Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Genesis 1:2/אבן עזרא על בראשית א׳:ב׳

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.