Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Genesis 1/אבן עזרא על בראשית א׳

אבראשית חכמינו אמרו שהבי"ת נוסף כבי"ת בָראשונָה (בראשית י"ג ד'), כי נמצא "ראשונה יסעו" (במדבר ב' ט') ואילו היה טעמו כן, היה הבי"ת נקמץ בקמץ גדול וי"א כי בראשית לעולם סמוך והטעם בראשית הערב או הלילה או החשך והנה שכחו "וירא ראשית לו" (דבר' ל"ג כ"א), וי"א שהבי"ת נושא (צ"ל נוסף) בלי טעם וטעמם שלא יעלה על לב שאין ראשית לשמים ולארץ ע"כ אמר בראשית, ולפי דעתי שהוא סמוך, כמו, "בראשית ממלכת יהויקים" (ירמי' כ"ו א'), ואל תתמה איך נסמך על פועל עבר והנה כן "תחלת דבר ד' בהושע ויאמר ד' אל הושע" (הושע א' ב'), קרית חנה דוד (ישעי' כ"ט א') והטעם יתבאר לך בפסוק השני,

1IN THE BEGINNING. Our wise men¹, 6:2. taught that the letter bet (of bereshit, in the beginning) is superfluous.² placed before the word reshit has no translatable meaning. According to Weiser it is there for emphasis. Our verse should thus be rendered: First God created heaven and earth. They compare it to the bet in the word ba-rishonah (at the first) (Genesis 13:4). We know the bet in ba-rishonah to be superfluous for we find they shall set forth first (rishonah) (Numbers 2:9).³ and ba-rishonah mean the same. Hence the bet of ba-rishonah is superfluous. However, if this were so the bet (of bereshit) would be vocalized with a long kamatz.⁴ of ba-rishonah. The fact that the bet of bereshit is vocalized with a sheva proves that both cases are not exactly the same. Other scholars maintain that the word bereshit is always in the construct and its meaning in our verse is: “In the beginning of the evening, or of the night, or of the darkness.”⁵ is connected to is missing and must be supplied by the reader. According to Cherez, I.E. is trying to explain why the superfluous bet of bereshit is vocalized with a sheva while that of ba-rishonah is vocalized with a kamatz. The reason is that bereshit is in the construct and therefore is vocalized with a sheva. However, they have overlooked And he chose a first part (reshit) for himself (Deuteronomy 33:21).⁶ is in the absolute. Others say that the bet of bereshit is a preposition.⁷. 38, which has kli ta’am rather than bli ta’am. For alternate interpretations see Filwarg, Weiser and Cherez. They explain that Scripture intends to preclude the thought that heaven and earth were preexisting. Hence it states, In the beginning.⁸ is there for emphasis. The meaning of the verse is: In the beginning, i.e., before anything was created, God created heaven and earth. I believe that bereshit is in the construct, as in In the beginning of (bereshit) the reign of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 26:1).⁹ is in the construct. He disagrees with the earlier quoted opinion only in maintaining that it is not always in the construct. Don’t ask, how can a word in the construct be connected to a verb in the perfect.¹⁰ This presents no problem, for we find that very case in the verse When the Lord spoke at first with Hosea (Hosea 1:2),¹¹ (at first) is in the construct with dibber (spoke). and in the verse the city where David encamped (Isaiah 29:1).¹² (the city) is in the construct with chanah (encamped). The meaning of bereshit will be explained in our comments on the next verse.¹³ in the construct is to be connected to.

בברא רובי המפרשים אמרו שהבריאה להוציא יש מאין, וכן "אם בריאה יברא ד'" (במדבר ט"ז ל'), והנה שכחו "ויברא אלהים את התנינים" (בראשית א כא), ושלש בפסוק אחד, "ויברא אלהים את האדם" (בראשית א כז), "ובורא חושך" (ישעי' מ"ה ו') שהוא הפוך האור שהוא יש, וזה דקדוק המלה ברא לשני טעמים זה האחד, והשני "לא ברא אתם לחם" (ש"ב י"ב י"ז), וזה השני אל"ף תחת ה"א, כי כמוהו "ויבוא כל העם להברות את דוד" (ש"ב ג' ל"ה), כי הוא מהבנין הכבד הנוסף, ואם היה באל"ף, היה, כמו "להבריאכם מראשית כל מנחת ישראל (ש"א ב' כ"ט), ומצאנו מהבנין הכבד, "ובראת לך שם" (יהושע י"ז ט"ו), ואיננו כמו ברו לכם איש (ש"א י"ו ח'), רק כמו "וברא אותהן" (יחז' כ"ג מ"ז), וטעמו, לגזור ולשום גבול נגזר, והמשכיל יבין:

2CREATED. Most Biblical commentators explain that the word bara (created) indicates creation ex nihilo. But if the Lord make (yivra) a new thing (beri’ah) (Num. 16:30) is similar. However, they have overlooked And God created (va-yivra) the great sea monsters¹⁴, for the verse concludes, and every living creature that creepeth, wherewith the waters swarmed, which shows that the sea monsters were created out of the water. Also, it is absurd to assume that on the fifth day of creation God would create sea monsters ex nihilo. (Gen. 1:21) and the three times the word created is used in one verse, viz., And God created (va-yivra) man in His own image, in the image of God created (bara) He him; male and female created (bara) He them (Gen. 1:27). They also failed to consider I form the light, and create darkness (Is. 45:7) wherein darkness, which is the opposite of light, an existing entity, is described by the prophet as being created.¹⁵. In Isaiah it means the creation of nothing out of something (Krinsky). Hence bara does not necessarily imply creation ex nihilo. The following is the precise explanation of the word bara. Bara has two meanings, one of which has been noted above.¹⁶ The second¹⁷ is found in the verse neither did he eat (bara) bread with them (II Samuel 12:17). However, in the latter case, an alef has been substituted for a heh.¹⁸ with a heh. However, Ibn Ezra’s manuscript must have had bara with an alef. See also Jacob ben Haim’s edition of the Hebrew Bible, 1524, which has the same reading as Ibn Ezra. There is some difficulty in understanding this comment as the printed text is corrupt. We have followed Vat. Ebr. 38 as suggested by Weiser. For a different rendering see Filwarg. The reason is that bara (in I Sam. 12:17) is similar to le-havrot (to urge to eat) in And all the people came to cause David to eat (le-havrot) bread (II Sam. 3:35). The verb le-havrot appears in the hifil (and its root ends with heh), for if it ended with an alef, Scripture would have read le-havri, as in to make yourselves fat (le-havri’achem) with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel (I Sam. 2:29). We also find bara conjugated in the pi’el, as in and cut down (u-vereta) for thyself (trees) (Joshua 17:15). This is not like the similar word beru in choose (beru) you a man for you (I Sam. 17:8) but rather like bare (hack, dispatch) in and dispatch them (u-vare) with their swords¹⁹, root bet, resh, alef, explains bara in Josh. 17:15 to mean chose, as in I Sam. 17:8. Ibn Ezra disagrees. The point of I.E’s comment is that bara spelled bet, resh, alef primarily means to cut. It is encountered with this meaning in both the kal and pi’el. Bara also means to eat. However, in the latter case its root is bet, resh, heh, although it is found spelled bet, resh, alef in I Sam. 17:8. In the latter instance, however, we treat it as if there were an interchange between the heh and alef. (Ezekiel 23:47). The meaning of bara is to cut or to set a boundary. The intelligent person will understand what I am alluding to.²⁰, p. 190, notes, “The Hebrew word bara, ordinarily translated “created,” which implies to most people the idea of creatio ex nihilo, Ibn Ezra renders, in accordance with its etymology, to limit, to define, by drawing or incising a line or boundary. Having said this, Ibn Ezra, in his wonted mysterious manner, stops short, refusing to say more, and preferring to mystify the reader by adding the tantalizing phrase, ‘The intelligent will understand.’ He means apparently to indicate that an eternal matter was endowed with form.” Nahman Krochmal, More Nevuche Ha-zeman (quoted by Krinsky), suggests that Ibn Ezra’s belief is similar to that of the Kabbalists; i.e., the world was created out of an emanation from God. See also C. Sirot, Philosophy in the Middle Ages (Hebrew), p. 112. Ibn Ezra was a neo-Platonist. According to neo-Platonism the world came about by emanation from God. Ibn Ezra is apparently saying that at the creation spoken of in the first chapter of Genesis, God gave final form to what had previously emanated from Him.

