Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 6:16/אבן עזרא על בראשית ו׳:ט״ז
אצהר. מקום שיכנס ממנו האור והוא מגזרת צהרים והוא נעשה למעלה כמשפט ואחר שהיה למעלה אמה אחת באורך היה ברחב ששית אמה, והנה התיבה כדמות משלש וראשו חד וכן מקצעותיו על כן לא תתהפך והפתח בצד האחד והיה עולה אליו בסלם וידענו כי התיבה גדולה מאד גם יתכן להיות קומת נח גדולה מקומתינו, כי האמה היא כמדתו ויתכן היותה כאשר היא נחלקת על שלש גובה, התחתיים עשר אמות וי"א כי רבים היו והכתוב אחז דרך קצרה:
1A LIGHT. Tzohar (a light) means an opening through which light would enter. It comes from the same root as tzohorayim (noon).38 The opening was made in the usual place, on top of the ark.39 Scripture tells us that the top of the ark was a cubit in length.40 applies to the top of the roof of the ark. See Rashi. We gather from this that it was a sixth of a cubit wide.41 The ark was triangular in shape.42 Its top came to a point, and so did its corners. Therefore it did not overturn. The door was on one side43 and was reached by climbing a ladder.44 Now, we know that the ark was very large.45 Furthermore, it is possible that Noah was much taller than we, for the cubits mentioned with regard to the ark are Noah’s cubits.46 It is also possible, since the ark was divided into three stories, that the bottom story was ten cubits high.47 Some say that the ark had many stories and that Scripture abridged the number.
בתחתים. תואר השם, וכן שְנִיִם וכן שלשים, והשואלים למה לא אמר ושלישיים עינים להם ולא יראו, הלא יראו, סלה, קשת, גנב, תאר השם, ונגיד ופקיד וחסיד וחכם ונבון תאר השם וכל מלה כפי משקלה ומערכתה ומשקל שלישים כמשק, נגידים חסידים, כי האחד הוא שליש כמו חסיד או יתכן שיו"ד שנים משמשת עצמה ומלת שלישים עמה, אולי תנוח דעת השואלים:
2LOWER, SECOND AND THIRD. These are all adjectives. Those who ask why shelishim (third) is not written selishiyyim have eyes but do not see.48 (lower) and sheniyyim (second) are written with a dagesh in the yod; shelishim is not. The question arises, why not? The dagesh forte doubles the letter. Can’t they see that forgiving, archer and thief are adjectives,49 (forgiving), kashat (archer) and gannav (thief) follow the paradigm of pattach, kamatz. For a comment on I.E.’s grammatical usage, see Chap. 1, note 33. as are prince, deputy, pious,50 (prince), pakid (deputy) and chasid (pious) follow the paradigm of kamatz, chirik. wise51 (wise) follows the paradigm of kamatz, kamatz. and understanding?52 (understanding) follows the paradigm of kamatz, cholam. Nevertheless, each of these words is vocalized according to its own pattern and form. Shelishim (third) follows the paradigm of negidim (princes) and chasidim (pious). This is so because the singular of shelishim is shalish, as the singular of chasidim is chasid.53 belongs to the same group as chasid and nagid and its plural takes their form. Hence shalish follows a different paradigm than does tachat and sheni and this is why it does not have a dagesh in the yod. It is also possible that the dagesh in the yod of sheniyyim (second) also54 applies to the yod of shelishim (third).55. It is thus to be pronounced shelishiyyim. Perhaps this will satisfy those who raised the question.