Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Exodus 13:14/אבן עזרא על שמות י״ג:י״ד

אוהיה. אמר ר' יהודה הלוי ז"ל, כי מחר חסר אלף והטעם מה שהוא אחר היום:

1AND IT SHALL BE. Rabbi Judah Ha-Levi of blessed memory says that the word machar (in time to come)⁵⁴ is missing an alef, its meaning being that which comes after today.⁵⁵ is short for me’acher (after). Rabbi Judah Ha-Levi interprets this way because “And it shall come to pass when thy son asketh thee tomorrow (machar),” etc., makes no sense in our context, whereas And it shall come to pass when thy son asketh thee in time to come (machar) does. Also see Rashi, “There are instances when machar means after some time.”