ג אלהים, אחר שמצאנו אלוה, ידענו כי אלהים לשון רבים, ושרש זה מדרך הלשון, כי כל לשון יש לו דרך כבוד, וכבוד לשון לועז שיאמר הקטן לנכח הגדול לשון רבים, ובלשון ישמעאל דרך כבוד שידבר הגדול כמו המלך בלשון רבים, ובלשון הקדש דרך כבוד לומר על הגדול לשון רבים כמו "אדנים" "ובעלים", שאמרו "אדנים קשה" (ישעי' י"ט ד'), "ולקה בעליו" (שמות כ"ב, י') וכן מלת עליו, אליו, ועדיו, על כן יאמר הכתוב ברא, ולא בראו, ומדרך התושיה ידענו כי הדבורים יקראו שפה, בעבור שיראו שממנה יצאו, וכן נשמת האדם העליונה תקרא לב, והלב גוף והיא איננה גוף, בעבור היות הלב המרכבת הראשונה לה ובעבור היות כל מעשה ד' ביד המלאכים עושי רצונו, נקרא כן, ובפסוק "כי שמי בקרבו" (שמות כג כא) אבאר קצת סוד השם, ואל תשים לבך לדברי הגאון, שאמר, שהאדם נכבד מהמלאכים וכבר ביארתי בס' היסוד, כי כל ראיותיו הפוכות, וידענו כי אין בבני אדם נכבדים כמו הנביאים, ויהושע נפל על פניו לפני מלאך ד' והשתחוה, ואמר מה אדני מדבר אל עבדו (יהושע ה יד), וכן זכריה ודניאל, ולמה אאריך, וטעם אלהי הצבאות, בטעם אלהי האלהים וטעם אלהים כמו מלך, ובני אדם המתעסקים במשפט אלהים יקראו כן, וזה השם תואר, ואיננו עצם, ולא ימצא ממנו עבר או עתיד, ואל תחשוב שהמלאכים הם מאש ורוח בעבור שנמצא עושה מלאכיו רוחות (תהלים קד ד) כי אין ככה דרך פשוטו, רק דבר דוד בתחלה על מעשה בראשית, והחל מהאור, ואמר עוטה אור, ואח"כ נוטה שמים, והוא הרקיע, והמים עליו, והאש והשלג והרוח, ואמר כי הרוח שלוחו של השם ללכת אל מקום שישלחנו, וכן האש ממשרתיו, ואמר יסד ארץ על מכוניה, וזאת היא היבשה, וכן כתוב, רוח סערה עושה דברו (תהלים קמח ה):

3GOD. Elohim (God) is a plural. We know this because we come across the singular form Elo’ah.²¹ being the singular of Elohim. Elohim is employed stylistically. Every language has honorific terminology. In the non-Hebrew tongues when an inferior addresses a superior he employs the plural. In Arabic it is customary for a dignitary such as a king to speak in the plural. In Hebrew, too, it is considered a sign of dignity to employ the plural when speaking of a superior. Such is the case with the words adonim (lords) and be’alim (owners). Thus Scripture says, a cruel lord (adonim) (Is. 19:4),²² is a plural, yet its meaning in this verse is singular (lord). The singular of adonim is adon. and and the owner thereof (be’alav) shall accept it (Exodus 22:10).²³ literally means, its owners. The terms alav (upon him), elav (to him), and adav (unto him) are similar.²⁴ It is for this reason that Scipture reads bara Elohim and not bare’u Elohim.²⁵ is to be understood as singular, the verb following it (bara) is in the singular. If Elohim were plural, the verb following it would also be plural (bare’u). We know from the study of logic that speech is called safah²⁶ is the Hebrew word for lip. The point is that more than the lips are involved in speech, but speech is so called because it is seen to come from the lips. because it is seen to come from the lips. Similarly man’s highest soul is called heart (lev) even though the soul itself is incorporeal while the heart is corporeal. It is referred to in this manner because the heart is its first resting place. Similarly God is called Elohim because His actions are executed via angels who do His will and who are referred to as Elohim.²⁷ because the soul acts via the heart. Similarly God is called Elohim because He acts via the angels. Husik, p. 191, points out that according to I.E., “God cannot come in contact with the material and changeable (hence)…it follows that (the terrestrial world)…was not made directly by him, but by angels; hence the word Elohim is used in the first chapter of Genesis, which means primarily the angels, and secondarily God as acting through the angels.” I will explain part of the secret of God’s name when I comment on for My name is in him (Ex. 23:21). Pay no heed to the opinion of Rabbi Saadiah Gaon who holds that man is superior to the angels. I have already explained to you in The Book of Foundation that all of his proofs are wrong. We know that the prophets are the most exalted human beings. Nevertheless, the prophet Joshua fell upon his face and prostrated himself before God’s angel and said to him, What saith my lord unto his servant (Josh. 5:14).²⁸ The same is true of the prophets Zechariah and Daniel.²⁹ Why should I elaborate when this point is so elementary?The meaning of Lord of Hosts (Elohe ha-tzeva’ot) is the same as God of gods (Elohe ha-Elohim) (Deut. 10:17).³⁰ means the same as tzeva’ot (hosts or angels). The definition of elohim (lord) is angels.³¹ (angel) rather than melekh (king) (Weiser). People engaged in the dispensation of God’s justice are also called elohim.³² at times signifies a judge. See Mekhilta on Ex. 21:6. Elohim is an adjective, not a proper noun.³³ It is not found conjugated in the perfect or imperfect.³⁴ is never found in the verbal form. Nevertheless, Ibn Ezra insists that it is an adjective. One should not assume that angels are composed of fire and air because Scripture states, Who makest winds Thy messengers, The flaming fire Thy ministers (Psalms 104:4).³⁵ This is not the literal meaning of this verse. David (in Psalm 104) speaks first of creation. He starts with light and says, Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment (Ps. 104:2). He then goes on to say, Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain, heaven referring to the firmament upon which is water, fire, snow and wind. David next says that the wind serves as God’s agent; i.e., it goes wherever God sends it. He speaks in a similar vein of fire as one of God’s ministers.³⁶ David then says, Who didst establish the earth upon its foundations (Ps. 104:5), which refers to dry land. Similarly it is written, Stormy wind, fulfilling His word (Ps. 148:8).³⁷

דוטעם את, כמו עצם הדבר, והוא סימן עם הפעול, כמו את השמים, ופעם יחסרוהו, כמו "אשר ברא אלהים אדם" (דברים ד לב), ונמצא עם הפועל, כמו ובא הארי ואת הדוב (ש"א יז לד), והם מתי מספר, ויהיה תחת עם,, ותחת מן:

