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Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 28/אבן עזרא על דברים כ״ח

אעליון על כל גויי הארץ. זאת הברכה כלל שלא תהיה אומה בעולם כמוכם:
1ON HIGH ABOVE ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH. This is a general blessing. It states that there will be no nation in the world like you.1. 38 reads, there will be no human being in the world like you.
אוטעם ובאו. שיבואו מעצמם:
1[AND…SHALL COME.] The meaning of And…shall come is that they shall come by themselves.2
בוהשיגוך. ואם לא תבקשם והטעם שלא תיגע:
2AND OVERTAKE THEE. Even though you do not pursue them. It means that you will not tire yourself.
אבעיר. ברכה שהיא תוספו' כל מיני סחורה:
1IN THE CITY. This is a blessing regarding an increase3 in merchandise.4
בבשדה. בזריעה ובנטיע':
2IN THE FIELD. In seeding and planting.
אפרי בטנך. בבנים והבטן כנוי:
1THE FRUIT OF THY BODY. Sons. The word beten5 (body) is a euphemism.6
בשגר ועשתרות. פירשתים:
2THE INCREASE OF…AND THE YOUNG. I have previously explained the meaning of these two phrases.7. See I.E. on Deut. 7:13.
אטנאך. מקום הלחם והוא מוקדם ומאוחר עם משארותיך. או מקום שיושם שם הקמח:
1THY BASKET. The place of bread. Thy basket precedes and thy kneading trough but should come after it.8 On the other hand, thy basket may refer to the place where the flour is placed.9.
אבצאתך. לחוג ולסחור ולשלול או בכל ביאה ויציא' בכל יום ויום והטעם בכל אשר תעשה תצליח וההפך כתוב:
1WHEN THOU GOEST OUT. To celebrate festivals,10 to engage in business,11 and to take spoil,12 or in all your daily comings and goings.13 Its meaning is, you shall be successful in all that you do. The reverse is written [in the curses].14, etc., is the reverse of our verse.
אואחר שאמר שתהיה עליון על כל הגוים אמר כי אם יקשרו אויביך על כן אמר הקמים עליך:
1[THAT RISE UP AGAINST THEE.] Since Scripture earlier stated that God will set Israel on high above the nations (v. 1), it now goes on to say that should the nations revolt against Israel [the Lord will cause thine enemies] that rise up against thee [to be smitten before thee].
בובשבעה. לשון רבים בעבור שוב ימי השבוע כי הוא תלוי בעליונים:
2AND…SEVEN. This means many.15 The number seven is employed because of the continuous cycle of seven days of the week.16 It17 has a set number of days because is contingent on the bodies which are on high.18
אבאסמיך. באוצרותיך מטעם המקום:
1IN THY BARNS. Ba-asamekha (in thy bams) is in your storehouses. Its meaning is determined by its context.
אלעם קדוש. והקדוש' לשמור המצות:
1FOR A HOLY PEOPLE. Holy by observing God’s commandments.
בוטעם יקימך. יעמידך:
2The meaning of yekimekha is, will establish thee.
גתשמור. בלב:
3SHALT KEEP. In your heart.
דוהלכת. במעשה:
4AND WALK. Practice.
אוטעם והותירך. אם תהיה רעה בארץ ורעב מארה אתה תשאר לטובה:
1AND…WILL MAKE THEE OVERABUNDANT. The meaning of and will make thee overabundant19. I.E. takes this to mean will cause you to be left over. is, if evil comes to the world, if hunger or blight comes, you will be set aside for good.
אאוצרו. שהוא בכחו לצאת וכן אוצרות שלג על כן אחר הותירך אמר דבר הגשם כי העוצר סבת הרעב:
1HIS…TREASURE. Which is potentially ready in heaven to go out.20 Compare, the treasuries of the snow (Job 38:22).21 Scripture speaks of rain after stating will make thee overabundant,22 for the withholding of rain is the cause of famine.
בוהלוית גוים רבים. כי ירעבו ולא יבא זמן שתלוה אתה והכלל שתהיה לעולם לראש:
2AND THOU SHALT LEND UNTO MANY NATIONS. For they shall suffer famine. However, no time shall come where you shall borrow. The sum of the matter is, you will always be on top.23
אכי תשמע. בלב לשמור ולעשו' והכלל שלא תסו' מאחרי השם לעבוד עבודת כוכבים כי הוא עיקר כל העבירות לכפור בעיקר והפך זה יחוד השם לשמור ולעשות כי עיקר השמיר' המעש':
1IF THOU SHALT HEARKEN. In your heart to observe and to do. The sum of the matter is, do not turn aside from God to serve idols, for the root of all sins is to deny God.24 The reverse of the aforementioned is to affirm that the Lord is one and to hearken and to observe, for the most important aspect of hearkening is observing.
