Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 32:8/אבן עזרא על בראשית ל״ב:ח׳
אויצר לו זה הדבר מהבנין הכבד כמו "והצר לך" (דבר כח נב]:
1AND WAS DISTRESSED. This thing distressed him.10 Va-yetzer (and he was distressed) is in the hifil.11 is a hifil the word does not mean and he was distressed, but rather, it distressed him. Hence I.E. comments “this thing distressed him”; i.e., his brother’s coming distressed him. Others maintain that va-yetzer is a nifal meaning and he was distressed. Filwarg asks, “If va-yetzer is a hifil why isn’t it vocalized va-yatzer as is the rule with a double root (tzadi, resh, resh is the root of va-yetzer) in the hifil?” He suggests that va-yetzer is irregular. Weiser suggests that perhaps I.E.’s text of the Bible was vocalized va-yatzer. For a discussion of the problems concerning this comment of I.E., see Filwarg, Weiser and Cherez. It is similar to ve-hetzar12. (and he shall besiege) in and he shall besiege (ve-hetzar) thee (Deut. 28:52).
בויחץ. נפתח היו"ד בעבור אות הנרו הבא אחריו, כמו "וַיַעַל משה" (שמות יט כ)
2AND HE DIVIDED. The yad of va-yachatz (and he divided) is vocalized with a pattach because it precedes a guttural. 13 is chet, tzadi, heh. Va-yachatz is an abridged kal imperfect with a conversive vav. In such cases the yod is vocalized with a chirik. Compare, ve-yifen and va-yiven. Hence I.E.’s comment. Compare, (va-ya’al) in And Moses went up (va-ya’al moshe) (Ex. 19:20).14 vocalized with a pattach rather than a chirik. The reason is also that it precedes a guttural (the ayin). The root of va-ya’al is ayin, lamed, heh.