4Et indicates the very thing. It signifies the direct object, as in the heaven (et ha-shamayim).³⁸ is a most difficult word to translate because it has many different meanings, depending on the context. However, sometimes it is omitted, as in that God created man (Deut. 4:32). It is also found placed before the subject, as in and when there came a lion, or (ve-et) a bear (I Sam. 17:34). However, the latter usage is very rare. Furthermore, et is used in place of with or from.³⁹

ההשמים בה"א הידיעה להורות כי על אלה הנראים ידבר, ולעולם לשון רבים ויתכן להיות משטרו משטר כל אחד ואחד, וטעם שמים גובה ומעלה, וכן בלשון ישמעאל שרובה על מתכונת לשון הקרש, ויש שמי השמים, ולא יתפרדו, כרחים, וצהרים, ואנשי המדות יבינו אלה הסודות, ויאמר הגאון כי הארץ כנקודה והשמים כחוט הסובב ואחר שאלה שניהם נבראים, יהיו כל אשר בתוכם נברא כמים וכאש ואחרים אמרו כי המים בכלל הארץ והרוח בכלל השמים ולפי דעתי, כי אלה השמים והארץ הם הרקיע והיבשה, כי לא נברא ביום אחד, כי אם דבר אחד, בראשון האור ובשני הרקיע ובשלישי הצמחים, וברביעי המאורות ובחמישי ובששי נפשות החיות, והמזמור הנזכר לעד, ולא יתכן להיות הקו הסובב קודם הנקודה, או הוא קודם הקו על כן אמרו שנבראו השמים והארץ בפעם אחת, והעד "קורא אני אליהם יעמדו יחדו" (ישעי' מח יג), וזאת העדות איננה ברורה, בעבור שפירוש הפסוק איננו כן, כי איך יאמר אליהם לאשר אינם, ואיך יקרא תהו, רק פירושו אני בראתים, ובעת שאקראם יעמדו יחד לפני שניהם כעבדים לעשות רצוני, כטעם "דברך נצב בשמים" (תהלים קיט פט), ואחר כן הזכיר הארץ, ואמר אח"כ כי גם המה יעמדו לעשות משפט שיצום:

5THE HEAVEN. The definite article (ha) is placed before heaven (shamayim) to indicate that Scripture speaks of the heaven visible to man.⁴⁰ Heaven (shamayim) is always written in the plural.⁴¹ (heaven) is a plural. It is possible that its dominion in Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish its dominion over the earth?⁴² is in the singular. Since shamayim is a plural, we would expect “their dominion” rather than “its dominion.” (Job 38:33) refers to the dominion exercised by each one of the heavenly spheres.⁴³ The meaning of shamayim (heaven) is high and above, as it is in Arabic, a language akin in form to Hebrew. There is also a heaven of heavens.⁴⁴ is the spheres (Krinsky). See note 40. The word for heaven (shamayim) is never written in the singular.⁴⁵ It is like the words millstone (rechayim) and noon (tzohorayim). Those who are well-versed in geometry will understand these secrets.⁴⁶ Saadiah Gaon says that the earth may be compared to a point and the heaven to a thread circling it. Since Scripture tells us that heaven and earth were created, we deduce from this that all their contents, such as fire and water, were also created.⁴⁷ Others say that the earth includes water and the heaven air.⁴⁸ However, in my opinion the heaven and earth spoken of in our verse refer only to the firmament and the dry land.⁴⁹ For only one thing was created on each day. Thus light was created on the first day, the firmament on the second, plants on the third, luminaries on the fourth, and living creatures on the fifth and the sixth. This interpretation is borne out by the psalm quoted above (Psalm 104). It is impossible to maintain that the line circling the dot was created before the dot, or the dot before the circle. Hence our sages say that heaven and earth were created simultaneously.⁵⁰ 12a. They offer as proof of their viewpoint, Yea, My hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand hath spread out the heavens; When I call unto them, They stand up together (Is. 48:13).⁵¹ implies that they were created simultaneously. However, this proof is questionable. The plain meaning of this verse is not so, for how could God address that which was not yet created?⁵² How could He call to that which was in a chaotic state? The explanation of this verse is as follows: I, God, created heaven and earth. When I call them, they stand before Me as servants ready to do My will. The meaning of this verse is similar to that of Thy word standeth fast in heaven (Ps. 119:89). After stating this the Psalmist makes mention of the earth (Ps. 119:90). He then goes on to say that heaven and earth stand ready to execute any commands that God will direct to them (Ps. 119:91).

אוהארץ, המלה הזאת זרה בעבור קמצת האל"ף עם הה"א בכל מקום, ואיננו כמו "הָאֶלף לך שלמה" (שה"ש ה יב) "והאבן הזאת" (בראשית כה כב):

1NOW THE EARTH. The word ha-aretz (the earth) is irregular in that it is always vocalized with a kamatz beneath both the heh and the alef.⁵³ (earth) is vocalized aretz when preceded by the definite article. The normal vocalization should be ha-eretz, with a segol beneath the alef. It is unlike the word ha-elef (the thousand) in Thou, O Solomon, shall have the thousand (ha-elef) (Canticles 8:12); or ha-even (the stone) in and this stone (ha-even) (Gen. 28:22).⁵⁴ and even the segol remains in place even when preceded by the definite article.

בתהו, אמר הגאון תהו שהוא מתהום, וזה לא יתכן כי מ"ם תהום שרש כמו מ"ם "הדום", ובס' יצירה תהו זה קו ירוק ובהו אלו אבנים מפולמות והנכון כאשר אמר המתרגם ארמית, וכן "ובתהו יליל ישימון" (דבר' לב י), וכן "אחרי התהו" (ש"א יב כא) שאין בו ממש:

2UNFORMED. Saadiah Gaon claims that the word tohu (unformed) is a derivative of tehom (the deep). This explanation is incorrect because the mem of tehom is a root letter⁵⁵ would not fall out. Thus tohu cannot derive from tehom. like the mem of hadom (footstool).⁵⁶ of tehom is similar to the mem of hadom. Both mems are integral parts of the respective words and do not drop out. The Sefer Yetzirah explains tohu (unformed) and bohu (void) as follows: Tohu refers to the green line; bohu alludes to the smooth stones.⁵⁷ 12a. “Tohu is a green band which encompasses the whole world, out of which darkness proceeds…, and tohu consists of the smooth stones in the abyss, out of which the waters proceed.” However, the correct meaning of these terms is found in the Aramaic translation of the Pentateuch.⁵⁸ We similarly read, And in the waste (tohu), a howling wilderness (Deut. 32:10), and go after vain things (tohu) (I Sam. 12:21), which means worshipping things that have no substance.⁵⁹

גובהו אחי תהו, והווי"ן תהת ה"א, כוי"ו "וישתחו" (בראשית יח ב) "ותרענה באחו" (בראשית מא ב), והטעם כי בראשית בריאת הרקיע והיבשה לא היה בארץ יישוב כי היתה מכוסה במים וכן שם אלהים כח תולדתה להיות למטה מהמים, ואל תתמה על וי"ו והארץ כי פירושו כפ"א רפה בלשון ישמעאל, וכמוהו "ואד יעלה מן הארץ" (בראשית ב ו), כי לא דבר משה על העולם הבא, שהוא עולם המלאכים כי אם על עולם ההויה והשחתה, והמפרשים שהשמים בפסוק הראשון הם שמי השמים, מה יעשו בארץ, והנה ראיות גמורות לאנשי שיקול הדעת שאין שם רק ארץ אחת ודרש שבע ארצות הוא שהיישוב נחלק על שבעה ובית המקדש היה באמצע היישוב כי רחוק הוא מאמצע הארץ,