אהמארה. המגרע':
1CURSING. Diminution.25
בהמהומה. שלא יוכלל להשלים המעש':
2DISCOMFITURE. A state wherein one can not finish what he has started.
גהמגערת. שלא ישמח במעשיו רק ידאג בו אחר יגיעתו:
3REBUKE. A state in which one cannot enjoy what he has worked for, but is concerned for it26 after he has toiled.
אבשחפת. י״‎א שהם מיני חלאים:
1CONSUMPTION. Some say that shachefet (consumption) refers to various types of illnesses.
בבקדחת. בכל יום. מגזרת כי אש קדח' באפי. ומהומה ומגערת ושחפת וקדחת ודלקת שם התואר:
2WITH FEVER. Each day. Kaddachat (fever) is related to kadechah (kindled) in For a fire is kindled (Deut. 32:22). The words mehumah (discomfiture), migeret (rebuke), shachefet (consumption), kaddachat (fever) and dalleket (inflammation) are adjectives.
גוטעם ובדלקת. שלישית או רביעית:
3Dalleket refers to a fever which comes every third or fourth day.
דובחרחור. מגזרת וחרה נחושת':
4AND WITH FIERY HEAT. The word charchur (fiery heat) is related to the word charah (bum) in and the bottom thereof may burn (Ezek. 24:11).
הובחרב. מגזרת חורב:
5AND WITH DROUGHT. The word cherev (drought) is related to the word chorev (dry).27 is a sword.
וובשדפון. נפיחות וכן שדופות קדים וי״‎א הפוך והטעם דקוק:
6AND WITH BLASTING. Shiddafon (blasting) means bloating. Compare, shedufot kadim (blasted with the east wind)28 as bloated by the east wind. (Gen. 41:23). Others say the reverse is true. Its meaning is then thin.29
זובירקון. כמשמעו בלשון קדר וי״‎א כי אלה חליים בזרע ובשדפון כמו שדופות קדים והעד הכיתי אתכם בשדפון ובירקון. על כן אחריו והיו שמיך וכן בפרשת אם בחקותי:
7AND WITH MILDEW. Yerakon (mildew) is to be rendered according to its meaning in Arabic.30 Some say that these31 (blasting) and yerakon (mildew). refer to diseases of the seed.32 U-vashiddafon (blasting) is similar to shidufot (blasted) in blasted with the east wind (Gen. 41:23). I have smitten you with blasting (shiddafon)33 here refers to a disease of the seed, for Amos goes on to speak of gardens, vineyards, and olive trees. See Amos 4:9. and mildew (Amos 4:9) is proof. Therefore Scripture afterwards reads, and thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass. We find the same in the Torah portion If Ye Walk in My Statutes (Lev. 26:3).34
אנחשת. כנחשת וכן ברזל:
1BRASS. Like brass. The same applies to iron.35
אאבק ועפר. ברוב החורב וכח הרוחות:
1POWDER AND DUST. Because of the great dryness and the power of the winds.36
בעד השמדך. מלה זרה כמו ביום הבראך:
2UNTIL THOU BE DESTROYED. Hishamedakh (thou be destroyed) is irregular.37 rather than with a sheva beneath the mem and a kamatz beneath the kaf; i.e., compare the word hishamedkha in verse 20. Compare, hibbare’akh38 (in the day that thou wast created) (Ezek. 28:15).39 (thou be destroyed) and hibbare’akh are similarly vocalized. Some editions read, be-yom hibbare’akh (from the day that thou wast created) (Ezek. 28:15).
אלזעוה. הפוך כמו כבש כשב:
1A HORROR. Some of the letters of za’avah (horror) are reversed.40 is a variant of zeva’ah. Compare, keves (lamb) and kesev (lamb).41
אואין מחריד. לעוף ולבהמה:
1AND THERE SHALL BE NONE TO FRIGHTEN THEM AWAY. To frighten away the birds and beasts.
