Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 10/אבן עזרא על ויקרא י׳

אאיש מחתתו. כל איש לקח מחתתו ולפי דעתי שזה הדבר היה גם ביום השמיני והעד הן היום הקריבו את חטאתם:

1EACH OF THEM HIS CENSER.¹ (literally, a man his censer). Each man took his firepan.² is to be interpreted as if written kol ish machtato (each man his censer). Our verse literally reads, And…the sons of Aaron took a man his censer. Hence I.E.’s comment that our verse is to be interpreted, And…the sons of Aaron took each man his firepan. I believe that this event also took place on the eighth day.³ Behold, this day have they offered their sin-offering (v. 19)⁴ is proof of this.

בויתנו בהן אש. לא מהאש שיצאה וזה טעם אש זרה:

2AND PUT FIRE THEREIN. Not from the fire that came forth from the Lord.⁵ This is the meaning of strange fire.

גוטעם אשר לא צוה אותם. שמדעתם עשו ולא בצווי להקטיר קטורת גם באש זרה:

3[WHICH HE HAD NOT COMMANDED THEM.] They acted on their own and were not commanded to burn incense and certainly not to employ a strange fire.

אוימותו לפני ה׳‎. כי חשבו שעשו דבר רצוי לפניו:

1AND THEY DIED BEFORE THE LORD. They thought that they were doing something favorable before Him.⁶ means serving God. Their intention was to serve God.

אהוא אשר דבר ה׳‎. כבר אמר לי השם שהוא יראה קדושתו בקרובים אליו כטעם רק אתכם ידעתי וכאשר אראה בם קדושתי אז אהיה נכבד ועל פני כל העם אכבד וייראו ממני:

1THIS IS THAT THE LORD SPOKE. God has previously told me that He will demonstrate His holiness through those who are close to Him.⁷ Our verse is similar in meaning to You only have I known⁸. (Amos 3:2). I will be exalted when I show My sanctity through those who are close to Me. I will then be glorified before all the people, and they will fear me.

אשאו את אחיכם מאת פני הקדש. יש אומרים כי הקטורת היתה לפני מזבח העולה והלוים נכנסים שם ויש אומרים שהיתה על מזבח הקטורת ומשה הוציאם מאהל מועד:

1CARRY YOUR BRETHREN FROM BEFORE THE SANCTUARY. Some say⁹ on this verse. that the incense was before the altar of the burnt offering¹⁰ and the Levites entered there.¹¹ Others say¹² on this verse. that the incense was on the altar of incense¹³ and Moses took them out of the tent of meeting.¹⁴ and Vat. Ebr. 38. Krinsky reads u-misham (and from there) in place of u-moshah (and Moses). According to this reading the Levites removed the bodies of Nadab and Abihu from the tabernacle. See Rabbi Akiba in the Sifra, “They cast a spear of iron [from the courtyard, and speared them.] They [then] dragged them and took them outside.”

בפני הקדש. היא החצר כנגד המחנה כאשר פירשתי:

2FROM BEFORE THE SANCTUARY. The reference is to the courtyard. The latter, as I have explained, is referred to as the sanctuary, in contrast to the camp.¹⁵

אראשיכם אל תפרעו. יש אומרים לגדל פרע:

1LET NOT THE HAIR OF YOUR HEADS GO LOOSE. Some say that tifra’u (go loose) means to let the hair grow long.

בתפרומו. תקרעו והנכון שהוא מן בגדיו יהיו פרומים וראשו יהיה פרוע ורבים אמרו מכוסה ואחרים אמרו מגולה והאמת דברי הקבלה:

2REND. The word tifromu means rend. Actually the word tifra’u (go loose) is related to the word faru’a (go loose)¹⁶ in his clothes shall be rent, and the hair of his head shall go loose (Lev. 13:45).¹⁷ Many say that it means¹⁸ and by extension tifra’u. covered.¹⁹ on Lev. 13:45. Others say that it means uncovered.²⁰ on Lev. 13:45. The words of tradition are true.²¹ is to grow the hair long. I.E.’s point is that there is no connection between tifra’u in our verse and faru’a in Lev. 13:45. Hence the difference of opinion regarding the latter has no bearing on the definition of tifra’u (Meijler).

