Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 24:6/אבן עזרא על דברים כ״ד:ו׳
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