אוהנשארים יוכו בשחין מצרים:
1[THE BOIL OF EGYPT.] Those who remain will be struck with the boil of Egypt.
בובטחורים. הם היוצאים במקום הנסתר על כן כתוב ובעפולים והוא מגזרת ויבא אל העופל:
2AND WITH THE EMERODS. They appear in the hidden places.42 Scripture therefore reads u-vafolim43. The keri reads u-vatchorim. (and with the emerods). The latter is related to the world ofel (hill) in And when he came to the hill (II Kings 5:24).44 because they are hill-like; i.e., they consist of swellings. According to Weiser its meaning is, hemorrhoids are called ofalim because hills are used for hiding and hemorrhoids appear in hidden places.
גובגרב. כן בלשון ישמעאל:
3AND WITH THE SCAB.45. The same is true in Arabic.46.
דובחרס. י״‎א שיצטרך אל חרס כאיוב ואם הוא בסמ״‎ך וי״‎א במכת השמש. והנכון שהוא שם חולי כנזכרי' ואין לו חבר:
4AND WITH THE ITCH.47. Some say that he will need a potsherd48. He will need a potsherd (cheres) to scratch himself to relieve his itching. as Job did.49 This is so50 because one employs a potsherd for relief if struck by this illness. even though the word cheres (itch) is spelled with a samekh.51. Others say u-ve-chares (and with the itch) means: and with a blow from the sun.52 is the sun. See Jud. 14:18. Hence this interpretation renders u-ver-chares, and with sunstroke. However, the correct interpretation is that cheres (itch) refers to the name of a disease like the ones mentioned previously. The word has no neighbor.53
אוהשגעון והעורון והתמהון שלשתן בלב:
1MADNESS…] Madness, blindness, and astonishment are afflictions of the heart.54
אוהיית ממשש. פירוש בעורון:
1AND THOU SHALT GROPE. In blindness.55
בתצליח. פעל יוצא:
2PROSPEROUS. Tatzli’ach (prosperous) is a transitive verb.56
געשוק וגזול. מאויב ואין מושיע והחל לפרש איך יהיה עשוק:
3OPPRESSED AND ROBBED. By the enemy, and there shall be none to save thee. Scripture commences to explain in what manner Israel shall be oppressed.
אישגלנה. כנוי לשכיבה וכן שגל המוכנת למטה:
1SHALL LIE WITH HER. Yishgalennah (lie with her) is a euphemism for sexual intercourse. The same applies to the word shegal (the queen) (Ps. 45:10). It refers to a woman prepared for bed.57
בתחללנו. מגזרת חליל':
2USE THE FRUIT THEREFOF. Techallennu (use the fruit thereof) is related to the word chalil (flute).58. 38. The printed editions read chalilah. See I.E. on Deut. 28:6: “They were in the habit of dancing [to the tune of flutes] in the vineyards.” Hence the term techallennu.
אוכלות. כמו נכספה וגם כלת' וכן ותכל דוד ואינו חסר נפש כאשר פירש חסר הדעת כי ותכל פועל יוצא ולא נזכר הפועל כמו אשר ילדה אותה:
1AND FAIL WITH LONGING. The word kalot (fail with longing) is similar to the word kaletah (pineth) in My soul yearneth, yea, even pineth (Ps. 84:3) and to va-tekhal (failed with longing) in va-tekhal david (and caused David to fail with longing)59 (II Sam. 13:39). The latter is not lacking the word “soul” as the one lacking in knowledge says,60 is to be rendered, And David’s soul failed with longing. It should be noted that this interpretation was offered by Rashi, Radak, and the Targum. for the word vatekhal is transitive. The subject61, i.e., the one who caused David to fail in longing. is omitted,62 as it is in “whom she bore”63 (Num. 26:59).64
אורצוץ. בחזקה:
1AND CRUSHED. Powerfully so.
אופי' בשגעון. שיראה גופו מלא שחין:
1MAD. This explains with madness (v. 28.). He will see his body covered with boils (v. 35).65
אעל הברכים ועל השוקים. כי בהיות השחין שם קשה לסור:
1IN THE KNEES, AND IN THE LEGS. For when the boils are upon the knees and the legs, [it is hard to remove them].