3[VOID.] Bohu is a synonym of tohu. The vavs of tohu and bohu are in place of a heh. They are like the vav in (va-yishtachu) (and he bowed)⁶⁰ of va-yishtachu (and he bowed) is in place of a heh. and the vav of achu (reed-grass) in They fed in the reed-grass (achu) (Gen. 41:2).⁶¹ of achu (reed grass) is in place of a heh. The meaning of our verses is this: When the creation of the firmament and the dry land took place, the earth was uninhabited because it was covered with water. God created the earth in such a way that by the laws of nature it would be below the waters.⁶² Do not reject this interpretation because of the vav that is placed before the words the earth (ve-ha-aretz), for its meaning is identical to that of the Arabic fa.⁶³ of ve-ha’aretz (and the earth) introduces a new idea. This contradicts I.E.’s assertion that verse 2 is a mere continuation of verse 1, for I.E. interprets verse 1 and 2 as reading: When God made heaven and earth the earth was unformed and void. I.E. thus explains that the vav does not always mean “and” (it is like the Arabic fa). Thus verse 2 reads: the earth was, rather than: and the earth was. The vav placed before the word mist (ed) in but there went up a mist (ve-ed) from the earth (Gen. 2:6)⁶⁴ of ve-ed does not mean “and a mist.” is analogous. Our verses are to be so interpreted because Moses did not speak of the eternal world, which is the world of the angels; he spoke only of the transient world.⁶⁵ 12a; note 40 above. I.E. disagrees. He maintains that heaven in verse 1 refers only to the firmament. How can those who say that the word heaven in the first verse refers to the highest heavens explain the presence of the earth in the same verse?⁶⁶ does not refer to the firmament but rather to the abode of the heavenly beings, what, then, does earth refer to? It is illogical to assume that the Bible juxtaposes the creation of the eternal with the creation of the transient. Intelligent people have reputable proof that there is only one earth.⁶⁷ As to the Midrash, when it says that there are seven earths it means that the area of the world inhabited by human beings is divided into seven sections.⁶⁸. The Holy Temple was in the center of the inhabited world.⁶⁹ 48:2. Here too world means the inhabitable world and not the globe. It was not in the center of the earth because we know that it was far from there.

דורוח אלהים, ממך הרוח אל השם בעבור היותו שליח בחפץ השם לייבש המים,

4AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD. Ru’ach (wind) is in the construct with Elohim (God) because it was the medium employed by God to dry the land.⁷⁰ (spirit) as wind. Thus ve-ru’ach Elohim (and the spirit of God) means: and God’s wind.

הוהמים לשון רבים גם לא יתפרדו, והם, על בנין שנים, כי הם זכרים ונקבות, ונמצא על לשון יחיד "לא זורק עליו" (במדבר יט יג),

5[THE WATERS.] Mayim (waters) is in the plural. It does not come in a singular form. It belongs to the dual forms,⁷¹), heaven (shamayim), ears (oznayim), hands (yadayim), legs (raglayim). the latter being either masculine or feminine.⁷² is in the masculine. A masculine noun may also come in the dual form (Filwarg). For an alternate interpretation see Krinsky. Mayim is also found used in the singular in the water of sprinkling was not dashed against him (Num. 19:13).⁷³ is in the plural, the verb pertaining to it should also be in the plural. Hence, rather than “was not,” one would expect “were not.”

ווטעם מרחפת נושבת למעלה במים וכן "על גוזליו ירחף" (דבר' לב יא),

6[HOVERED.] Merachefet (hovered) means “blowing above the waters.” As an eagle…Hovereth (yerachef) over her young (Deut. 32:11), is similar.

אויאמר אמר הגאון כי פירוש ויאמר כמו וירצה, ואילו היה כן היה ראוי להיות אור, רק הוא כמשמעו, וכן "בדבר ד' שמים נעשו" (תהלים לג ו) "כי הוא צוה ונבראו (שם קמח ה) והטעם כנוי על המעשה שלא היה ביגיעה, ועל דרך משל מלך ומשרתיו,

1AND GOD SAID. Saadiah Gaon interprets va-yomer Elohim (and God said), as and God wanted. However, if this were the case Scripture should have stated God wanted (said) light to be. Therefore va-yomer Elohim is to be rendered “and God said.”⁷⁴ means God wanted, rather than God said, Scripture should have used the infinite li-heyot in place of yehi; Let there be implies a statement. We similarly read, By the word of the Lord were the heavens made (Ps. 33:6), and For He commanded, and they were created (Ps. 148:5).⁷⁵ Scripture describes creation as coming about by God’s word because it wants to teach us that heaven and earth came into being without any labor on God’s part. We may compare this to a king assigning certain tasks to his servants.

בוזה האור היה למעלה מן הרוח:

2[LIGHT.] The light spoken of in this verse was above the air.⁷⁶

אוירא כמו וראיתי אני (קהלת ב יג, דניאל יו"ד ז) והוא במחשבה,

1AND GOD SAW THE LIGHT. “Saw” is to be understood here as perceived. Compare, Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly (Ecclesiastes 2:13).⁷⁷. I.E. reads, and I saw.

בוטעם ויבדל בקריאת השמות,

2The meaning of divided is: He divided them by naming one, day and the other, night.⁷⁸

אויקרא הא' לילה נוסף כי הוא מלעיל, ולעולם לשון זכר הוא,

1AND GOD CALLED. The heh of laylah (night) is superfluous, because the word is penultimately accented. It is always a masculine noun.⁷⁹ of laylah (night) was an essential part of the word, laylah would be a feminine noun and would be accented on the last syllable (Filwarg).

בערב קרוב מטעם חשך, ונקרא כך שנתערבו בו הצורות ובקר הפך ערב שיוכל אדם לבקר בינות הצורות

2EVENING. Erev (evening) is close in meaning to choshekh (darkness). Erev is so called because forms are then intermingled.⁸⁰) is ayin, resh, bet. The opposite of evening is called boker (morning) because one can then distinguish between various forms.⁸¹ means to examine. Cf. Lev. 27:33. One day refers to the movement of the sphere.⁸² There is a secret meaning to the Midrashic statement to the effect that the world will exist for six thousand years.⁸³ 97a. Once it is stated that God called the light “day,” it is impossible to maintain that the evening, too, is considered part of the day.⁸⁴

גוטעם יום אחד הוא על תנועת הגלגל ויש סוד לדרש שית אלפי, ואחר שאמר שהאור יקרא יום לא יתכן שיקרא הערב יום, רק פי' היה ערב גם היה בקר של יום אחד, ואילו היה הערב והבקר יום אחד, מה טעם יום שני

3The correct interpretation of And there was evening and there was morning, one day is that evening passed and the morning of the first day also came. If the intention of this verse is to teach that evening and morning make a day, then what is the meaning of And there was evening and there was morning, a second day (v. 8)?⁸⁵

