh-barnea in the second year.4 Actually, And it came to pass in the fortieth year is connected to that Moses spoke5 (v. 3). I believe that These are the words (v. 1) refers to the precepts recorded in the Torah portions Re’ah Anokhi,6 Shoftim,7 Ki Tetze,8 and Ve-hayah Ki Tavo,9 which were already spoken by Moses when they were in the wilderness. Moses spoke (v. 1) should be read as if written twice.10 This means Moses spoke,11 in the wilderness, in the Arabah, and in Suph from the day that they journeyed from Sinai.12
בבין פארן ובין תופל ולבן וחצרות ודי זהב. מקומות לא נזכרו בפ' אלה מסעי או נזכרו בשמות אחרים כי הנה שניר יש לו ג' שמות ורבים כן:
2BETWEEN PARAN AND TOPHEL, AND LABAN, AND HAZEROTH, AND DI-ZAHAB. Places not mentioned in the Torah portion These Are the Stages13 (Num. 33:1). On the other hand, they might have been mentioned14 under other names, for, observe, Senir15 has three names.16 There are many other such instances.
אאחד עשר יום. הטעם שדבר אלה הדברים באותם י״א יום מחורב. שהלכו מחורב עד קדש ברנע וכבר הגדתי לך כי מקדש ברנע הלכו המרגלי' ואחר שנשבע השם שלא יכנסו לארץ לא התחדש' מצו' רק בשנת הארבעים כי כן מצאנו והעד שאמר באר את התורה הזאת הנה באר התורה שאמר בין פארן ובין תפל כי רוב המצות הם בספר הזה וכן פי' ככל אשר צוה ה' אותו אליהם בעבר הירדן במדבר בערבה ואם תבין סוד (השרים) [צ״ל השנים] עשר גם ויכתוב משה והכנעני אז בארץ בהר ה' יראה גם והנה ערשו ערש ברזל תכיר האמת:
1IT IS ELEVEN DAYS’ JOURNEY. This means that Moses spoke these things17 in those eleven days. FROM HOREB. That they went from Horeb to Kadeshbarnea. I have already told18 you that the spies went out from Kadesh-barnea. After God swore that they would not enter the land,19 no new commandment was given to them.20 No new commandment was revealed until the fortieth year. We find the aforementioned to be so.21 Took Moses upon him to expound this law (v. 5) is proof of this. Moses expounded the laws22 refers to. which he had stated between Paran and Tophel, for most of the commandments are in this book.23 According unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them (v. 3), refers to the precepts given beyond the Jordan; in the wilderness, in the Arabah (v. 1).24 (v. 3) is to be interpreted as: Moses spoke… according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them beyond the Jordan; in the wilderness, in the Arabah, and in all the other places mentioned earlier in the eleven days’ journey from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea. If you understand the secret of the twelve25 and also that of So Moses wrote (Deut. 31:22);26 And the Canaanite was then in the Land (Gen. 12:6);27 In the mount where the Lord is seen (Gen. 22:14);28. Hence this verse was inserted in the Torah at a later date. and behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron (Deut. 3:11);29 then you will recognize the truth.30
אי״א כי באחד [באדר] (ס״א בשבט) מת משה ואמר כי התאבלו שלשים יום וישבו שם (שתי) [צ״ל שש] שבתות והראי' שלהם ויהי בעצם היום הזה כי ביום אחד קרא זה הספר אל כל ישראל ובו מת וזאת איננה ראיה כי בעצם היום הזה הוא על השיר' והנה כתוב אתה עובר היום את הירדן:
1Some say that Moses died on the first day of Shevat.31 Scripture states that Israel mourned thirty days (Deut. 34:8). They spent six Sabbaths there.32 refers to the day that Moses finished reviewing the Torah. If this was the case, then two Sabbaths remained from the end of the period of Moses’ mourning and the tenth of Nisan. Both of these opinions take issue with Rabbinic tradition, which believes that Moses died on the seventh of Adar. According to Weiser the opinions quoted and rejected by I.E. are those of the Karaites. It is worth noting that I.E. does not quote the Rabbinic opinion. They offer proof from that selfsame day (Deut. 32:48), i.e., that Moses read this book before all of Israel in one day and then died on that very day.33 refers to the day that Moses repeated the Torah to all of Israel. However, this is no proof, for that selfsame day refers to the song.34 (give ear) (Deut. 32:1-43). Look! Scripture states, thou art to pass over the Jordan this day (Deut. 9:1).35.
