Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Genesis 8:11/אבן עזרא על בראשית ח׳:י״א

אטרף בפיה, י"א שהיא מלה מוכפלת בטעם כמו אדמת עפר (דניאל יב ב) ויפרשו טָרָף כמו עלה זית וכן "כל טרפי צמחה (יחז' יז ט) והראיה שיש תחת הרי"ש קמץ גדול כמו זָהָב וְעָשָן והנכון בעיני שיהיה הבי"ת נוסף כבי"ת "ברוחו שמים שפרה" (איוב כו יג) והוא באחד (שם כג יג), ובא בקמץ "כמו כי הוא טָרָף" (הושע ו א) אריה שָאָג (עמוס ג ח) וחבריהם או יהיה טָרָף קמוץ בעבור שהוא תואר השם כמו חָכָם, והטעם כמו טרוף כי יש תואר דומה לפועל ויש תואר דומה לפעול:

1IN HER MOUTH AN OLIVE-LEAF FRESHLY PLUCKED. Some say that Scripture employs two words with one meaning,²³ (leaf) and taraf (freshly plucked) mean the same. The verse thus reads, an olive-leaf, a frond in its mouth. Similarly in Daniel adamah (earth) and afar (dust) mean the same and the Bible could have employed only one word. as it does in the dust of the earth (Dan. 12:2). They interpret taraf (freshly plucked) as leaf. All its sprouting leaves (tarpe tzimchah) (Ezek. 17:9) is similar. That taraf is a noun is evident from the long kamatz beneath the resh. It is like zahav (gold) and ashan (smoke). However, in my opinion the bet of be-fihah (mouth) is superfluous.²⁴ (its mouth had plucked). He thus insists that the bet is superfluous. According to this interpretation taraf is a verb. It is like the bet of be-rucho (by his breath) in By His breath the heavens are serene (Job 26:13)²⁵ (by) is superfluous. and the bet of ve-echad (at one with Himself) (Job 23:13).²⁶. In this case taraf is a verb meaning plucked and is vocalized with a kamatz beneath the second radical like taraf (torn) in For He hath torn (taraf) (Hos. 6:1)²⁷ (torn) has a kamatz beneath the second radical. A third person kal perfect usually has a pattach beneath the second radical. Hence I.E. points out that there are instances where it has a kamatz beneath the second radical. and sha’ag (hath roared) in The lion hath roared (sha’ag) (Amos 3:8)²⁸ has a kamatz under the second radical. and other similar cases. It is also possible that taraf (freshly plucked) is vocalized with a kamatz because it is an adjective like chacham (wise). It means the same as taruf (torn), for an adjective may resemble an active or passive participle.²⁹ resembles the active, taruf the passive (Krinsky). According to this interpretation taraf is an adjective meaning plucked.