Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 13/אבן עזרא על דברים י״ג
אכי יקום בקרבך נביא. טעם בקרבך כי אין נביא כי אם מישראל וזאת הפרשה דבקה בעבור עכו״ם כי שרפת הבנים ע״ג. נביא שיאמר כי בהקיץ דבר השם או שלוחו עמו או בחלום ויש אומרים כי יתכן להיות הנביא ממגנבי דבר השם ופי' שאמר נביא האמת שיהי' אות כך להצדיקו ושמע השומע והגידו להיות אות לנפשו ויש אומרים כי אפילו בא האות והמופת אין להאמין בו כי הוא דבר הפך שקול הדעת ולפי דעתי שיש אות גם מופת כמו סימן והעד דברי ישעיה שאמר הנה אנכי והילדים אשר נתן לי ה' לאותות ולמופתים ואות הנביא כאשר הלך עבדי ישעיה ערום ויחף ואותות בניו שמותם על דבר המקרה שיהיה בימיהם והם עמנואל מהר שלל חש בז ושאר ישוב ובמכות והיו לך לאות ולמופת וכן רבי':
1IF THERE ARISE IN THE MIDST OF THEE. Scripture reads in the midst of thee because there is no prophet except from among Israel.1 This section is connected to the previous one2 because they both deal with idol worship, for the burning of the children (Deut. 12:31) was an act of idol worship. Our verse deals with a prophet who claims that God, or God’s messenger, spoke to him while he was awake or in a dream. Some say that it is possible that the prophet3 was one of those who steal God’s word (Jer. 26:30). They explain that a true prophet said that a certain sign would appear to verify his word.4 Someone heard this and related the sign so that it should bear witness for him.5 Others say that even if the sign or a wonder came to pass6 we do not believe him,7 for what he says8 contradicts reason.9, Treatise III. I believe that the terms wonder10. and sign11. apply also12 (Deut. 4:34). to symbolic acts.13 (wonder) and ot (sign) usually refer to a miraculous act such as changing a rod into a serpent or water into blood. However, it may also refer to an act which illustrates what the prophet predicts will happen. According to I.E. the sign spoken of in our verse refers to the latter. Hence Scripture speaks of the sign coming to pass; i.e., the act played out by the prophet came to be. Compare, the words of the prophet Isaiah: Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me shall be for signs and for wonders (Is. 8:18); the sign of the prophet14 in Like as My servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot (Is. 20:3);15 the names of his children, which served as signs regarding things that would occur in their lifetime, namely, Emanuel (Is. 7:14); Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Is. 8:3); Shearjashub (Is. 7:3). Also Scripture’s statement with regard to the plagues,16 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder (Deut. 28:46). There are many such instances.17
אוטעם כי מנסה. בעבור שעזבו ולא המיתו ונסיון השם להראות צדקת המנוסה:
1[PUTTETH YOU TO PROOF.] Scripture says, for the Lord…putteth you to proof, because God left the prophet18 alone and did not kill him. The purpose of God’s test is to show the righteousness of the one who is being tried.19, 111:24. Also see I.E. on Gen. 22:1 (Vol. 1, p. 223).
אאחרי ה' אלהיכם תלכו. שתעשו על פי יכלתכם כמעשיו ותרדפו אחרי נתיבותיו:
1AFTER THE LORD YOUR GOD SHALL YE WALK. You shall do your utmost to imitate God’s deeds and pursue His paths.
בואותו תיראו. מלשאול למה זה:
2AND HIM SHALL YE FEAR. You shall refrain from asking why this is so.20
גואת מצותיו תשמורו. שהם העיקר:
3AND HIS COMMANDMENTS SHALL YE KEEP. The commandments which are most important.21. The most important “commandments are those precepts that are implanted in the heart, They are not contingent on place, time or anything else…[they] were known by reason before the Torah was given through the agency of Moses…The decalogue, with the exclusion of the Sabbath, is an example” (Strickman translation, pp. 75,76).
דובקולו תשמעו. מה שהם זכר לעיקר:
4AND UNTO HIS VOICE SHALL YE HEARKEN. This refers to precepts which recall that which is most important.22the tefillin…the tzitzit [all serve as reminders] (Ibid, p. 78). The tzitzit (the fringes), for example, remind us of God’s commandments.
הואתו תעבודו. במעשה:
5AND HIM SHALL YE SERVE. In deed.
וובו תדבקון. בלב בראש ובסוף:
6AND UNTO HIM SHALL YE CLEAVE. With your heart. In the beginning and at the end.23
אכי דבר סרה. תחסר מלת דבר כמו וברוב יועצים תקום:
1BECAUSE HE HATH SPOKEN PERVERSION. The word davar (thing) has been omitted from our clause.24 (for he hath spoken perversion).
