Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 6:25/אבן עזרא על שמות ו׳:כ״ה
אואלעזר. הזכיר אשת אלעזר בעבור כבוד פנחס כי לו נתנה הכהונה לעולם, ע"כ מדרך הסברא פוטיאל היה מבני ישראל ולא ידענו טעם פוטיאל, כאשר לא ידענו טעם למישאל, וכל שמות הנזכרים כמו אהרן, ולולי נכתב מעשה משה לא היינו יודעין למה נקרא כן:
1AND ELEAZAR. Eleazar’s wife is mentioned out of respect for Phinehas, as the priesthood was given to him eternally. Hence, logically speaking, Putiel was an Israelite.94 (fatten) and pittpet (conquered). The Midrash says that Eleazar’s wife was a descendant of Jethro, “who fattened calves for idols,” and Joseph, “who conquered his passions.” See Sotah 43a; Baba Batra 109b, Sanhedrin 82b and Shemot Rabba 67. I.E. disagrees, for he believes Putiel is mentioned to give respect to Phinehas, and it is no honor to have a pagan ancestor. We do not know the meaning of Putiel as we do not know the meaning of Mishael and Aaron and all the other names that are mentioned. If what happened to Moses had not been recorded,95 we would not know why he was so called.96