Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 6/אבן עזרא על דברים ו׳
אושמרת לעשות. והנה אצוך שתשמור אשר ייטב לך:
1AND OBSERVE TO DO IT. Behold. I command you to observe that it may be well with you.
בארץ זבת חלב. דבק עם לרשתה והנה הוא רחוק ממנו או יהיה חסר בי״ת כמו הנמצא בית ה':
2A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY. This is connected to to possess it (v. I).1 is connected to the end of the first verse. Now, it is far from it,2 concludes the first verse even though it is some distance from it. or it is missing a bet,3 (a land) is to be read as if written be-eretz (in a land). In this case, the clause reads, in a land flowing with milk and honey, and is connected to that it may be well with thee, and that you may increase mightily. as in that was found in the house of the Lord (II Kings 12:11).4 is to be read as if written be-vet Adonai.
אומה שהעתיקו קדמונינו ז״ל על ק״ש הוא האמת ואין צורך לחפש דע כי זה השם הנכבד הוא שם העצם ואם כן מה טעם לאמרו פעם שנית והתשובה כי אדם שם עצם ושם מקרה שאיננו כן ואם הוא נקרא מעצם האדמה וכן זה והעד השם שהוא סמוך אל צבאות או העיקר הוא אלהינו ונכפל כמו כן לומר אחד והטעם לבדו וראיות עד אין חקר יש כי השם אחד והפסוק שאמר ביום ההוא יהיה ה' אחד על מחשבות בני אדם והנכון בעיני שהוא דבק עם מלך כי כן כתוב והיה ה' למלך על כל הארץ ביום ההוא יהיה ה' מלך אחד ושמו אחד כטעם כי אז אהפוך אל עמים שפה ברורה והנה כל העולם ידברו שפה אחת על כן יהיה שם ה' אחד:
1HEAR O ISRAEL: THE LORD (YHVH) OUR GOD, THE LORD (YHVH) IS ONE.] That which the ancients, of blessed memory, transmitted regarding the reading of the shema is true,5 (shema), O Israel, morning and evening. and there is no need for further investigation. Note that the glorious name (YHVH) is a noun.6 This being the case, why is it said a second time?7) our God is one. It should be noted that I.E. comments elsewhere that it is biblical style to repeat nouns in the same verse. See I.E. on Gen. 19:24, (Vol. 1, p. 208) and on Ps. 1:2. The answer is that Adam is a noun. Adam is also an adjective, and not a noun,8 even though9). he was called after the very earth. The same is true of the name YHVH.10 The fact that YHVH is connected to tzeva’ot (hosts)11 (the Lord of hosts) (Is. 1:9). is proof.12 is in the construct with tzeva’ot, whereas a proper name cannot come in the construct. See I.E. on Ex. 3:15 (Vol. 2, p. 65). On the other hand, the term Elohenu (our God) might be the object.13 is our God. The name YHVH was repeated in order to state YHVH echad (the Lord is one) the meaning of which is, only YHVH.14 is our God, it goes on to say that only YHVH is our God. There are many proofs that YHVH alone is God.15 The verse that states, In that day shall the Lord be One (echad)16 (Zech. 14:9), speaks of men’s thoughts.17 In my opinion, the word one18 is connected to the word king, for Scripture writes: And the Lord shall be King over all the earth; In that day shall the Lord alone be King and His name one (Zech. 14:9).19. I.E.’s interpretation eliminates the implication that today there are more gods than YHVH, for it speaks of all people recognizing one king, i.e., the Lord. The latter is similar in meaning to For then will I turn to the peoples, A pure language, That they may all call upon the name of the Lord (Zeph. 3:9}. Behold, all the nations will speak one language. The name of the Lord will therefore be one.
אואהבת. ואחר שאין לנו אלוה אחר רק הוא לבדו חייב אתה שתאהבנו כי אין לנו אלוה אחר:
1AND THOU SHALT LOVE. Since we have no other god aside from the Lord, you are obligated to love Him, for we have no other god.20
בבכל לבבך ובכל נפשך. הלב הוא הדעת והוא כנוי לרוח המשכלת כי היא המרכב' הראשונה וכן חכם לב קונה לב:
2WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL. The heart refers to knowledge. It is another term for the spirit of intelligence,21 for the heart is its first residence.22 (lip) because it is seen to come from the lips. Similarly, man’s highest soul is called heart (lev)…because the heart is its first resting place.” The same applies to wise-hearted (Ex. 36:1) and to He that getteth a heart (Prov. 19:8).23
גנפשך. היא הרוח שבגוף והיא המתאו' וכחה נראה בכבד:
3THY SOUL.24. The reference is to the spirit, which is in the body.25), animal (ru’ach), and rational (neshamah). See Vol. 1, p. xiii; also The Secret of the Torah, p. 96. It is the spirit which lusts.26. Its power is manifest in the liver.