בוטעם סרה. שהשם צוה לסור מעבודת כוכבים או הוא מגזרת סורר ומורה והוא הנכון והיה הרי״ש ראוי להדגש:
2Sarah is an adjective. Hence I.E. notes that the word which sarah is describing has been omitted. Our text is to be interpreted as if written, ki dibber davar sarah. I.E. interprets the latter as, for he has spoken words commanding us to turn away from the Lord. But in the multitude of counselors established25 (Prov. 15:22) is similar.26 Scripture reads sarah (perversion) because God commanded Israel to turn away (la-sur) from idolatry.27 as meaning for He has spoken words urging us to turn away from the Lord. On the other hand, the word sarah might be related to the word soreh28. (defiant) in defiant29 and rebellious (Deut. 21:20). The latter interpretation is correct. The resh should have received a dagesh.30. However, it doesn’t, for resh does not receive a dagesh.
גהמוציא אתכם והפודך. כפול בטעם לחזוק:
3WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, AND REDEEMED THEE OUT OF THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE. Scripture repeats itself for the sake of emphasis.
דובערת. פירשתיו:
4SO SHALT THOU PUT AWAY. I have previously explained the meaning of u-vi’arta (so thou put away).31
אכי יסיתך אחיך. הטעם אפי' אחיך:
1IF THY BROTHER…ENTICE THEE. This means even thy brother.32 is to be understood as even if your brother entices you, for the law applies to anyone who entices you.
בוטעם בן אמך. שהייתם בבטן אחת והאם כגוף והאב כצורה והצורה לא יבינוה כי אם מתי מעט:
2The import of thy mother is, you33. This is an appellation rarely used in Scripture. The question thus arises, “Why did Scripture add the son of thy mother?” Furthermore, why did the Torah not describe the brother as the son of thy father? Hence I.E. comments that the matter from which a person is made comes from the mother; the father’s sperm (so I.E. believed) shapes the matter. Thus a person, biologically speaking, is closer to a brother from a mother than to a brother from a father, and probably has closer emotional ties to him. Hence Scripture states, even if your brother who is made of the same matter as you entices you, do not listen to him. were in one womb. The mother is like matter and the father is like form.34 not thy father. Very few people understand the nature of form.
אלא תאבה לו. באמונת הלב:
1THOU SHALT NOT CONSENT UNTO HIM. By believing in your heart.
בולא תשמע אליו. במעשה:
2NOR HEARKEN UNTO HIM. In deed.
גולא תחוס עינך. להרגו:
3NEITHER SHALL THINE EYE PITY HIM. You shall not refrain from killing him.
דולא תכסה. שתניחנו רק תגל' הדבר עד שישמעו העדים מפיו כי כן כתוב ואז תהרגנו:
4NEITHER SHALT THOU CONCEAL HIM. You shall not leave him alone but you shall reveal the matter until witnesses hear it35 from his mouth, as is stated in Scripture.36 You shall then kill him.
אידך תהיה בו. היה נראה כי הוא משנים עדים לולא הקבלה:
1THY HAND SHALL BE FIRST UPON HIM. Were it not for tradition,37 refers to the hand of the people whom he tried to entice. See Sifre. it would appear that the reference38. is to the two witnesses.
אוסקלתו. פירוש מה תהיה מיתתו:
1AND THOU SHALT STONE HIM. Scripture explains the manner of his death.
אודרשת וחקרת ושאלת. אלה המלות היטב מפורשות בדברי רז״ל:
1THEN SHALT THOU INQUIRE, AND MAKE SEARCH, AND ASK DILIGENTLY. These words are well explained in the writings of our rabbis of blessed memory.39 40.
אכליל. כלה. לה' אלהיך. בעבור כבוד השם תשרפנה. באש:
1EVERY WHIT. Completely to the Lord your God.40 (every whit) is connected to la-Adonai. Our clause is to be read, every whit unto the Lord thy God. You shall bum it in fire because of God’s honor.41 means for the honor of the Lord thy God. By burning the contents of the city, the Israelites demonstrated that they destroyed the city because its inhabitants worshipped idols, and not for the purpose of looting.
בתל. מגזרת הר גבוה ותלול:
2A HEAP. The word tel (heap) is related to talul (heaped) in upon a high mountain and heaped (Ezek. 17:22).42
אלמען ישוב ה' מחרון אפו. ולא ישחיתך בעון העיר:
1THAT THE LORD MAY TURN FROM THE FIERCENESS OF HIS ANGER. And He will not destroy you because of the sins of that city.
אוטעם כי תשמע. כן תעשה אם בקשת לעשות הישר בעיניו. ונסמכה פרשת בנים אתם לה'. בעבור המסיתים אח או בן או אב או אנשי עיר הנדחת ואסור להתאבל עליהם אף כי להתגודד כי הנה אסור הוא על כל מת:
1WHEN THOU SHALT HEARKEN. The meaning of When43. I.E. renders ki if. Thus our clause reads, if thou shalt hearken. Hence his interpretation. thou shalt hearken is, thus shall you do if you desire to do what is right in the eyes of God. The section which opens with Ye are children of the Lord (Deut. 14:1) is connected to this section because of the enticers,44 namely, a brother, a sister, and a son or daughter (v. 7), or the inhabitants of the idol-worshipping city (v. 14). It is prohibited to mourn for them,45 and it is certainly prohibited to cut oneself,46 for behold, that is prohibited over any deceased.47