Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 1:14/אבן עזרא על בראשית א׳:י״ד
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