Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 24/אבן עזרא על דברים כ״ד
אכי יקח איש אשה. גם הוא חשובה כשרה. [ס״א כשדה]:
1WHEN A MAN TAKETH A WIFE. She is also considered fit.1. However, she is disliked by her husband. I.E. takes issue with Beth Shamai, which interprets some unseemly thing as a sexual transgression. See Mishnah, Gitten 9:10. Other editions read, she is also considered as a field (ke-sadeh). A woman, like a field, is acquired by a money transaction. See Kedushin 2a. Hence the law regarding a woman follows that of the field. Filwarg believes that I.E. compares a woman to a field in that both are seeded and produce fruit.
בחן בעיניו. שהיא הפך תולדתו:
2FAVOR IN HIS EYES. For her nature is the reverse of his.2
גומצא בה. ולא יוכל לגלות כי אין לו עדים והטעם או מצא בה כמו ומכה אביו ואמו:
3AND HE HATH FOUND.3. I.E.’s reading is And he had found. The problem is that the verse reads ki matza (because he has found). Weiser suggests that u-matza is I.E.’s paraphrase of ki matza. However, I.E. goes on to prove that the vav prefixed to a word sometimes has the meaning of “or.” It is a bit farfetched to say that I.E. intends to say that ki matza should be interpreted as u-matza, and that u-matza should be interpreted as or has found, because a vav sometimes has the meaning of or. It thus appears either that I.E.’s copy of Deuteronomy had u-matza or that I.E. quoted from memory and committed an egregious error. And he cannot reveal it,4 for he has no witnesses.5 The meaning of and he hath found is, or he hath found, as in And he that smiteth his father, or his mother (Ex. 21:15).
אויצאה. שלא תשוב שם. ונודע הדבר שיצאה מהיותה בביתו:
1AND SHE DEPARTETH. She will not return there.6 It is public knowledge that she left his house permanently.
בוהיתה. בעול' לאיש:
2AND BECOMETH. She becomes another man’s wife.
גאחר. גם אחרון שמות התאר:
3[ANOTHER.] The words acher (another) and acharon (latter) (v. 3) are adjectives.
אכריתות. משנכרת' בעילת' לעולם:
1OF DIVORCEMENT. A bill of divorce is called a sefer keritut7 because their marriage has been severed forever.
אהטמאה. כנגד בעל ראשון והנה טעמו טמא' היא לו בעבו' שידע' איש אחר ודגשות הטי״ת בחסרון תי״ו התפעל וכן הכבד את הנגע:
1AFTER THAT SHE IS DEFILED. With regard to the first husband. Its meaning is defiled to him because another man knew her. The tet of huttamma’ah (she is defiled) receives a dagesh to compensate for the missing tav of the hitpa’el.8. Similarly the word hukkabbes (is washed) in after that the plague is washed (Lev. 13:55).9 with the tav of the form omitted. The latter is compensated by placing a dagesh in the caf.
בולא תחטיא. צווי לישראל:
2AND THOU SHALT NOT CAUSE THE LAND TO SIN. This is a command to Israel.
אאשה חדשה. י״א בתולה ולדעת רבים חדשה כנגדו כי יוכל להשיב אשה גרושה אם לא נטמאה ועל כן חדשה:
1A NEW WIFE. Some say a virgin.10 According to many its meaning is new to him,11 for it is possible for a man to remarry the woman whom he has divorced if she has not been defiled. Scripture therefore reads a new wife.
בנקי יהיה לביתו. שלא יהיה עליו עול מלכות:
2HE SHALL BE FREE FOR HIS HOUSE. The yoke of the king shall not be upon him.12
גנקי כמו אי נקי:
3FREE. Naki (free) is similar to naki (innocent)13 in him that is innocent (Job 22:30).
דלמ״ד לכל דבר. נוסף כמו והשלישי לאבשלום:
4[WITH ANY BUSINESS.] The lamed placed before le-khol davar (with any business) is superfluous.14 should be read kol davar. Le-khol davar literally means to any business. Khol davar means any business. It is like the lamed in le-avshalom (Absalom) in the third, Absalom (I Chron. 3:2).15. Literally, the third, to Absalom. However, the context does not permit this interpretation. Hence the lamed of le-avshalom is superfluous, and le-avshalom is to be read as if written avshalom.