באשר לא תוכל להרפא. בעבור היותם מחוץ לגוף:
2WHEREOF THOU CANST NOT BE HEALED. Because they are on the surface of the body.66
אועבדת שם. ולא יועיל לך רק תהיה לשמה כל רואיך ישומו:
1AND THERE SHALT THOU SERVE. And it shall not avail you but you shall become an astonishment. That is, all who see you shall be astonished.67
אלמשל. באוזן:
1A PROVERB. In the ear.68
בולשנינה. בפה מגזר' ושננתם:
2AND A BYWORD. In the mouth.69 Sheninah (byword) is related to the word ve-shinnantam (and thou shalt teach them diligently) (Deut. 6:7).
גינהגך ה'. בעונך וקודם זה יבא עליך שנת רעב ואתה עודך בארצך:
3SHALL LEAD THEE. Because of your sins. However, before this, a year of hunger shall come upon you when you are still in your land.70
איחסלנו. יכריתנו והוא מן חסיל מין ממיני הארבה:
1SHALL CONSUME THEM. Yachselennu (shall consume them) means shall destroy them. Yachselennu comes from chasil, which is the name of a type of grasshopper.71 means shall be “grasshoppered.”
אתטע. תיגע בנטיע' ובעבוד':
1PLANT. You shall toil in planting and in the vineyards.
בולא תשת'. בשעת הבציר:
2BUT THOU SHALT NEITHER DRINK OF THE WINE. At the time of the harvest.
גולא תאגר. תקבץ והוא פעל כמו אגרה בקציר:
3NOR GATHER THE GRAPES. Te’egor (gather the grapes) means you will gather. It is a verb. Te’egor is similar to agerah (gathereth) in And gathereth her food in the harvest (Prov. 6:8).
אלא תסוך. כמשפט וסוך לא סכתי. וזה הפך ושמן על ראשך:
1BUT THOU SHALT NOT ANNOINT THYSELF WITH THE OIL. As is the practice.72 Compare, neither did I anoint myself at all (Dan. 10:3). This is the reverse of And let thy head lack no oil (Eccles. 9:8).73
בכי ישל. מבנין נפעל:
2SHALL DROP OFF. Yishal (drop off) is a nifal.74.
איירש. מהכבד הדגוש והטעם כמו להוריש גוים:
1SHALL…POSSESS. Yeyaresh (shall possess) is a pi’el. Yeyaresh is similar to le-horish (to drive out) in to drive out nations (Num. 4:38).75
בצלצל. מלה מרובע' אין לו ריע ופירושו כפי מקומו:
2THE LOCUST. Tzelatzal (locust) is a quadriliteral. It has no neighbor.76 Its meaning is according to its place.77
אמעלה מעלה. פעמים שאין למעלה ממנו או תמיד וכן מטה מטה הטעם מאד מאד:
1HIGHER AND HIGHER. The word is repeated to indicate a height over which no one else towers. On the other hand it may indicate permanency.78 Lower and lower is similar. Its meaning is very low.
אהוא יהיה לראש. כטעם ועבד לוה לאיש מלוה:
1HE SHALL BE THE HEAD. As in And the borrower is servant to the lender (Prov. 22:7).
אלאות. מהשם שתזכור כי מרדת בו ולא בך לבדך כי גם בזרעך כטעם אבותינו חטאו ואינם וכבר פירשתיו:
1FOR A SIGN. From God, so that you remember that you rebelled against Him. It will not only be a sign in you but also in your offspring, as in Our fathers have sinned, and are not (Lam. 5:7).79. I have previously explained this.80
אמרב כל. אשר תתאוה או כל צורך:
1BY REASON OF THE ABUNDANCE OF ALL THINGS. Which you desired,81 or all your needs.82
אידאה. יעוף וכן וידא על כנפי רוח:
1SWOOPETH DOWN. Yideh (swoopeth down) means flies. Compare, va-yede (he did swoop down) in Yea, He did swoop down upon the wings of the wind (Ps. 18:11).
אואכלת פרי בטנך. במצור:
1AND THOU SHALT EAT THE FRUIT OF THINE OWN BODY. During the siege.
ביציק לך. כל אחד מאויבך או הוא כן בעבור היותו בסוף:
2SHALL STRAITEN THEE. Each one of your enemies.83 (shall straiten) is in the singular. Oyevekha (thine enemies) is in the plural. According to I.E. when a verb in the singular governs a noun in the plural, the verb refers to each one within the plural. Or the word oyevekha is so vocalized84 rather than oyivkha. because it comes at the end of a verse.85 is really a singular. Our text should thus be rendered, wherewith thine enemy shall straiten thee.