אויאמר, אמר הגאון על הרקיע דברים שלא היו, רק פירושו דבר נטוי כמו "וירקעו" (שמות לט ג) "ארקעם" (ש"ב כב מג) וכן "וימתחם כאהל לשבת" (ישעי' מ כב), ומה נכבד דבר האומר שקצות השמש (צ"ל השמים) עם קצות מימי אוקיינוס, וזה הרקיע הוא האויר, כי כאשר התחזק האור על הארץ ורוח יבש מהארץ נהפך הלהט ונעשה הרקיע, וכן אמר במזמור (תהלים קד ב') נוטה שמים כיריעה המקרה במים והזכיר העבים והרוח ויסד ארץ, והיא גבוה על המים, וכן כתב "כי הוא על ימים יסדה", (תהלים כד ב) "לרוקע הארץ על המים" (שם קלו ו) וכן כל הולך אל הים יורד יקרא, וטעם "הקורא למי הים" (עמוס ה ח, ט, ו) שיעלו והם העננים, ואח"כ וישפכם:

1AND GOD SAID. Saadiah Gaon says things about the firmament that are not so.⁸⁶ The correct interpretation of firmament (raki’a) is something spread out, as in And they did beat (va-yirakke’u) the gold into thin plates (Ex. 39:3); Then did I beat them (erka’em) (II Sam. 22:43); and similarly, And spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in (Is. 40:22). How precious are the words of he who said that the firmament begins at the point where the sun and the ocean merge.⁸⁷, as in Vat. Ebr. 38, for ketzot ha-shemesh. Cf. Pirke de-Rabbi Eliezer, Chap. III. The firmament is the air because when the light shone very strongly upon the earth and a wind dried off from the earth, the flame turned into the firmament.⁸⁸ (firmament)” (Cohen). Similarly⁸⁹ the Psalmist states, Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain; Who layest the beams of Thine upper chambers in the waters (Ps. 104:2 and 3). The Psalmist then makes mention of the clouds and the wind and the establishment of the earth. The latter is above the waters. We thus read, For He hath founded it (the earth) upon the seas (Ps. 24:2), and To Him that spread forth the earth above the waters (Ps. 136:6). Similarly whoever goes to the ocean is said to be going down.⁹⁰ The meaning of (He) That calleth for the waters of the sea, And poureth them out upon the face of the earth⁹¹ (Amos 5:8) is that God commands the waters of the sea to give birth to clouds, and, afterward, And (He) poureth them out upon the face of the earth.

אויעש, יש הבדלה בבין עם למ"ד, כמו בין מים למים (בראשית א ו) "בין קדש לחול (יחז' מד כג), ויש עם בין ובין, כמו פה, ויבדל בין המים אשר מתחת לרקיע, ובין המים וגו', ויש עם שניהם כמו "ביניכם לבין אלהיכם" (ישעי' נט ב),

1AND GOD MADE. Dividing one thing from another is expressed by placing the preposition ben (between) before the first object and a lamed before the second, as in And let it divide⁹². the waters (ben mayim) from the waters (la-mayim) (Gen. 1:6) and between the holy (ben kodesh) and the common (le-chol) (Ezek. 44:23). It may also be expressed by placing the preposition (ben) before each one of the objects, as in our verse and divided the waters⁹³. (ben ha-mayim) which were under the firmament from the waters (u-ven ha-mayim) which were above the firmament. And it is found with the word ben repeated and a lamed before the second object, as in But your iniquities have separated Between you (benekhem) and your God (le-ven elohekhem) (Is. 59:2).

בוטעם "ויהי כן" דבק עם הבא אחריו כאשר היה כן קראו שמים:

2[AND IT WAS SO.] This phrase is connected to the verse which follows it: When it was so, God called the firmament heaven.⁹⁴ is out of place following And God made the firmament. If he made it, then obviously it was so. Hence it does not apply to verse 7 but is connected to verse 8; viz., after the firmament came into being God called it heaven (Krinsky).

אויקרא חמש דברים קראן השם כי אין אדם, והם אור וחשך ושמים וארץ וימים ואדם כן:

1AND GOD CALLED. There are five things which God named because there was then no man to name them. They are: light, darkness, heaven, earth and the seas. In addition, God named man.⁹⁵

אויאמר, כפי דעתי שזו הפרשה דבקה עם אשר עליה כי הרקיע לא נעשה עד אשר יבשה הארץ והעֵד "ביום עשות ד' אלהים ארץ ושמים" (בראשית ב ד), והנה ביום אחד נעשו, והראות דבר נסתר והקוות מפוזר איננה בריאה, וכן טעמו וכבר אמר אלהים יקוו המים ויש כמוהו בתורה למאות, והנה בפ' בראשית אתן לך עדים שנים, האחד "וישם שם את האדם אשר יצר" (בראשית ב ה) ואחרי כן "ויצמח ד' אלהים" (שם שם ט) וקודם האדם הצמיחם, והעד השני, שצוה אדם שלא יאכל מעץ הדעת, ואחריו כתיב "וייצר ד' אלהים מן האדמה" (שם שם יט) רק פירושו וכבר יצר, ועל זה הפירוש יהיה "וירא אלהים כי טוב", דבק עם בריאת יום שני ותדשא הארץ תחלת יום שלישי

1AND GOD SAID. I believe that this chapter is connected to the one preceding it⁹⁶ because the firmament did not come into being until the land dried.⁹⁷ Proof of this is Scripture’s statement, In the day that the Lord God made earth (dry land) and heaven (the firmament) (Gen. 2:4). Thus they were made on the same day. The revelation of something which had previously been hidden (the land) or the gathering of something which was scattered (the water) into one place is not a creation.⁹⁸, rather than the Lord God created earth and heaven. I.E. had previously commented that only one thing was created on each day. He therefore explains that the making of the firmament and dry land on one day does not constitute the creation of two things on the same day, for the drying of the land was not a creation. The meaning of our verse is: now God had said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered.⁹⁹ is to be understood as a pluperfect. Verses 8 and 9 are to be read as one verse and understood as follows: And God called the firmament heaven…for God had said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place (Cohen). There are hundreds of similar instances in the Torah. I will offer two examples from the portion of Bereshit. One is: And the Lord God planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed (Gen. 2:8). After stating this, Scripture goes on to say, And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight (v. 9). However, God caused vegetation and trees to sprout before the creation of man.¹⁰⁰ The second example is when God commanded man not to eat from the tree of knowledge (Gen. 2:16). However, immediately after this it is written, And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto the man, etc. (Gen. 2:19).¹⁰¹ in Gen. 2:19 is had formed, i.e., before creating man God had formed the beasts of the field and every fowl of the air. The meaning of formed thus is had formed. According to this interpretation it follows that And God saw that it was good (Gen. 1:10) is connected to the act of creation which took place on the second day.¹⁰². The account of the creation which took place on the third day thus begins with And God said: Let the earth put forth grass (Gen. 1:11).

בופי' יקוו יתחברו, וכן ונקוו אליה (ירמיה ג יז),

2[LET…BE GATHERED.] The meaning of yikkavu is let them come together. Ve-nikvu in At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all nations shall be gathered (ve-nikvu) unto it (Jer. 3:17) is similar.

אואמר ימים בעבור שאין שם ים שיקיף כל הארץ:

1[SEAS.] Scripture employs the term seas (yammim) because there is no one name for the sea that surrounds all of the earth.¹⁰³

אויאמר, אמר הכתוב תדשא הארץ "ישרצו" (בראשית א כ) "תצא" (שם פ' כד), והנה שם כח בארץ ובמים לעשות במצות השם וזו היא התולדות,

1AND GOD SAID. Scripture states, Let the earth put forth grass (Gen. 1:11); Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures (Gen. 1:20); Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind (Gen. 1:24). This teaches that God placed in the earth and in the water the power to bring forth these things at God’s command. These are the generations (offspring) of the heaven and the earth (Gen. 2:4).¹⁰⁴

בוטעם תדשא כמו תצמיח:

2[LET THE EARTH PUT FORTH GRASS.] Tadshe means let it put forth.

