Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 19:18/אבן עזרא על שמות י״ט:י״ח
אוהר סיני עשן כלו. שי"ן עָשַן בפתח גדול כי הוא פועל עבר, ואל תתמה בעבור מלת עשן שאמר כְעֶשֶן הכבשן והנה הזכיר ויעל עֲשָנו שהוא על משקל שְלָלוֹ זְהָבו כי שמות משקלי השמות משתנים, ואמר שְגַר אלפיך (דבר' ז יג) וכל פטר שֶגֶר בהמה (למעלה יג יב) ואמר ואת הַבֹשֶׂם ואת השמן (למטה לה כח) וקנמן בֶשֶם (למטה ל כג) ועוד אמר אריתי מורי עם בְשָמִי (ש"ה ה א), ואלו היה מגזרת בֹשֶׂם היה ראוי להיות בקמץ חטף תחת הבי"ת בָשְׂמִי, כמו מקֹדֶש קָדְשִי, ואלו היה מגזרת וקנמן בֶשֶם היה ראוי להיות בפתח הבי"ת כמו מִשֶמֶן שַׁמְנִי וְשַׁמְנִי וקטרתי (יחז' טז יח) או בחירק כמו מְצֶדֶק צִדְקִי, והנה עם בְשָמִי בלא תוספת יו"ד הוא בָשָׁם בשני קמצין כמו שָׁלָל זָהב:
1NOW MOUNT SINAI WAS ALTOGETHER ON SMOKE. The shin of ashan (smoke) is vocalized with a long pattach because it is a verb in the perfect.163 (now mount Sinai was altogether on smoke) should be rendered: now all of mount Sinai smoked. For ashan, is a verb not a noun. Do not be surprised at the word for smoke164 since Scripture reads, ke-eshen165 vocalized segol, segol (pe’el). ha-kivshan (as the smoke of the furnace) after saying, va-ya’al ashano166 vocalized kamatz, kamatz (pa’al). (and the smoke thereof ascended). Note that ashano follows the form of shelalo (his spoil)167. Shelalo is shalal combined with the pronominal suffix. So too ashano, which is the word ashan plus the nominal suffix. and zehavo168 (his gold),169 follows the form of melekh (king), shemen (oil), etc. That is, it is vocalized according to the pe’el form. for nouns come in various forms each of which has a different name.170 etc. Thus Scripture reads, shegar171 (kamatz, kamatz). Thus shegar is a pa’al. alafekha (the increase of thy kine) (Deut. 7:13), but elsewhere it reads, ve-khol peter sheger172 (segol, segol) is a pe’el. Thus this noun too comes in two forms. be-hemah (every firstling that is male) (Ex. 13:12). Scripture reads, ve-et ha-bosem173 is a po’el (cholam, segol). ve-et ha-shemen (and the spice, and the oil) (Ex. 35:28). However, we also find, ve-kinneman besem174 is a pe’el. (and of cinnamon spice)175 (Ex. 30:23). Furthermore, Scripture reads, ariti mori im besami (I have gathered my myrrh with my spice) (Cant. 5:1). Now, if besami (my spice) was derived from bosem,176 plus the pronominal suffix for “my.” the word should have been vocalized with a chataf kamatz and be pronounced bosmi like the word kodshi (my holy object), which is derived from kodesh (holy).177 is a po’el. Similarly, if besami was derived from besem (sweet)178 plus the pronominal suffix for “my.” in and of cinnamon spice (Ex. 30:23), then besami should have been vocalized with a pattach like the word shamni (my oil),179 as that is one of the ways a pe’el plus the pronominal suffix is vocalized. which is derived from shemen (oil), or with a chirik like the word tzidki (my righteousness),180 an alternate pe’el plus pronominal suffix vocalization. which is derived from tzedek (righteous). The word besami minus the yod181 is thus vocalized with two kematzim and pronounced basam (spice),182 is basam. Thus basam is a pa’al. like the word shalal (spoil) and the word zahav (gold).
בויחרד כל ההר מאד. הפך המנהג, כי ההרים לא ימושו רק על דרך משל אמר, וירגזו ההרים (ישעי' ה כה):
2AND THE WHOLE MOUNT QUAKED GREATLY. The reverse of the usual, for mountains do not move. It is only by way of parable that Scripture states, And the hills did tremble (Is. 5:25).