בבעשתי. פירשתיו בפרשת נשא:
2IN THE ELEVENTH MONTH. I have explained the meaning of ashte asar (eleven) in my comments on the Torah portion Nasso.36
אהואיל משה באר. שנים פעלים עוברים דבקים בלא וי״ו וכן חמק עבר והנה משה החל לפרש לבנים שנולדו במדבר מה שאירע לאבותיהם ואמר להם כל המצות גם עשרת הדברים ששמעו אבותיהם מפי השם ישמעום גם הם מפי ציר נאמן:
1TOOK MOSES UPON HIM TO EXPLAIN. Ho’il (took upon himself) and be’er (to explain) are two verbs in the perfect attached to each other without a connective vav.37. Hence I.E.’s comments. According to I.E., ho’il moshe be’er (took Moses upon himself to expound) is to be explained as if written, ho’il moshe u-ve’er (Moses began and explained). We find the same in chamak avar (had turned away, and was gone) (Cant. 5:6). Look! Moses began to explain to the children who were born in the wilderness what happened to their fathers. He related to them all the commandments. They would also hear from the mouth of the faithful messenger the Ten Statements which their fathers heard from God.
אבחורב. הוא סיני כאשר אמרתי:
1HOREB. This is Sinai,38 as I have previously noted.
אפנו. עזבו זה המקום וסעו לכם. דרך הלשון כמו לך לך:
1TURN YOU. Leave this place. AND TAKE YOUR JOURNEY. It is the style of Scripture to say, u-se’u lakhem39 literally means, and journey for yourselves. Hence I.E.’s comment. (and take your journey). Compare, lekh lekha40 (get thee out) (Gen.2:1).
אלא אוכל לבדי. כטעם לא תוכל עשוהו לבדך:
1I AM NOT ABLE TO BEAR YOU MYSELF ALONE. Its meaning is similar to thou art not able to perform it alone (Ex. 18:18).41
אהרבה אתכם. במצרים ונתקיימה הברכה שברך אביכם:
1HATH MULTIPLIED YOU. In Egypt, and the blessing which your father blessed you was fulfilled.
בוטעם ככוכבי השמים. דרך משל:
2[AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN.] This is a metaphor.
אפעמים עם אלף וכן מאה הפך לשון קדר:
1A THOUSAND TIMES. The word pe’amim (times) comes with elef (a thousand)42 precedes the word pe’amim. and with me’ah (a hundred).43 (a hundred times). The reverse is the case in Arabic.44
אטרחכם. מגזרת היו עלי לטורח ופי' טרחכם להבין אנשים פתאים המצות:
1YOUR CUMBRANCE. Torchakhem (your cumbrance) is related to the word torach (burden) in They are a burden unto me (Is. 1:14).45 Your cumbrance refers to teaching the commandments to the simple.
בומשאכם. שבקשו לחם ומים ובשר כמו לשום את משא כל העם הזה:
2AND YOUR BURDEN. They demanded bread, water, and meat. Compare, that Thou layest the burden of all this people upon me (Num. 11:11).
גוריבכם. זה עם זה:
3AND YOUR STRIFE. One with another.
אהבו. מלה זרה והיה הה״א ראוי להתנועע בשו״א ופת״ח:
1GET YOU. The word havu (get) is irregular. Its heh46. should have been vocalized with a sheva na and a pattach.47. See I.E. on Gen. 11:4; 47:16, and the notes thereto (Vol. 1, pp. 139,140, 408).
בוידועים. שהם היו ידועים שיכירום הכל:
2AND FULL OF KNOWLEDGE.48 (literally, and known). Hence I.E.’s comment. Men who were known, men whom all recognized.
אשרי אלפים. פירשתיו:
1CAPTAINS OF THOUSANDS. I have already explained this.49
אשמוע. שם הפועל כמו זכור את יום השבת והוא שמוע שמעו או שמעו שמוע:
1HEAR. Shamo’a (hear) is an infinitive. It is like the word zakhor (remember) in Remember the sabbath day (Ex. 20:8).50 is an infinitive. Shamo’a is short for shamo’a shimu (you shall surely hear) or shimu shamo’a (you shall surely hear).51 literally means to hear. This makes no sense here. Thus I.E. believes that it is short for shamo’a shimu or shimu shamo’a (you shall hear), for it is good Hebrew style to combine a conjugated verb with an infinitive for purposes of emphasis.