גאשר זרעו בו, שהזרע בפרי וכל אחד שומר מינו:

3WHEREIN IS THE SEED THEREOF. Wherein the seed is in the fruit and each one produces its own kind.

אn

אויאמר, מלת יהי יהיה. בעבור שידברו בה הרבה הוא ליחיד ולרבים, גם לנקבה "כי יהיה נערה בתולה" (דבר' כב כג),

1AND GOD SAID. Yehi (let there be) is short for yiheyeh. Due to the frequency with which this term is used, it is employed before both the singular and the plural.¹⁰⁵, rather than the singular yehi. It is also employed in Scripture with the feminine as in, If there be a damsel (yiheyeh) that is a virgin (Deut. 22:23).¹⁰⁶, rather than yiheyeh (which is masculine), should have been used. I.E. points out that there is a tendency toward uniformity when a word is employed frequently.

בלאותות רגעים ולמועדים, שעות ויתכן להיות לאותות על קדרות הלבנה והשמש, ודלוג דמות הכוכבים כי הכוכבים סבת דמות הנראה, כטעם מאותות השמים אל תחתו (ירמי' יוד ב), והאומר כי למ"ד לאותות נוסף לא אמר כלום:

2FOR SIGNS AND FOR SEASONS. For signs, i.e., for minutes, and for seasons, i.e., for hours. For signs may also be interpreted as referring to the eclipse of the moon and the sun and also to shooting stars. The last-mentioned phenomena are to be included among the signs produced by the lights of the firmament because they are caused by the stars. This meaning of signs is like signs in And be not dismayed at the signs (omens) of heaven (Jer. 10:2). Anyone who explains the lamed of le-otot (for signs) as superfluous is mistaken.¹⁰⁷ is a preposition.

גוהיו לאותות, אמר חכם גדול ספרדי כי הרקיע נחלק על שמונה חלקים לשבעה הכוכבים וגלגל המזלות וזה לא יתכן, כי אין גוף למעלה מגלגל המזלות והנה הכתוב אומר ברקיע השמים שיורה שיש שמים למעלה ממנו וכן "שמי השמים" (נחמיה ט, ו), "לרוכב בשמי שמי קדם" (תהלים סה לד, וקדם במקום הזה איננו מזרח והגאון ר' סעדיה ז"ל ברח מזה המקום, והנכון בעיני שהשמש והלבנה וכל הכוכבים הם מאורות ברקיע כי שם יראו:

3AND LET THEM BE FOR SIGNS. A prominent Spanish sage¹⁰⁸ stated that the firmament is divided into eight parts, seven for the seven spheres of the seven stars and one for the constellations.¹⁰⁹ However, this cannot be so because we know there is no body above the sphere of the constellations. Behold, Scripture explicitly states, And God set them in the firmament of the heaven, which clearly indicates that there is a heaven above the firmament. The heaven of heavens (Nehemiah 9:6) and To Him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens, which are of old (kedem) (Ps. 68:34) are similar.¹¹⁰ refers to the heaven above the firmament. It is I.E.’s belief that the planets and constellations are above the firmament (see note 40). Note that the word kedem in the verse quoted above does not mean east but ancient.¹¹¹ may also mean east, but not here. If the verse alluded to the eastern sky it could not refer to the heaven above the firmament (the ancient heaven) which is invisible. Indeed, Rabbi Saadiah Gaon, may the righteous be remembered for a blessing, was afraid to comment on this verse.¹¹² means old. It implies that they are older than the earth and may even be eternal. Hence Saadiah refrains from commenting on this verse. See Krinsky. It appears to me that the sun, the moon and other luminaries are called lights in the firmament because they are visible there.¹¹³

אויעש, נקראו השנים הגדולים כנגד הכוכבים וכן נקראו שלשה בני ישי הגדולים כנגד האחרים, ואליאב היה הבכור גדול מכולם ולא זה גדול מזה יש לו סוד,

1AND GOD MADE. The sun and the moon are called the great lights in contradistinction to the stars.¹¹⁴ Similarly the first three sons of Jesse are called the elders, in contrast to their younger brothers.¹¹⁵ In reality, Eliab, the first born, was the oldest of them all. As to the Midrash, which states One was not greater than the other,¹¹⁶, Chap. VI. there is a secret meaning to it.¹¹⁷

בלממשלת היום, ממשלת השמש ביום ולא בלילה כי אין לה אור גם ללבנה וכוכבים לא יראה אורם ביום, ואם ישאל שואל, הלא אמרו חכמי הספירות שכוכב צדק וכל הכוכבים חוץ מכוכב ונוגה גדולים מהלבנה ואיך כתוב הגדולים, התשובה אין פי' הגדולים על מדתם בגופם רק אל אורם ואור הלבנה כפלי כפלים בעבור היותה קרובה מהארץ, וכן כתוב מאור:

2[TO RULE THE DAY.] The sun rules during the day and not at night because it is not seen. Conversely, the light of the moon and stars are not seen during the day. One may ask, do not the astronomers teach that Jupiter and all the stars, with the exception of Mercury and Venus, are larger than the moon? Why, then, is it written the great lights?¹¹⁸ The answer is that the term great does not refer to size but to light, and the light of the moon is many times greater than their light because of its proximity to the earth. Thus we see that Scripture describes them as lights.¹¹⁹

אויתן, אל תתמה על מלת ויתן, כי כן כתוב את קשתי נתתי בענן (בראשית ט יג):

1AND GOD SET. Do not be surprised that Scripture states, And God set,¹²⁰ (Filwarg). According to Weiser the question is, “If the stars are set in the sky then why are they not visible there at all times?” for the Bible also says, I have set My bow in the cloud (Gen. 9:13).¹²¹ (Gen. 9:13).

אולמשול, יום התורה משעת צאת השמש עד בואה, והלילה מעת ראות הכוכבים וצדקו האומרים עפ"י שלשה עדים, ודע כי עת שתחשך השמש יהיה ערב עד שעה ושליש שעה שיראה כמו אור בעבים, וכן הבקר אור קודם זריחת השמש, ובצאת אור השמש ביום, ואור הלבנה בלילה, יבדילו בין האור ובין החשך:

1AND TO RULE. The day spoken of in the Torah begins at sunrise and lasts until sunset. Night begins when the stars are first visible. Those who say that night begins with the appearance of three stars are correct.¹²² 35b), night begins with the appearance of three stars. Know that evening begins at sunset and lasts for one and a third hours, during which time a light-like appearance is seen in the clouds. Similarly morning dawns before sunrise.¹²³ When the light of the sun shines during the day and the light of the moon at night, they separate between the light and the dark.¹²⁴ refers to both the sun and the moon.

אויאמר יִשְרְצו פועל יוצא וכמוהו "ושרץ היאור צפרדעים" (שמות ז כח) וטעם ישרצו תולדות עם הגבהה, והכתוב כי העוף יעופף על פני הרקיע לעֵד על פירוש רקיע, ואמר הגאון כי על פני הוא עם פני, א"כ פני השמים למטה הם, ופ"א יעופף כנו"ן "עד יכונן" (ישעי' סב ז'):

1AND GOD SAID. Yishritzu (let it swarm) is a transitive verb, as is sharatz (swarm) in And the river shall bring forth swarms of frogs (ve-sharatz) (Ex. 7:28).¹²⁵ The meaning of Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures and let fowl fly above the earth is that the waters shall produce living beings that will immediately fly.¹²⁶ The verse And let fowl fly…in the open firmament of heaven proves my interpretation of the firmament.¹²⁷ cannot be the domain of the spheres (Cherez). Saadiah Gaon¹²⁸ explains al pene (in the open) to mean with the face of. Hence, according to the Gaon, the heavens face down.¹²⁹ The feh of ye’ofef (let fly) is doubled like the nun in yekhonen (till He establish) (Is. 62:7).¹³⁰ has its final letter doubled in the pi’el. The root of ye’offe f is ayin, vav, peh. The root of yekhonen is caf, vav, nun.

