Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 18:8/אבן עזרא על דברים י״ח:ח׳
אלבד ממכריו. יש אומרים שהוא כמו מאת מכריהם בדרך רחוקה מעט ולא אבה הדקדוק רק הוא מגזר' וכי תמכרו ממכר והטעם כי אם מכר ביתו שירש מאבותיו כאשר כתוב ויצא ממכר בית ועיר אחוזתו וזה פירוש על האבות לא יאמר לו הנה יש לך לא תאכל עוד אלא חלק כחלק יאכלו וכאשר השלים להזכיר דבר השופט והכהן הזכיר דבר הנביא:
1BESIDE THAT WHICH IS HIS DUE. Some say that mimkarav (which is his due) is similar to makkarekhem13. 38. The printed texts have makkarehem. (them that bestow it upon you)14 (which is his due) his relatives. They read our verse as, beside that which his relatives from his fathers’ houses bestow upon him. They interpret the latter as follows: if a member of a kohen family allows another kohen to sacrifice in his place, then his colleagues cannot say to him, “Since you are offering the sacrifice in place of your relative, you shall not in addition eat the sacred food with us.” See Rashbam. It should be noted that according to the commentaries, Levite in our verse refers to a kohen from the house of Levi. in from them that bestow it upon you (II Kings 12:8).15 However, they are a bit off the mark. The rules of grammar will not accede to it.16 comes from the root nun, kaf, resh, while mimkarav comes from the root mem, kaf, resh. On the contrary, mimkarav is related to timkeru mimkar (sell aught) in and if thou sell aught (Lev. 25:14).17. The meaning of le-vad mimkarav al ha-avot (beside that which is due according to the father’s house)18 is, if the kohen sold his house, which he inherited from his father as Scripture states, then the house that was sold in the city of his19. possession, shall go out20) may sell, in a Levitical city, the house which he received as an inheritance. (Lev. 25:33). The latter explains according to the fathers.21) has inherited from his fathers. The local kohanim shall not say to him, Look, you have money, you shall not in addition eat the sacred food with us. On the contrary, they shall eat like portions.22 shall receive an equal share in the sacrificial meat. After Moses concludes the laws pertaining to the judge23 and the kohen,24 he mentions the laws regarding the prophet.25