דמאדך. מטעם מאד מאד והטעם לרוב אהוב אותו בכל מה שתוכל ותהיה אהבה גמורה בלב:
4THY MIGHT. The meaning of me’odekha (thy might) is very very much.27 means much. Thus me’odekha (your might) literally means your much. Hence I.E.’s comment. It means that you should love Him to the utmost in any way that you are able. Your heart should be totally committed to the love of God.
אוהיו הדברים האלה. אמרו המכחשים על עשרת הדברות ועליהם נאמר וכתבתם על מזוזות ביתך והאמת כל המצות:
1AND THESE WORDS…SHALL BE. Those who deny the Rabbinic tradition28 say that the reference is to the Decalogue, and that it is in reference to the Decalogue that Scripture states, And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts (v. 9). However, the truth is that and these words…shall be refers to all of the commandments.
אושננתם. מגזרת חץ שנון. וידוע איך ישונן החץ הנה נרא' כי עיקר כל האדם עבודת השם ועבודתו להכיר פעליו והמעתיקי' העתיקו שעת ק״ש וכלנו נסמוך עליהם:
1AND THOU SHALT TEACH THEM. Ve-shinantam (and thou shalt teach them) is related to the word shanun (sharp) in and a sharp arrow (Prov. 25:18). The method of sharpening an arrow is well known.29 Observe. Our verse teaches that the main purpose of man is to serve God.30 God’s service consists in recognizing God’s works.31, the reference is to the study of the Torah (see Weiser). However, it should be noted that in I.E., study of God’s works usually refers to the study of the sciences. Thus I.E. writes: “When one masters astronomy and the circuits of the [sun and. moon], he comes to know the works of God the glorious” (The Secret of the Torah, p. 21). Perhaps I.E. is alluding here to his belief that the Torah cannot be fully understood unless it is interpreted in light of the studies of science (see The Secret of the Torah, pp. 33,34). However, the transmitters of tradition taught that [our verse] refers to the time of reading the shema.32 means that we should read the shema at night, and when thou risest up refers to the reading of the shema in the morning. See chapter 1 of Mishnah Berakhot. We all rely on them.
בבשבתך. דבק עם ודברת בם:
2WHEN THOU SITTEST. This is connected to and shalt talk of them.33
גובשכבך. לישן כי אין מצוה על הישן והנה ודברת בם בפה ובלב:
3AND WHEN THOU LIEST DOWN. To sleep, for one is not obligated to observe the commandments when one sleeps.34 can’t be taken to mean when you sleep. Behold, the meaning of our verse is, And thou shalt talk of them verbally and in your heart.
אוקשרתם לאות על ידך. מפורש:
1AND THOU SHALT BIND THEM FOR A SIGN UPON THY HAND. This has been explained.35
בלטטפת. אין למלה הזאת ריע במקרא והמכחשים אמרו שהוא מגזרת והטף אל דרום וזה לא יתכן כי שרש הטף נטף וזה חסר נו״ן וכפול הטי״ת:
2AND THEY SHALL BE FOR FRONTLETS. The word totafot (frontlets) is not found elsewhere in Scripture. Those who dispute the Rabbinic tradition36 is related to the word ve-hatef (and preach). Actually this opinion was quoted by Rashi in the name of Menachem ben Saruk, who, far from being a heretic, was an accepted tenth-century grammarian and Bible commentator. See I.E. on Ex. 13:16 (Vol. 2, p. 266). say that totafot is related to the word ve-hatef (and preach) in and preach toward the South (Ezek. 21:2). This is impossible, for the root of hattef is nun, tet, peh. However, there are two tets ands no nun in totafot.
אוכתבתם. גם אמרו שהוא כמו קשרם ואחר שקבלו אבותינו האמת נעזוב אלה הבודאים מלבם:
1AND THOU SHALT WRITE THEM. They37 also said that its meaning38. However, see I.E. on Ex. 13:9, (Vol. 2, pp. 261,262). is Bind them (Prov. 6:8).39 (Prov. 6:8). The latter verse is symbolic. So too ours. Now since our fathers received the truth, we will forsake those who employ their heart to invent things.
