Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Exodus 29:37/אבן עזרא על שמות כ״ט:ל״ז

אקדש קדשים. קדש כאחד הקדשים:

1MOST HOLY. The meaning of kodesh kodashim (most holy) is holy like any other holy object.¹²² does not indicate superholiness as most commentators assume. See I.E. on Gen. 9:25.

בכל הנגע במזבח יקדש. כמו כל אשר יגע בבשרה יקדש (ויקרא ו, כ) יש אומרים כי על הלחם לבדו ידבר שלא יגעו אם לא יהיו קדושים והטעם שלא יהיו טמאים:

2WHATSOEVER TOUCHES THE ALTAR SHALL BE HOLY. This is similar to Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy (Lev. 6:20).¹²³ of the sin offering shall be holy to God; that is, only a priest may eat of it (I.E. on Lev. 6:20). Similarly, Scripture here teaches that any flesh that touches the altar shall be holy to God and only a priest may eat of it. Some say that the verse speaks only of the bread. Scripture is telling us that if the bread is not holy, that is, if the bread is unclean, then it shall not touch the altar.¹²⁴