אויברא, הרומשת כטעם הולכת, וי"א שהשי"ן תחת סמ"ך,:

1AND GOD CREATED. The meaning of romeset (creepeth) is walks. Some are of the opinion that the sin of romeset is in place of a samekh.¹³¹ means to tread. Thus romes with a sin means the same as romes with a samekh.

אויברך, טעם פרו ורבו תפרו ותרבו וכן ומות בהר (דבר' לב נ) כי אין זה בכחו ובידו:

1AND GOD BLESSED. The meaning of Be fruitful, and multiply is, “You shall be fruitful and you shall multiply.” And die in the mount (Deut. 32:50) is similar because it is not in one’s power to determine the time of one’s death.¹³² is to be rendered: and you shall die in the mount. For we cannot determine the time of our death. Similarly one can have intercourse but one cannot guarantee conception. Hence Be fruitful, and multiply, like and die, is not an imperative.

אויאמר נפש חיה, כלל לאשר הוליד האש והמים והארץ, גם האדם:

1AND GOD SAID. Living creature is a general term for what the fire, water and earth gave birth to.¹³³ It also includes man.

בבהמה. שהם עם בני אדם לצרכם לרכוב ולאכול:

2CATTLE. Domesticated beasts that are utilized by man for their needs, for riding and for food.

גורמש. הם הקטנים ההולכים על הארץ:

3AND CREEPING THING. Small animals that walk upon the earth.

דוחיתו ארץ. שדם בשדה שאין שם ישוב, והוי"ו האחרון נוסף במלת וחיתו, כמו למעינו מים (תהלים קיד ה) בנו בעור (במדבר כד ג):

4AND BEAST OF THE EARTH. Animals that are in the wilderness where there are no human settlements. The vav at the end of ve-chayeto (and beast of) is superfluous. It is like the vav of le-mayeno (into a fountain) in into a fountain (le-mayeno) of waters (Ps. 114:8), and the vav in the son of (beno) Beor (Num. 24:3).

אנעשה אדם, יש אומרים כי מלת נעשה שם התואר מבנין נפעל, כמו, ואשר היה נעשה ליום אחד" (נחמיה ה יח), ואמרו כי בצלמנו כדמותינו דברי משה ופי' "ויברא אלהים את האדם בצלמו", שהוי"ו שב אל האדם ויפרשו "בצלם אלהים" (בראשית ט, ו) שהאלהים דבק עם עשה כאלו אומר כי האלהים עשה את האדם בצלם, וזה הפירוש חסר לב, כי היה הראשון ראוי להיות כן, ויאמר אלהים יהי נעשה אדם, וכן עשהו בצלמו, גם וי"ו בצלמו איך ישוב אל האדם, והנה יש לו צלם קודם שיהיה, ומה טעם יש "כי שופך דם האדם באדם דמו ישפך" (בראשית ט ו) בעבור שנברא האדם בצלם, גם לכל נפש היה צלם, ויאמר הגאון כי פירוש בצלמנו כדמותינו בממשלה וטעמו בצלם שראה בחכמה כי טובה היא ובעבור כבוד האדם סמכו אל האלהים, וכן ומארצו יצאו (יחזקאל לו כ) כי לד' הארץ ומלואה, ואמר במלת נעשה, ואם היא לשון רבים, שכן מנהג המלכים לדבר, וכמוהו וְנִתְּנָה לך גם את זאת (בראשית כח כז), "נאמר קדם מלכא (דניאל ב לו) "אולי אוכל נכה בו" (במדבר כב ו), ואלה העדים עדי שקר הם, כי "ונתנה לך" בנין נפעל, וכמוהו "והעיר נתנה" (ירמיה לב כד), והוי"ו השיבו לעתיד כמשפט כל פעל עבר, והטעם וַתִנָתַן לך "ונכה בו" הוא ומחנהו, או יהיה שם הפועל כמו "ונקה לא אנקך" (ירמיה מו כח) ואף כי שמצאנו "לא נכו" (שמות ט, לב) כי לא יבוא בנין שלא נזכר שם פועלו, כי אם מהכבד, ור' משה הכהן הספרדי טעה בספרו, ומלת "נאמר קדם מלכא" (דניאל ב לו) ארמית היא ואיך ידבר דניאל בלשון גדולה עם נבוכדנצר שהיה מלך מלכים, ועתה אפרש, דע כי כל מעשה בראשית, לכבוד האדם נברא במצות השם, והצמחים הוציאה אותם הארץ והמים, וכל נפשות החיות, ואח"כ אמר השם למלאכים, נעשה אדם, אנחנו נתעסק בו, ולא המים והארץ,, ואחר שידענו שהתורה דברה כלשון בני אדם כי המדבר אדם גם כן השומע, ולא יוכל לדבר איש דברים בגבוה עליו או בשפל ממנו, רק על דרך דמות האדם, וכן אמר "פי הארץ "יד הירדן" (במדבר יג כט), וראש עפרות תבל (משלי ח) כו), וחלילה חלילה להיות דמות לשם, וכן אמר "אל מי תדמיוני" (ישעי' מ כה), ובעבור שנשמת האדם העליונה שאיננה מתה נמשלת בהיותה לשם, ושאיננה גוף והיא מלאה כולו, וגוף האדם כעולם קטן, יהי השם מבורך אשר בגדול החל ובקטן כלה, וגם אמר הנביא שראה כבוד אלהים כמראה אדם, והשם הוא האחד, והוא ייצר הכל, והוא הכל, ולא אוכל לפרש, ואדם נברא בתחלה בשני פרצופין, והנו אחד, וגם היא שנים, והנה בצלם אלהים מלאך, והוא נברא זכר ונקבה, ומלת פריה ורביה באדם ברכה היא כמו בבריאת המים, רק היא מצוה העתיקוה קדמונינו ז"ל, ושמו זה הפסוק זכר לדבר