אכל טוב. בשור״ק תחת חול״ם כי יתחלפו כי איננו סמוך:
1ALL GOOD THINGS. The word tuv (good) is vocalized with a shuruk in place of a cholam,40. for these vowels interchange and tuv is not in the construct.41 is the normal vocalization for the word in the construct.
אוטעם מבית עבדים. שלא היו לך ערים ובתים מלאים:
1OUT OF THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE. Where you did not possess cities and houses that are full.
אתירא. שלא תעשו מצות לא תעשה:
1THOU SHALT FEAR. You shall not violate any of the negative commandments.
בתעבוד. במצות עשה:
2SHALT THOU SERVE. By observing the positive commandments.
גובשמו תשבע. לא בשם אלהים אחרים להקים דבר ולכרות ברית וכן תשבע כל לשון רק באמת והטעם שלא יהיה לך אלוה שתשבע בשמו רק שם השם לבדו. ע״כ כתוב אחריו לא תלכון אחרי אלהים אחרי' ולא תנסו:
3AND BY HIS NAME SHALT THOU SWEAR. And not by the name of another god when you affirm anything or make a covenant. Similarly, Every tongue shall swear42 (Is. 45:23). You shall swear only the truth. The meaning of our verse is, you shall have no other god to swear by his name. You shall only swear by the name of the Lord. Scripture therefore afterwards reads, Ye shall not go after other gods (v. 14), and ye shall not try the Lord your God (v. 16).
אבמסה. שם מקום הנזכר ויקרא שם המקום מסה ונפתח הבי״ת כמו וזבח וצלמונע בקרקר ויפקדם בטלאים ושם פירשתיו והטעם שאמרו היש השם בקרבנו ואם הוא נעבדנו רק אין לך צורך לבד שתשמור מצותיו ואם אתה תעשה הטוב בעיניו יעשה לך כל טוב ויהדוף את כל אויביך:
1IN MASSAH. Massah is the name of a place mentioned earlier, And the name of the place was called Massah (Ex. 17:7). The bet which is prefixed to Massah is vocalized with a pattach43 (in Massah). The usual way to say in Massah is be-massah. like the bet prefixed to karkor in Now Zebah and Zalmona were in Karkor44. (Jud. 8:10), and the bet placed before Telaim in And numbered them in Telaim45, ba-talaim. (I Sam. 15:4). I explained it46 there. Massah was so called because Israel said, Is the Lord among us (Ex. 17:7).47. The latter means to test. If He is, then we will serve Him. [Moses told Israel:] you have no need to test God. All you have to do is observe His commandments. If you do what is good in His sight, the Lord will do to you all that is good for you and will thrust out all of your enemies.
אלהדוף. ה״א להדוף שורש והעד הדפו:
1TO THRUST OUT. The heh in la-hadof (to thrust out) is a root letter, as the word hadofo (cast it upon him) (Num. 35:22) proves.
אמה העדות. הטעם למה זה העול עלינו בינות בני אדם ואמרת כי השם פדנו מבית עבדים והנה עשה לנו זאת הטובה והנה חייבים אנחנו ליראה את שמו כי כבר הכרנו כי הוא הטיב לנו ועוד ייטיב לנו להחיותנו כי מצותיו חיים הם למוצאיהם:
1WHAT MEAN THE TESTIMONIES. It means, Why, out of all people, is this burden placed upon us?48 [21.] THEN THOU SHALT SAY. For God redeemed us from the house of bondage. Now, God did us this good. We are obligated to fear His name49 because we have recognized that He did good to us in the past. He will do good for us in the future to keep us alive, for His commandments are life unto those that find them (Prov. 4:22).
אוצדקה תהיה לנו. י״א מכאן רמז לשכר המצות לעוה״ב ולפי הפשט כי מדרך הצדקה חייבים אנחנו לשמור את רצונו כי הוא אדוננו והנכון בעיני כי כל הגוים יראו שאנחנו צדיקים בשמרנו מצותיו וחקיו שהם צדיקים כי כן כתוב:
1AND IT SHALL BE RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO US. Some say that this verse hints at the reward in the world to come for the observance of the commandments.50. However, according to the plain meaning of the text, our verse teaches that following God’s will is the righteous thing to do, for He is our Master. I believe that the correct meaning is, all the nations shall see that we are righteous when we keep God’s commandments and statutes, which Scripture clearly states are righteous.51