Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 1:8/אבן עזרא על ויקרא א׳:ח׳
אהפדר. רבים חכמי הדור פירשוהו הגוף והנכון בעיני שהיה הפדר החלבים וכן הוא וערכו בני אהרן הכהנים את הנתחים שהם נתחי הגוף את הראש ואת הפדר שהם החלבים ויחסר אות וי״ו שהוא כמנהג הלשון אודם פטדה וברקת ונתח אותו לנתחיו ולנתחי הגוף את ראשו ואת פדרו או יהיה פירוש את הראש עם הראש וכמוהו רבים והעד הנאמן ויקטר משה את הראש ואת הנתחים ואת הפדר:
1AND THE SUET. Many wise men of the generation explain that the word pader (suet) refers to the carcass. However, in my opinion the pader refers to the fat. Our verse is to be understood as follows: And Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, that is, the pieces of the carcass;66 refers to the head and the suet. Hence I.E.’s comment. and the head, and the suet, that is, the fat. A connective vav is missing from the word ha-rosh (and the head).67 (literally, the head) is to be read as if written ve-ha-rosh (and the head). In other words, our verse is to be read as follows: And Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, and the head, and the suet. This is in keeping with the style of the language.68. However, the text is to be understood as if it were present. Compare, odem pitidah69 is to be read as if written u-pitidah (and carnelian). See I.E. on Ex. 1:4 (Vol. 2, p. 6). u-vareket (carnelian, topaz, and smargd) (Ex. 28:17). And he shall cut it into its pieces (v. 12)70 (the burnt offering) into its pieces. I.E. points out that a parallel verse literally reads, And he shall cut it into its pieces and its head (ve-et rosho) and its suet (v. 12). We thus see that its pieces refers to the carcass of the animal, not to its head and suet. and along with the pieces, its head and its suet. On the other hand, et ha-rosh (and the head) might mean with the head.71 need not be placed before ha-rosh, for the meaning of our verse is: And Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, with the head and the suet. There are many such instances.72 has the meaning of with. See I.E. on Gen. 1:1 (Vol. 1, p. 27). The proof of this73 do not include the head and the suet. is: Moses made the head, and the pieces, and the suet smoke (Lev. 8:20).
בוערכו. על בן הבקר כי הוא גדול ועל הכבש וערך:
2SHALL LAY THE PIECES. Scripture reads ve-arekhu (shall lay)74 (shall lay) is a plural. It literally means, and they shall lay. because it speaks of a bullock, a large animal.75 Regarding a sheep,76 Scripture states, and the priest shall lay77, which is in the singular. them (v. 12).