Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 23:12/אבן עזרא על דברים כ״ג:י״ב
אלפנות ערב. כטעם כי פנה היום גם חזוק הוא זה לדברי רז״ל והמכחישי' אמרו כי לפנות כמו לפני ולא אמרו כלום וי״א כי טעמו כאשר יחל הערב לפנות והנה אחר שאמר הכתוב לפנות ערב אמר וכבוא השמש הנה קודם הערב וכן לפנות בקר קודם זרוח השמש:
1WHEN EVENING COMETH ON. Li-fenot erev (when evening cometh) is similar in meaning to ki fanah ha-yom (for the day declineth) (Jer. 6:4).31. In other words, li-fenot erev means when the day declines, when the shadows of evening come. According to Krinsky and others the reference is to the afternoon when the sun begins its decline. Filwarg believes the reference is to about an hour and a third before the onset of night. See I.E. on Gen. 1:18 (Vol. 1, p. 40). “Know that evening begins at sunset and lasts for one and a third hours, during which time a light-like appearance is seen before sunrise.” Also see Rashi: “He should immerse himself close before the setting of the sun” (Rosenbaun and Silberman translation). This also strengthens the opinion of the rabbis of blessed memory.32 The deniers33 say that li-fenot (cometh on) means before.34 refers to night. They interpret li-fenot erev as before night comes, i.e., after sunset. They say nothing of value. Some say35 that the meaning of li-fenot erev (when evening cometh) is, when the evening begins to come.36 Now, after Scripture employs the phrase li-fenot erev, it says, and when the sun is down. Li-fenot erev thus means before the evening.37 Li-fenot boker (when the morning appeared) is similarly before sunrise.38