Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 43:27/אבן עזרא על בראשית מ״ג:כ״ז
אהשלום אביכם הזקן. שם תחת שם התואר והיא דרך קצרה, כאלו אמר השלום לאביכם, וכן "ואתה שלום" (ש"א כה ו):
1IS YOUR FATHER WELL, THE OLD MAN. Our verse has a noun (shalom) in place of an adjective (shalem).16 (is your father well). I.E. argues that according to the rule of Hebrew grammar the Bible should have read; ha-shalem avikhem and not ha-shalom avikhem since the former means, is your father well (shalem) while the latter means, is your father peace (shalom), an impossible statement. His solution is to suggest that ha-shalom avikhem is short for ha-shalom la avikhem. It is abridged, and should be read as if written, ha-shalom la-avikhem (is your father in peace). Ve-attah shalom (and peace be unto thee) (I Sam. 25:6) is similar.17. According to I.E. it should have read, ve-attah shalem (and thou art well) since shalem is an adjective while shalom is a noun. Hence here, too, the verse is abridged and should be read as if written ve-attah shalom lekha.