1LET US MAKE MAN. Some are of the opinion that na’aseh (let us make) is a nifal participle¹³⁴ is not a first person plural future kal but rather a nifal participle. This interpretation eliminates the problem of God using a plural form when speaking of Himself. The verse is to be read as follows: And God said, Let a man be made (Cherez). and is to be compared to the same word in Now that which was prepared (na’aseh) for one day (Neh. 5:18).¹³⁵ is definitely a nifal form. They further say that in our image, after our likeness are the words of Moses.¹³⁶ They also explain the pronominal suffix “his” in And God created man in His own image (v. 27) as referring to man,¹³⁷ and connect God (in Gen. 9:6) to made rather than to image. They read this verse as follows: “For God made man in an image,” rather than “for in the image of God made He man.”¹³⁸. The usual and correct reading is, ki be-tzelem Elohim, asah et ha-adam. Cherez notes that the same interpretation applies to verse 27, i.e., be-tzelem, Elohim bara oto. Now this interpretation is absurd. According to it the first quoted verse should have read, “Let a man be made.”¹³⁹ means “Let (yehi) a man be made,” then the text should read yehi na’aseh adam. Similarly Scripture should have read, “He made him in his image.”¹⁴⁰. 38 reads, “It should have stated, He made him in our image”; i.e., if “our image” relates to man’s image, 9:6 and 1:27 should have so read. Furthermore, how can the his in His image (v. 27) refer to man? If this were the case then man had an image before he was created.¹⁴¹ Finally, what sense would there be to Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed (Gen. 9:6), if the reason for the above is that man was made in an image? All living things have an image.¹⁴² Saadiah Gaon explains in our image, after our likeness as referring to the dominion man exercises on earth.¹⁴³ He explains His image¹⁴⁴ for image (Filwarg). as the image that God in His wisdom chose for man because He saw that this image was good for man. The Gaon further notes that Scripture connects image to God (be-tzelem Elohim) to stress man’s glorified state.¹⁴⁵) means in the image chosen by God. A very precious image. Similarly Scripture states, and are gone forth out of His land (Ezek. 36:20). The Bible says this to emphasize the importance of the land of Israel because, in reality, The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof (Ps. 24:1).¹⁴⁶ The Gaon also says that the word na’aseh (let us make) has the meaning of the singular even though it is in the plural because it is the plural of majesty.¹⁴⁷ really means: I will make. He offers as proof, and we will give thee the other also (Gen. 29:27); and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king (Daniel 2:36); peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite (nakkeh) them (Num. 22:6). However, these witnesses are false witnesses.¹⁴⁸ First of all, and we will give thee (ve-nittenah) (Gen. 29:27) is a nifal and its meaning is “the other will also be given thee.”¹⁴⁹. It is like the word nittenah (is given) in and the city is given (nittenah) (Jer. 32:24). The vav conversive changes nittenah (she was given) to “she will be given (ve-nittenah),” as is the case with every verb in the perfect which becomes an imperfect when a vav conversive is prefixed to it. Similarly nakkeh bo (we may smite them) (Num. 22:6) means, “I and my army will smite them.”¹⁵⁰ is not a plural of majesty. Further, nakkeh may be a pi’el infinitive¹⁵¹ of nakkeh (smite) is not the nun of the first person plural but is part of the root of the word nakkeh. The meaning of the word thus is to smite, rather than we will smite. meaning to smite, like nakeh (destroy)¹⁵² is a pi’el infinitive. in But will not utterly destroy thee (ve-nakkeh lo anakkekah) (Jer. 46:28). The latter interpretation is supported by the fact that Scripture employs the phrase lo nukku (were not smitten) (Ex. 9:32), and a verb cannot come in the pu’a l unless it also comes in the pi’el.¹⁵³ (were smitten) is a pu’al. Pu’al is the passive of pi’el. If a verb is found in the pu’al it can also come in the pi’el, Hence smite can be a pi’el (Meijler). For alternate interpretations see Krinsky and Filwarg. Rabbi Moses Ha-kohen, the Spaniard, errs in his book.¹⁵⁴ as the plural of majesty. Similarly we will tell (Dan. 2:36) is Aramaic.¹⁵⁵ For if we will tell is a plural of majesty, how would Daniel dare to speak in such haughty terms before Nebuchadnezzar who was the “King of Kings”?I will now explain. Note that all the works of creation came into being by God’s command for the sake of man. Scripture relates that the earth and water brought forth plants and all living creatures. After all plants and living creatures had been created, God said to the angels, Let us make man; i.e., We, rather than the earth and water, will occupy ourselves with his creation. We know that the Torah spoke the language of man,¹⁵⁶ 31b. for it was given to humans who speak and hear. Now a human being cannot speak of things above or below him without employing human terminology. Hence Scripture uses such terms as the mouth of the earth (Num. 16:30), the hand of the Jordan (Num. 13:29),¹⁵⁷ and the head¹⁵⁸ of the dust of the world (Proverbs 8:26). Far be it from us to believe that God has an image.¹⁵⁹. Scripture clearly refutes such a notion by stating, To whom then will you liken Me, that I should be equal (Is. 40:25). It is because man’s upper soul is eternal and is compared in its existence to God and because man’s soul is incorporeal and fills the body, which is a microcosm, in the same way that God fills the universe that Scripture states, in our image, after our likeness. May God’s name be blessed. He commenced with the macrocosm and concluded with the microcosm.¹⁶⁰ The prophet also says that he saw God’s glory appear in human form (Ezek. 1:26).¹⁶¹ God is one. He is the creator of all. He is all. I cannot explain further.¹⁶² Man was originally created with two faces;¹⁶³, and then saying, created He them (Meijler). Weiser explains that I.E.’s interpretation is in keeping with the Rabbinic tradition that man was originally androgynous (Erubin 18a). Levine (p. 135) suggests that I.E. speaks of man’s dual nature; i.e., he has a body and a soul. man is thus one but also two. In the image of God means in the image of the angels. Man was created both male and female.¹⁶⁴ The words Be fruitful, and multiply are a blessing not a command,¹⁶⁵ 35a. just as they are with regard to the creatures brought forth by the waters (Gen. 1:22).¹⁶⁶ Nevertheless, there is in fact a commandment to be fruitful and multiply transmitted by our sages, of blessed memory, which they attached to this verse in order to remember the commandment.¹⁶⁷

אויאמר אלהים הנה נתתי לכם, התיר לבני אדם ולכל שיש בו נפש חיה לאכול כל עשב, וכל פרי עץ מותר לאדם, והעשב הירק לחיות ולכל רומש, ועד כה לא הותר הבשר עד אחר המבול:

1AND GOD SAID: BEHOLD I HAVE GIVEN YOU. God permitted mankind and every living thing to eat all herbs. He also permitted man to eat the fruits of the trees and limited the animals and creeping things to green herbs. At this point in time the consumption of flesh was not permitted. That came after the flood.

אוירא, יום הששי, י"א שיום סמוך וטעם לגלגל הששי וכן יום השביעי, ואין זה אמת, ובעל יום הששי על דעת אנשי המזלות יוכיח, רק פירושו יום שהוא ששי ליום הראשון וכן יום השביעי ונמצא כן "איש הישראלי" (ויקרא כד י), ורבים כמוהם, גם כן רקיע השמים (בראשית א כ) הרקיע שהוא שמים:

1THE SIXTH DAY. Some say that the word yom (day) is in the construct with sixth,¹⁶⁸ should have a definite article prefixed to it, i.e., ha-yom ha-shishi rather than yom ha-shishi, as in Deut. 3:25 ha-har ha-tov (that goodly hill-country); or both yom and shishi should be written without a heh, as in yom sheni (a second day). Hence yom ha-sheshi means the day of the sixth (Filwarg). and the meaning of yom ha-shishi (the sixth day) is the day of the sixth sphere.¹⁶⁹ They say the same with regard to yom ha-shevi’i (the seventh day). However, they are wrong. Proof of their error is found in the teaching of the astrologers who tell us who the lord¹⁷⁰ of the sixth day is.¹⁷¹ The meaning of yom ha-shishi, then, is the sixth day from day one. This is also the meaning of the seventh day. We similarly find¹⁷² and the adjective is (Filwarg). ish ha-yisraeli (the Israelite man) (Leviticus 24:10)¹⁷³, taking man to be in the construct with Israel. and many such cases, among them reki’a ha-shamayim (Gen. 1:20),¹⁷⁴, taking firmament to be in the construct with heaven. which should be rendered as “the firmament which is heaven.”