אלא יחבול רחים ורכב. אמרו המכחישים כי נדבקה זאת הפרשה עם ושמח את אשתו כי רמז למשכב כי אסור שימנע מן המשכב וזה הבל וריק והביאו ראיה תטחן לאחר אשתי וכבר פירשתיו והאמת שהוא כמשמעו שאסור לאדם שיחבול רחים ותחסר מלת חובל כמו ויאמר ליוסף אשר ילדה אותה ללוי ורבים כן כי טעמם ויאמר לו האומר ילדה לו היולדת:
1NO MAN SHALL TAKE THE MILL OR THE UPPER MILLSTONE TO PLEDGE. The deniers16 say that this section is connected to and shall cheer his wife whom he hath taken (v. 5),17. This can be rendered, he shall not harm (Krinsky). Thus the meaning of our verse is, one shall not harm his partner by refraining from taking the upper position (the upper millstone) or the lower position (the mill). for our verse alludes to coitus, namely, that it is forbidden to abstain from sexual intercourse. However, this is sheer nonsense. They offer as proof, Then let my wife grind unto another (Job 31:10). I have previously explained the latter.18 The truth is that our verse is to be taken at face value,19 that a person is prohibited from taking a mill to pledge. The word chovel (one who takes a pledge) is missing from our verse.20. This literally means he shall not take the mill or the upper millstone to pledge. The question is: To whom does “he” refer? Hence I.E. points out that the word chovel (anyone that takes a pledge) has been omitted. Our verse should be read as if written, lo yachavol chovel rechayim va-rechev (any one that takes a pledge shall not take the mill or the upper millstone to pledge). It is similar to and he said to Joseph (Gen. 48:1) and to whom she bore to Levi (Num. 26:29), for the meaning of the former is, someone said to Joseph, and of the latter, the one who bore, bore to Levi.21 There are many such cases.22
ברחים. שם שנים ולא יתכן להיותם נפרדים:
2THE MILL. The word rechayim (mill) is in the dual form. It does not come in the singular.
גורכב. היא ההוה במים וי״א העץ שהוא על הרחים וי״א כי רחים התחתונ' ורכב העליונה:
3THE UPPER MILLSTONE. Rechev (upper millstone) refers to a water mill. Others say that it refers to the wood which is placed on the mill.23 Still others say that the rechayim (mill) refers to the lower millstone and rechev to the upper millstone.
דכי נפש הוא חובל. כי בו מחית נפשות והסומכים על הסמך הפרשיות איננה טענה כי כל מצו' עומדת בפני עצמה והסמיכות כדרך דרש וזאת הפרש' דבקה כי הזכיר שלא יגזול ענבים לתת אל כליו וחרמש בקמה ולקחת אשה והיתה לו גם לאחר ויצא מרשותו והלוקח אשה שישמח בה לא יהיה עשוק שיצא בצבא וחביל' הרחים עושק וגם גונב נפש וכן נגע הצרעת שלא ישמרו משפטיה תזיק הקרובים וכן לא תעשוק העני בעבוטו והשכיר והבנים הקטנים שלא ימותו בעון אביהם והטיית משפט גר יתום וחבול בגד אלמנה ושכחה בשדה כי היא לעני וכן לא תעולל וכן פן יוסיף ונקלה וחסימת השור עשק כי יגע ולא יאכל והממאן ליבם כדמות עשק והמחזקת במבושים עושקת אבן ואבן איפה ואיפה עשק ממש גם עמלק עשק לישראל:
4FOR HE TAKETH A MAN’S LIFE TO PLEDGE. For life is sustained by these instruments. Those who rely on the juxtaposition of the sections have no argument,24 for each commandment stands by itself.25 The explanation of their juxtapositions is midrashic.26 This section27 is connected to the previous ones in the following way:28 the Torah mentions that one is not to steal grapes by putting them in his pots (Deut. 23:25), or to lift up a sickle upon his neighbor’s grain (Deut. 23:26); or to take a woman after she has been his and then left his house and married another (v. 1). It also states that one has to cheer the woman whom he marries (v. 5); he is not to be oppressed by going into the army (Ibid.). The taking of a millstone in pledge is a form of oppression.29 So too is kidnapping a