Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 13:5/אבן עזרא על בראשית י״ג:ה׳
אואֹהָלִים, לפי דעתי שלשון יחיד על משקל קֹדֶש והוא הנמצא והרבים "כי בָאֳהָלִים (ירמי' לה ז) כמו בַקָדָשים לא יאכל" (ויקרא כב ד) ואֹהָלים בחולם בין האל"ף והוי"ו, לשון יחיד, כמו גורל, ואם לא נמצא:
1AND TENTS. I believe that ohel (tent), in the singular, follows the paradigm of kodesh (holy). It is always found in Scripture following this form.5 is vocalized cholam, segol. Similarly, ohel. The latter is the term used in the Bible for tent. In the plural, its alef is vocalized with a chataf kamatz, as in the verse ye shall dwell in tents (Jer. 35:7).6 is similarly vocalized with a chataf kamatz beneath the kof. It is vocalized like the word kodashim in he shall not eat of the holy things (ba-kodashim) (Lev. 22:4). However, when the alef of the Hebrew plural for tents is vocalized with a cholam, the singular is vocalized like goral (lot).7. In our verse tents (ohalim) is vocalized with a cholam. Hence its singular cannot be ohel, for the singular of ohalim is ohal (cholam kamatz). I. E.’s point is that the Hebrew word for tent can come in two forms, ohel or ohal. The latter is so even though this form for tent (ohal) is not found in Scripture.8 in Scripture. However, it does not appear there. Nevertheless, I.E. insists that what he says is so.