אאשר יותיר. האויב או יותירם בהחבא וכל זה בעבור המצור:
1WHOM HE HATH REMAINING. This refers to the enemy.86 literally means he will leave over. According to this interpretation the verse reads, which the enemy will leave alive. Or it means which he will leave over by hiding them.87 refers to the man mentioned in the opening of the verse. Our verse should be interpreted, which he will save by hiding them. All of this will he due to the siege.
אבכל שעריך. בכל מקום:
1IN ALL THY GATES. In any place.88 means in any place in your country.
אובשליתה. הוא מקום הולד בשבתו בבטן אמו:
1AND AGAINST HER AFTERBIRTH. Shilyah (afterbirth) refers to the place where the child dwells while in the mother’s belly.89
במבין רגליה. כנוי כמו ולא עשה את רגליו:
2FROM BETWEEN HER FEET. This is a euphemism.90 Compare, and he had neither dressed his feet (II Sam. 19:25).91 is, he did not shave his pubic hair. Also see Talmud, Yevamot 103a.
אמכתך. לשון יחיד עם רבים מורכבת וכן ועדותי זו אלמדם:
1THY PLAGUES. Makkotekha (thy plagues) is a compound of a singular92 and the plural.93 is a plural. We would thus expect a yod to follow the tav and the tav to be vocalized with a segol in makkotekha. However, the tav in makkotekha is vocalized with a sheva, and makkotekha has no yod in it. The latter is the spelling and vocalization of the singular. Compare, the word edoti (my testimony)94 is a plural. Thus the word should read edotai, for “i” is a singular suffix. Thus edoti is a compound of a plural with a singular pronominal suffix. in And My testimony that I shall teach them (Ps. 132:12).
בטעם והפלא. להיות דבר מופלא שלא נראה ולא נשמע כמוהו:
2The meaning of ve-hifla (will make wonderful) is, it will be an extraordinary thing, for nothing like it was ever seen or heard of.
גונאמנים. שלא יסורו:
3OF LONG CONTINUANCE.95. Literally, and faithful. They will not be removed.96
איעלם ה'. מגזרת העלה ואם הוא חטוף וי״‎א כמו יביאם לשון ארמי:
1WILL THE LORD BRING UPON. Yalem (will bring) is related to the word he’elah (brought up)97, and means bring up. (Jer. 16:15) even though it98 is vocalized with a sheva. He’elah is vocalized with a chataf segol. Since both words are in the hifil we would expect them to be vocalized similarly. Hence I.E.’s comment. is vocalized with a sheva. Others say that yalem means will bring.99 It is an Aramaic word.100 in Aramaic means to enter. See Dan. 2:16.
אוטעם כאשר שש. שלא תחשוב כי יזיק לשם או יתאבל כטעם אם צדקת מה תתן לו:
1AS THE LORD REJOICED. You should not think that this will harm God or that God will mourn.101 Its meaning is similar to102 If thou he righteous, what givest thou to him (Job 35:7).
בונסחתם. מבנין נפעל והוא חסר נו״‎ן. מגזרת יסח ה':
2AND YE SHALL BE PLUCKED. Ve-nissachtem (and ye shall be plucked) is a nifal. It is lacking a nun.103 is dropped. Thus the word reads nissachtem rather than ninsachtem. It is related to the word yissach (will pluck) in The Lord will pluck up (Prov. 15:25).
אתלואים. באל״‎ף תחת ה״‎ח השורש:
1SHALL HANG. The word telu’im (shall hang) has an alef in place of the stem heh.104 comes from the root tav, lamed, heh. However, telu’im is spelled with an alef. Hence I.E.’s comment.
אוהתמכרתם. אינו כמו ונמכרתם רק פירושו אתם תבקשו למכור עצמכם אנשים ונשים ואין קונה והנה זאת הברית במצות השם בערבות מואב:
1AND…YE SHALL SELL YOURSELVES. Ve-hitmakkartem (and ye shall sell yourselves) does not mean and you will be sold.105, not in the nifal. (Cf. nimkartem in Is. 50:1.) Furthermore, Scripture goes on to say, and no man shall buy you. It means you, both men and women, will seek to sell yourselves and no man shall buy you. Observe, this covenant was made by the command of God in the plains of Moab.106