גולא תמותו. מלת ולא מושכת עצמה כמו ולא למדתי חכמה וכן הוא ולא על כל העדה יקצוף כי אתם תכפרו בעדם:

3THAT YE DIE NOT. The word ve-lo (that…not) is to be read as if written twice. Compare, And I have not learned wisdom (Prov. 30:3).²²) learned wisdom, I have no (lo) knowledge of the Holy One. Our verse is to be understood as follows: and that He be not wroth with all the congregation,²³. The latter literally reads, and that He be wroth with all the congregation. That makes no sense in this context. Hence I.E. suggests that the word lo be inserted into the clause and that it be read as if written: and that He be not (lo) wroth with all the congregation. for you will atone for them.

דוטעם ואחיכם כל בית ישראל. תמצאנו רמוז בפרשת ראה אנכי:

4[BUT LET YOUR BRETHREN, THE WHOLE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.] You will find the meaning of this alluded to in the Torah portion Behold, I Set (Deut. 11:26).²⁴, but did not follow through on his intention.

אוידבר ה׳‎ אל אהרן. כי נביא היה ויש אומרים על ידי משה כמו דבר אל אחז והזהירו שישמר הוא ובניו שלא ימותו כאשר מתו בניו הגדולים:

1AND THE LORD SPOKE UNTO AARON. For Aaron was a prophet.²⁵ Others say through Moses,²⁶ as in And the Lord spoke again unto Ahaz (Is. 7:10).²⁷ God cautioned Aaron and his sons to keep the law²⁸ so that they do not die as Aaron’s oldest sons died.

אושכר. העשוי ממין חטה או דבש או תמרים כי היין משחית הדעת לשותיו ויתערבו לו הדברים. על כן ולהבדיל כי אתה כהן גדול ותבדיל בין מקום הקדש ובין החול והוא מלשון חלול גם יתכן בין יום קודש לחול:

1NOR STRONG DRINK. Made from any kind of wheat, honey, or dates, for wine destroys the reason of the one who imbibes it and he confuses things. Hence Scripture states, And that ye may put difference (v. 10).²⁹ Since you are a kohen gadol you will differentiate³⁰, which is an infinitive that literally means and to put a difference, is to be rendered, and you shall differentiate (utavdil) in this context. between a holy place and a common place. The word chol (common) is related to the word chillul (profaned).³¹ means profane. Thus our clause is to be rendered, between the holy and the profane. It is possible that between the holy and the common means between a holy day and a common day.

אובין הטמא ובין הטהור. בבהמה ובשרץ המים ובעוף על כן נכתבה אחרי זאת הפרשה פרשת זאת החיה ואחר כן טומאת היולדת וצרעת אדם ובגד ובית ובעל קרי וזב וזבה ונדה וזה טעם ובין הטמא ובין הטהור:

1AND BETWEEN THE UNCLEAN AND THE CLEAN. Among cattle and things that swarm in the water and that fly. Therefore the section opening with the words These are the living things (Lev. 10:11), and then the sections dealing with the woman who gives birth (Lev. 12:1-8) and the leprosy that is found in humans (Lev. 13:1-46), on garments (Lev. 13:47-59) and in houses (Lev. 14:33-53); one who experiences a seminal emission (Lev. 15:16-18); a male or female who experiences a flux (Lev. 15:1-15, 25-33); and a menstruant (Lev. 15:19-24) follow this section. This is the meaning of and between the unclean and the clean.

אולהורות את בני ישראל. שאר המצות וכן ככל אשר יורו אתכם הכהנים:

1AND THAT YE MAY TEACH THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. The rest of the commandments. Similarly and do according to all that the priests…shall teach you (Deut. 24:8).

אקחו את המנחה. אחר שהקטירו ממנה לגבוה אין ראוי לאכול הנשאר כי אם מקודשים ועתה תחלו לאכול החוק שנתן לכם השם שתקחו תמיד מאשי ה׳‎ ופירושו כל מנחה שהקטירו ממנה לשם:

1TAKE THE MEAL-OFFERING. No one aside from those who are holy are fit to eat that which remains from the meal offering after part of it has been burned in honor of God.³² You shall begin to eat the portion which God has given you, to always take of God’s fire-offerings;³³ this means³⁴ all meal offerings, part of which was burned in honor of God.