בגרו. כבר פירשתיו:
2THE STRANGER THAT IS WITH HIM. I have already explained the meaning of the term ger (stranger).52
אתכירו. להכריח הדין למי שיכיר:
1RESPECT PERSONS IN JUDGMENT.53 To force judgment in favor of the person whom he [the judge] recognizes.
אאשר תעשון. הם החוקים והמשפטי' שהורום:
1WHICH YE SHOULD DO. The reference is to the statutes and laws which he [Moses] taught them.
אאת כל המדבר. זה אחד עשר יום:
1ALL THAT GREAT AND DREADFUL WILDERNESS. This is what the eleven day’s journey (v. 2) refers to.
בוטעם הר האמורי. כי כן כתיב בשעיר עד חרמה. והטעם שנצא להר האמורי:
2[THE HILL-COUNTRY OF THE AMORITES.54] For Scripture states, [And the Amorites, that dwell in that hill-country, came out against you…] and beat you down in Seir, even unto Hormah (Deut. 1:44).55 This56. means that we should go out toward the hill country of the Amorites.57 refers to the charge in verse 7 to march towards the Promised Land, namely, turn you, and take your journey, and go to the hill-country of the Amorites…
ארש. במשקל שב מגזרת ירושה:
1TAKE POSSESSION. Resh (take possession) is vocalized like the word shev (sit).58. Resh comes from the root yod, resh, shin. Shev comes from the root yod, shin, bet. Resh is related to the word yerushah (possession).
בתחת. כמו ידל כבוד יעקב מפעלי הכפל:
2DISMAYED. Techat (dismayed) is similar59 to the word yiddal (shall be made thin) in That the glory of Jacob shall be made thin (Is. 17:4).60 the chirik changes to tzereh because of the chet. Techat comes from a double root.
אויחפרו. כמו לחפור את כל הארץ כי החופר יחפש מה שיש בסתר:
1THAT THEY MAY SEARCH THE LAND FOR US. Veyachperu (that they may search) is similar61 to la-chepor (to search out) in to search out all the land (Josh. 2:3). One who digs (chofer) searches for that which is hidden.62 (that they may search) and la-chepor (to search out) come from the root chet, peh, resh, which means to dig. Hence I.E.’s comment.
באשר נבוא אליהן. בתחלה:
2BY WHICH WE MUST GO UP. At first.63
אוייטב בעיני הדבר בעבור שכלכם הסכמתם על זה:
1AND THE THING PLEASED ME WELL. Because you all assented to this.
אויורידו בעבור גובה העץ והאמת בעבור היותם בנגב:
1AND BROUGHT IT DOWN. Moses said this because of the height of the tree.64 is, and they brought the fruit down from tree and delivered it to us. Actually, however, he said this because they65 were in the south.66 means: and brought the fruit to us from the north.
אותרגנו. כמו ורוגנים ילמדו לקח והוא מבנין נפעל כמו אל תעצבו:
1AND YE MURMURED. Va-teragenu (and ye murmured) is similar to rogenim (murmur) in And they that murmur shall learn instruction (Is. 29:24). Teragenu (murmured) is in the nifal. Compare, al te’atzevu67. (be not grieved).
אלא תערצון. כמו לא תפחדון והוא מגזרת והוא מעריצכם והטעם שבר הלב בפחד:
1DREAD NOT. Lo ta’artzun means dread not. Ta’artzun is related to the word ma’aritzekhem (your dread) in and let him be your dread (Is. 8:13). It means the breaking of the heart by fear.68 comes from the root ayin, resh, tzadi, which means to break. Thus lo ta’artzun literally means do not be broken. Hence I.E.’s comment.
אילחם לכם. בשבילכם:
1HE SHALL FIGHT FOR YOU. Lakhem means for you.69 literally means to you. Hence I.E.’s comment.
אלחנותכם. איננו פעל יוצא כי לא מצאנו מזה הבנין כן:
1TO PITCH YOUR TENTS. La-chanotekhem (to pitch your tents) is not a transitive verb,70 for we do not find this form to be transitive.