person. Similarly the plague of leprosy, for if he does not observe its laws then the plague will injure those in proximity to it.30 Scripture similarly states, do not oppress a poor person by taking a pledge from him (v. 10). It similarly states do not oppress a hired person (v. 14) and small children should not be put to death for the sins of the fathers (v. 16). It likewise warns against perverting the justice due a stranger or the fatherless (v. 17). It prohibits the taking of a widow’s garment as a pledge (v. 17). It prohibits one from retrieving a sheaf which was forgotten in the field, for it belongs to the poor (v. 19). Similarly Thou shalt not glean (v. 21). Likewise lest if he should exceed…Then thy brother should be dishonored (Deut. 25:3).31 The muzzling of an ox (v. 4) is an act of oppression, for the animal toils but cannot eat of its toil. Similarly, refusing to perform levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5-10) is a form of oppression. The woman who grabs a man’s testicles (Deut. 25:11) commits an act of oppression. Employing diverse weights and diverse measures (Deut. 25:13,14) is oppression in its purest form. Furthermore, Amalek oppressed Israel (Deut. 25:17-19).32
אמאחיו. והוסיף מבני ישראל כי אדום נקרא אח:
1ANY OF HIS BRETHREN. Scripture adds of the children of Israel because the Edomites are called brothers.33
בוהתעמר. כחברו:
2AND HE DEAL WITH HIM AS A SLAVE. The word vehitammer (and he deal with him as a slave) is to be explained as its counterpart.34 (deal with…as a slave) in Deut. 21:14. I.E. there explains it to mean treacherously.
אהכהנים הלוים. שהם מבני לוי:
1THE PRIESTS THE LEVITES. The kohanim who are members of the tribe of Levi.35
אלמרים. הנה ראיה על דרש אל תקרי מצורע אלא מוציא שם רע:
1UNTO MIRIAM. Here is proof of the midrashic statement that we should not read the word metzora as metzora (a leper) but as an acronym for motzi shem ra (one who invents libel).36 on the Torah portion Metzora 2. According to the rabbis, leprosy is a punishment for speaking ill of one’s neighbor. Miriam was punished with leprosy for speaking ill of Moses (see Num. 12). According to I.E., Scripture’s telling us that we are to recall Miriam’s punishment is another way of saying, remember the punishment for speaking ill of your neighbor.
אתשה. מגזרת נשה:
1DOST LEND. The word tasheh (thou…dost lend) comes from the root nun, shin, heh.
בה״א מאומה. נוסף כה״א לילה:
2The heh of the word me’umah (any manner of loan) is superfluous.37. Compare, Job 31:7; Dan. 1:4. It is like the heh of laylah (night).38. Compare, Is. 16:3. See I.E. on Gen. 1:5 (Vol. 1, p. 33).
גלעבוט. לקחת משכונו:
3TO FETCH. To take his pledge.39. I.E. notes that the verb la’avot means to take a pledge. In other words, Scripture uses a verb which is derived from a noun. Compare, tadshe ha-aretz deshe (let the earth put forth grass) (Gen. 1:11).
אתהיה צדקה. פירוש שתשקול חבירך במאזני צדק עמך שישכב בעבוטו ועל דעת המעתיקים כי יש הפרש במקומות בין צדק לצדקה:
1AND IT SHALL BE RIGHTEOUSNESS40. UNTO THEE. You shall weigh your neighbor in the righteous scales41 which you possess42 means and you shall act righteously. so that he sleeps with his pledge.43 According to the transmitters of tradition there are places wherein there is a difference between the word tzedek (righteousness) and tzedakah (righteousness).44 means righteousness and tzedakah charity. In other words, tzedek is a general term, while tzedakah is a particular term, as in “collectors of charity (tzedakah)” (Sabbath 118b) and “deeds of love are worth more than almsgiving” (tzedakah) (Sukkah 49b).