אבמקום טהור ואם הוא חוץ החצר והחזה והשוק תאכלו זכרים ונקבות כי כן כתיב כל טהור בביתך יאכל אותו וכן קנין כסף ויליד בית ואלמנה ששבה וכאשר תאכלו עתה השוק והחזה יהיה לכם החק לקחתו מכל זבחי השלמים:

1[IN A CLEAN PLACE.] Even though it is outside the courtyard. The breast and the thigh shall be eaten by males and females, for Scripture clearly states, every one that is clean in thy house may eat thereof (Num. 18:11). Similarly slaves bought by money and born in the house,³⁵ and a widow³⁶ who returned to her father’s house.³⁷) and a widow who returns to her kohen father’s house may eat the breast and the thigh. As you now eat the breast and the thigh, so shall the law be that you take these portions from all the sacrifices of peace offerings.

אשורף. מהבנין שלא נקרא שם פועלו כמו ומורק ושוטף:

1WAS BURNT. Soraf (was burnt) is a pu’al.³⁸ is vocalized with a cholam. Pu’als are usually vocalized with a kubbutz. Hence I.E.’s comment. Compare, morak³⁹ is a pu’al. Morak, like soraf, is vocalized with a cholam. (sodden) in it shall be scoured, and rinsed in water (Lev. 6:21).

אבמקום הקדש. פתח אוהל מועד כי כן כתוב ואותה נתן השם לכם כי כאשר תאכלו אתם את החטאת השם ישא את עון העדה או פירושו אתם תשאו את החטאת והטעם כי על ידכם יכופר עונם על כן לכפר:

1IN THE PLACE OF THE SANCTUARY. At the opening of the tent of meeting, for this is clearly stated in Scripture.⁴⁰ And He hath given it you [to bear the iniquity of the congregation ], for when you eat the sin offering God will bear the iniquity of the congregation.⁴¹ refers to God. The verse is to be interpreted, And He hath given it to you so that God will bear (forgive) the iniquity of the congregation. Or its meaning⁴². is, you will bear the iniquity of the congregation; that is, the sins of the congregation will be forgiven through you.⁴³ to the kohanim. Hence Scripture states, to make atonement.⁴⁴ explains the meaning of to bear the iniquity of the congregation; that is, to bear the iniquity means to make atonement for.

אהן לא הובא את דמה אל הקדש פנימה. כפר הבא על כל המצות שהוא לכהן ולקהל. ואם ישאל שואל הנה פר חטאת שורף ולא הובא את דמו לפנים בקדש והטעם הפרכת ומזבח הזהב דע שפר חטאת הוא לחטאת על המזבח ושעיר החטאת הוא לעם ובשר החטאת לכהן:

1BEHOLD, THE BLOOD OF IT WAS NOT BROUGHT INTO THE SANCTUARY WITHIN. Like the bullock brought by the kohen and the congregation for violation of any of the commandments.⁴⁵ Should one ask, “Look, the bullock of the sin offering⁴⁶ was burned⁴⁷ and its blood was not brought into the inner sanctuary,⁴⁸ and the congregation, and yet it was not eaten. The point is, Moses implies that if the blood of a sin offering is not brought into the sanctuary, then the flesh of the sin offering must be eaten. However, the case of the sin offering offered during the seven days of consecration shows that this is not necessarily so. the reference being to the place of the curtain and the golden altar?” Know that the sin offering bullock⁴⁹ was to purify the altar,⁵⁰ consuming its flesh. Hence its flesh was burned. the he-goat sin offering⁵¹ was to atone for the people, and the flesh of the sin offering was for the kohen.⁵² eats the sin offering the sins of the people are forgiven. Hence Moses was angry that the flesh was burned and not eaten.

באכול תאכלו. היה ראוי שתאכלו אותה:

2YE SHOULD CERTAINLY HAVE EATEN IT. Akhol tokhelu⁵³ literally means you will certainly eat it. Hence I.E.’s comment. is to be rendered, ye should have certainly eaten it.

איש מדקדקים שאמרו שהה״א של התימה לא יהיה אחריו דגש עם אחד מהז׳‎ מלכים כי אם עם השוא הנע ימצא והה״א פתוח בעבור שלא יתכן להתחבר שני שואי״ן ובעבור שמצאו יו״ד הייטב דגוש אמרו כי זה הה״א לידיעה כה״א השבה עם נעמי הנמצאו פה העיר ההוללה ואלה ההי״ן במקום אשר הנה כן פירוש הייטב ועוד אמרו כי ואכלתי פועל עבר ואילו היה עתיד היה מלרע כמו ודברתי אל הנביאים ודברתי אתך והטעם כי בני הנשרפים היום הקריבו את חטאתם ואת עולתם כי העגל והאיל בעד אהרן ובניו:

1There are grammarians who say that the interrogative heh is not followed by a dagesh when the letter⁵⁴. is vocalized with one of the seven “kings.”⁵⁵, and chirik (Weiser). The letter following an interrogative heh is found with a dagesh only when it has a mobile sheva beneath it. The heh⁵⁶. is vocalized with a pattach because two mobile shevas cannot come back to back.⁵⁷ is vocalized with a chataf pattach. However, when the interrogative heh precedes a letter vocalized by a sheva na (a mobile sheva), it is vocalized with a pattach, for the chataf pattach has a sheva na within it and two mobile shevas cannot follow each other. Now, since they⁵⁸ found that the yod of ha-yitav (would it have been well pleasing) has a dagesh in it, they said that the heh of ha-yitav is the heh which indicates the direct object,⁵⁹ of ha-yitav is not an interrogative heh. like the heh of ha-shavah (that came) in that came back with Naomi (Ruth 2:6); the heh in ha-nimtze’u foh (that are found here) (I Chron. 29:17); the heh in ha-hullalah (the renowned) in The renowned city (Ezek. 26:17). These hehs are in place of the word asher (that). This is the meaning of ha-yitav (would it have been well pleasing).⁶⁰ is, that finds favor. They further said that ve-akhalti (and if I had eaten) is a verb in the perfect.⁶¹) an amount that finds favor (ha-yitav) in the eyes of God. If the word were an imperfect it would have been ultimately accented like the words vedibbarti (I have also spoken)⁶² in I have also spoken unto the prophets (Hosea 12:11) and ve-dibbarti (and I will speak) in And I will speak with thee (Ex. 25:22). The meaning of the first half of our verse is, my sons who were burned today offered their sin offering and their burnt offering, for the bull-calf and the ram⁶³ were offered on behalf of Aaron and his sons.⁶⁴

בותקראנה אותי כאלה. פירוש צרות או דאגות על מות הבנים ובעבור זה לא יכולתי לאכול כל חטאת רק אכלתי ממנה מה שייטב בעיני השם והטעם מה שיוציאני לידי חובה. ועל דעת המעתיקים שה״א הייטב לתימה והוא מלה זרה גם על הפירוש שהזכרתי היא זרה כי לא מצאנו בכל המקרא ה״א הדעת עם פועל עתיד. ומלת ואכלתי חטאת. כאילו אמר ואילו אכלתי חטאת גם מצאנו מלות לעתיד והן מלעיל פן אורש וגנבתי והטעם כי הייתי אונן ואין אונן אוכל חטאת כטעם לא אכלתי באוני:

2AND THERE HAVE BEFALLEN ME SUCH THINGS AS THESE. The reference is to troubles or anxiety because of the death of the sons. It was because of this that I was not able to eat the entire sin offering, but I ate enough of it to find favor in the eyes of God, that is, an amount which is enough to fulfill my obligation.⁶⁵ However, in the opinion of the transmitters of tradition⁶⁶ the heh of ha-yitav is an interrogative heh⁶⁷ is to be rendered, would it have been well pleasing. See Zevachim 101a. Also see Rashi. The sages render the second half of our verse, and if I had eaten (ve-akhalti) the sin-offering to-day, would it have been well-pleasing (ha-yitav) in the sight of the Lord? and the word is irregular.⁶⁸ in the letter following the interrogative heh. It is also irregular according to the explanation which I mentioned above,⁶⁹ of ha-yitav is a definite article. for we do not find in all of Scripture the definite article heh prefixed to a verb in the imperfect.⁷⁰ is an imperfect. The meaning of ve-akhalti chattat is to be interpreted as, and if I had eaten the sin offering.⁷¹ is a perfect, as it is penultimately accented. According to this interpretation ve-akhalti is to be rendered, and if I would have eaten. We also find words in the imperfect that are penultimately accented.⁷² be taken to be an imperfect. According to this interpretation ve-akhalti does not have to be rendered, and if I had eaten, but rather, if I would eat. Compare, ve-ganavti (and steal)⁷³ is an imperfect. It is penultimately accented. in lest I be poor, and steal (Prov. 30:9). The meaning of our clause⁷⁴ (ve-akhalti) the sin-offering to-day would it have been well-pleasing (ha-yitav) in the sight of the Lord? is, I was mourning, and a mourner does not eat of the sin offering. Its meaning is similar to I have not eaten thereof⁷⁵ in my mourning (Deut. 26:14).⁷⁶