בלראותכם. נפתח הלמ״ד ללמד על האות שהוא ה״א ה״א הדעת הנעדרת:
2TO SHOW YOU. La-re’otekhem (to show you) is vocalized with a pattach to show that the letter heh, which is placed before the direct object71 is the heh of the hifil. (le-hare’otekhem) is missing.
אזולתי. היו״ד נוסף כי נמצא בלא י':
1SAVE. The yod in zulati (save) is superfluous, for the word is found without the yod.72. See II Kings 24:14.
בולו אתן את הארץ אשר דרך בה. היא חברון:
2AND TO HIM WILL I GIVE THE LAND THAT HE HATH TRODDEN UPON. The reference is to Hebron.73
אכבר ביארתי כי אפו הנו״ן מובלע בפ״א והיא בל' ארמי' נראית גם הוא מגזרת כי אנפת בי גם בי התאנף ה':
1[ALSO THE LORD WAS ANGRY WITH ME.] I have already shown you74 that the nun of the word appo (his anger) (Gen. 39:19) is swallowed by the peh.75 is alef, nun, peh. In appo the nun drops out and a dagesh is placed in the peh. However, it is present in the Aramaic.76 (Krinsky). Furthermore, appo is also related to the word anafta77. (thou was angry) in For though Thou was angry with me (Is. 12:1) and hitannaf (was angry)78. in Also the Lord was angry with me. Moses mentions Caleb first, then Joshua.79 I have already explained why.80
אהזכיר כלב בתחלה כאשר פירשתי ואח״כ יהושע העומד לפניך. הוא משרתו:
1WHO STANDETH BEFORE THEE. This is his minister (Ex. 24:13; Num. 11:28).81 one who standeth before thee means the one who stands before you to serve you (Krinsky).
אאשר לא ידעו היום. באותו היום:
1THAT THIS DAY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE. That day.82 refers to the day that God meted out the punishment to the generation that exited Egypt, not to the day that Moses reviewed the Torah.
בטוב ורע. על רובם דבר הכתוב:
2OF GOOD OR EVIL. Scripture speaks of the majority.83
אותהינו. ותאמרו הן ואל תתמה איך יבא פעל נגזר ממלה מדבקת כי כן מלת על גם פן שמצאנו אפונה כאשר פירשתיו וי״א שהוא מגזרת הין והטעם מדה והוא רחוק:
1AND DEEMED IT A LIGHT THING. The meaning of va-tahinu (and deemed it a light thing) is, and you said behold (hen).84), and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised (Num. 14:40). Do not ask how a verb85. can be derived from a word that is connected to another word,86 for we find the same with al.87 (went up) is derived from al (on). The same is true, as I have explained,88 of the word pen (lest), for we find the word afunah (I am distracted) (Ps. 88:16).89 is derived from the word pen. Others say that va-tahinu is related to the word hin.90 Its meaning is a measure.91 is, they measured; i.e., they were ready to measure the mountain, that is, to take the mountain (Sarim). However, this is far-fetched.
אויצא האמורי. הוא הכנעני כאשר פירשתי:
1AND THE AMORITES…CAME OUT. The reference, as I have explained, is to the Canaanites.92. Hence I.E.’s comment. The Amorites were a branch of the Canaanite people. See I.E. on Gen. 15:16 (Vol. 1, p. 175).
בכאשר תעשינה הדבורים. כי מי שיגע אל ביתם מיד ירדפו אחריו וינשכוהו:
2AS BEES DO. For they immediately chase after and bite whoever touches their abode.
גויכתו. פירשתיו מגזרת וכתותי:
3AND BEAT YOU DOWN. I have explained the meaning of va-yakketu (and beat you down).93 It is related to the word ve-khatoti (and I will beat to pieces) (Ps. 99:24).94.
דעד חרמה. מקום או שם הפעל:
4UNTO HORMAH. Hormah is either the name of a place or an infinitive.95
אותשבו בקדש. ברנע:
1SO YE ABODE IN KADESH. Kadesh-barnea.96
בימים רבים כימים אשר ישבתם. ברגול הארץ ואם טען טוען המרגלים ישבו לבדם הנה כן כמספר הימים אשר תרתם את הארץ:
2MANY DAYS, ACCORDING UNTO THE DAYS THAT YE ABODE THERE. In spying out the land. If one should argue, the spies alone abode there.97 [The answer is:] Scripture similarly reads, After the number of days in which ye spied out the land (Num. 14:34).98