Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 22:15/אבן עזרא על שמות כ״ב:ט״ו
אאשר לא ארשה. כי המאורשה אעפ"י שלא נבעלה נקראת אשת רעהו:
1THAT IS NOT BETROTHED. For a betrothed woman is considered to be married39 even though she has not slept with her husband.40 (betrothal) and kiddushin (sanctification). In the first stage the woman lives with her parents and is prohibited from having intercourse with her husband. In the second stage the women leaves her parent’s home and takes up her domicile with her husband. In contemporary times the erusin and kiddushin take place at the same time. A woman who is an arusah is considered to be married even though she still lives with her parents. Thus a “betrothed woman” in Scripture does not refer to an engaged woman; it refers to a married woman.
במהר ימהרנה. כמו מוהר בענין קשור כמו אחר מהרו (תה' טז ד) כי גזרת מהרה לא תמצא בפעלים רק מהבנין הדגוש בכל המקרא:
2[HE SHALL SURELY PAY A DOWRY FOR HER.] Mahor yimharennah (he shall surely pay a dowry for her) is similar to the word mohar used in the sense of attachment, as in acher maharu (that attach themselves unto another)41 (he shall surely pay a dowry for her) is to be rendered: he shall surely attach himself to her; that is, he must marry her. (Ps. 16:4). The root mem, heh, resh having the meaning of quickly (meherah) is only found in the pi’el in all of Scripture.42 is in the kal.