בוטעם העבוט כבר פירשתיו בפרש' ואלה המשפטים ושם פירשתיו בשמלתו:
2[THE PLEDGE.] I have previously explained the meaning of the pledge45 in the Torah portion Now These Are the Ordinances (Ex 21:1) in my comments on “his garment” (Ex. 22:26).46
אביומו תתן שכרו שלא תבוא עליו השמש מצות לא תעשה לחזוק:
1IN THE SAME DAY THOU SHALT GIVE HIM HIS HIRE, NEITHER SHALL THE SUN GO DOWN UPON IT. A negative commandment follows the positive commandment for emphasis.
בואליו. אל שכרו:
2UPON IT. His wages
גהוא נושא את נפשו. להתפרנס ממנו על כן השכיר את עצמו:
3SETTETH HIS HEART. To sustain himself from it. He therefore hired himself out.
אותועי רוח שאלו איך אמר הכתוב לא יומתו אבות ובמקום אחר אומר פוקד עון אבות ושאלתם תהו כי לא יומתו אבות על בנים מצוה על ישראל ופוקד עון אבות על בנים הוא הפוקד וכבר פירשתיו במקומו:
1[THE FATHERS SHALL NOT BE PUT TO DEATH.] Those whose spirits wander ask: “How could Scripture say: The fathers shall not he put to death…when it says in another place, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children (Ex. 20:5; Deut. 5:9)?” Their question is nonsense, for the fathers shall not he put to death for the children is a commandment directed to Israel.47 However, God is the one who metes out punishment in visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children. I have earlier explained this in its place.48
אוזכרת כי עבד היית. בעבור כן זכר הגר שלא תטה משפטו ויש מאלה המשפטים שכבר הזכירם לאבות גם יזכירם שנית לבנים:
1BUT THOU SHALT REMEMBER. Scripture mentioned the stranger49 for this reason,50 namely, that you do not pervert the justice due him. Moses previously mentioned some of the laws to the fathers.51 He also repeated them to the children.52
אלמען יברכך. כי נתת משלך במחשבה והשם יתן לך משלו באמת:
1THAT THE LORD…MAY BLESS THEE. For you gave53 what you thought was yours54 but God will give you what is truthfully His.55
אכי תחבוט. כמו חובט חטים והוא פעל יחבט קצח בנין נפעל וכן כל אותיות אחעה״ר כאשר יבנה מהם בנין נפעל ואלה הם לא יאצר ולא יחסן. ולא יהרג. יעבד בו. יראה כל זכורך כי כן המשפט:
1WHEN THOU BEATEST. Tachbot (thou beatist) is similar to chovet (beating) in beating out wheat (Jud. 6:11). It is in the pa’al.56. The word yechavet (is beaten) in But the black cummin is beaten (Is. 28:27) is a nifal. All letters whose first root letter is an alef, chet, heh, ayin, or resh are vocalized like yechavet when conjugated in the nifal. The following are examples of each one of the aforementioned: ye’atzer57. (treasured) and yechasen58. (laid up) in it shall not be treasured nor laid up (Is. 23:18); yehareg59. (killed) as in ve-lo yehareg (and will not be killed); ye’aved60. (plowed) in neither be plowed (Deut. 21:4); yera’eh61, alef, heh. (appear) in and they shall not appear (Deut,. 16:16), for this is the rule.62, chet, heh, ayin, or resh is vocalized with a tzere rather than with a chirik, which is the usual vocalization.
בלא תפאר. לא תחפש הפארות והם הסעיפים וכן ותעש בדים ותשלח פארות. גם הוא כתוב באל״ף. ואם נקרא בוי״ו וכן נאדות היין:
2THOU SHALT NOT GO OVER THE BOUGHS AGAIN. Lo tefa’er (Thou shalt not go over the boughs) means you shall not seek after its “glory,” that is, after its branches. Compare, pore’ot (sprigs) in And shot forth sprigs (Ezek. 17:6). It too63. is spelled with an alef even though it is read as if written with a vav.64 is pronounced like a cholam. Compare, nodot65 in nodot is pronounced like a cholam. (wineskins) in and wineskins, worn (Josh. 9:4).
אוזכרת. דבק עם לגר:
1AND THOU SHALT REMEMBER. This66 is connected to for the stranger (v. 21).67