Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2/אבן עזרא על ויקרא ב׳

אונפש כי תקריב. נפש אדם והזכיר הנפש שהמנחה נדבה גם הנפש תקרא נדיבה ורוח נדיבה תסמכני:

1AND WHEN ANY ONE BRINGETH. The word nefesh (anyone) means a person. Scripture mentions nefesh¹. However, in chapter 1, it refers to a person by the term adam (man). See Lev. 1:2. Hence I.E.’s comment. because the meal offering is a free will offering and nefesh is called “willing.”² also means spirit. Compare, And let a willing spirit uphold me (Ps. 51:14).³ and not adam see Rashi on verse 1.

בסלת. קמח חטה נקיה והיא הנקראת בלשון קדר סמי״ד והנה אין ראוי להיות מנחה לגבוה כי אם מהמין שאין למעלה הימנו:

2FINE FLOUR. The meaning of solet (fine flour) is pure wheat flour. It is the same as that which is called samid in Arabic. Look, it is not fitting that a meal offering brought to the Most High come from anything than which nothing better exists.⁴ What is the value of this work today? From an historical and intellectual view, Ibn Ezra’s commentary on the Pentateuch is most important, as explained previously in the preface to Genesis. His influence can be seen in all subsequent Hebrew Biblical commentaries, particularly that of Nahmanides. His influence is equally apparent on Maimonides both in his philosophical work, the Guide of the Perplexed, and his halakhic work, his Mishneh Torah, extending also to many later Biblical scholars and philosophers. All this is well documented in Dr. Strickman’s forewords to the five books of this set. In spite of all of this, however, the question of the English translation’s value still remains. In his introduction to his commentary on the Torah, Ibn Ezra writes, “With regard to verses which deal with laws, statutes and regulations, if we find two possible interpretations for a verse and one of them in keeping with the interpretation of the transmitters of tradition, all of whom were righteous men, then without reservation and with all our might we will rely on the truth of their words. Heaven forbid that we should join the Sadducees who claim that the traditions of the Rabbinic sages contradict the literal meaning of Scripture and the rules of grammar. The fact of the matter is that our ancient sages are true and all their words are true” (Vol. 1, pp. 18,19). However, it must be noted that the rabbis who posited post-Mosaic changes in the Torah were men of stellar reputation. Abarbanel (Num. 21:1) claimed, though his opinion is very questionable, that Nahmanides held such views regarding Num. 21:1-3. Furthermore, despite the fact that Maimonides’ thirteen principles of Judaism ultimately became part of the liturgy and thus were accepted at face value by all pious Jews, in practice not all of Maimonides’ pronouncements on what constitutes heresy were accepted by post-Maimonidian authorities. There was room for difference. For example, according to Maimonides one who directs his or her prayer to anyone but God is guilty of idol worship. Nevertheless, there are prayers that are directed to angels or to God’s attributes. Thus there had to be another reason for normative Judaism’s rejection of the notion of any post-Mosaic changes in the Torah.

אוקמץ. מגזרת לקמצים וקדמונינו פירשו קמץ מלא ודבריהם אמת:

1AND HE SHALL TAKE. Ve-kamatz (and he shall take) is related to the word li-kematzim (in heaps) (Gen. 41:47).⁵ (and he shall take) means and he shall gather. Our sages explained that melo kumtzo means a handful.⁶ 9a, 18b. Their words are true.

במסלתה. מעט ממנה וכן מהשמן רק כל הלבונה יקטיר:

2OF THE FINE FLOUR THEREOF. A little of it, and so too of the oil. However, he shall burn all of the frankincense.

גאזכרתה. האל״ף נוסף והטעם מה שהיה לו לזכרון לפני השם בעבור מנחתו ורבים פירשוהו כריח וקטורת כמו זכרו כיין לבנון:

3THE MEMORIAL-PART THEREOF. The alef of azkaratah (the memorial part thereof) is superfluous.⁷ comes from the root zayin, kaf, resh. The alef serves no purpose. Azkaratah is so called because the meal offering by the celebrant serves as a memorial before God.⁸ means the memorial part thereof. God recalls the celebrant because of his meal offering. Others say that azkaratah means its scent. It is like scent of the incense.⁹ Compare, The scent thereof (zikhro) shall be as the wine of Lebanon (Hos. 14:8).

אלאהרן ולבניו. ולכל הכהנים בשוה:

1SHALL BE AARON’S AND HIS SONS’. And to all kohanim equally.¹⁰ (Lev. 7:10) (Filwarg).

אחלות. עבות ויש אומרים עגולות מלשון חלילה בדברי קדמונינו:

1UNLEAVENED CAKES. The word challot (cakes) means thick cakes.¹¹ (unleavened cakes) means thick unleavened cakes. Others connect challot to the Rabbinic term chalilah (circle).¹² means rounded cakes. See Sukkah 5:6.

אמחבת. קערה מכוסה בקערה והתי״ו תחת ה״א כתי״ו ושבת לנשיא:

1A GRIDDLE. Machavat (griddle) refers to a plate covered with a plate.¹³ Its tav is in place of a heh,¹⁴ comes from the root chet, bet, heh, meaning to hide. A machavah is a utensil in which the food is hidden (Weiser), i.e., covered. like the tav of ve-shavat (it shall return) in then it shall return to the prince (Ezek. 46:17).¹⁵ is in place of a heh, for ve-shavat is a variant of veshavah.

אמרחשת. מעשה מטוגן ויש מפרשם מגזרת רחש לבי והטעם בעבור שישמיע קול:

1THE STEWING-PAN. Marcheshet (the stewing pan) means fried.¹⁶ (stewing pan) describes a utensil. It refers to a type of meal offering. I.E. renders our clause: And if your offering be a fried meal offering (minchah marcheshet). Some connect the word marcheshet to rachash (speaks) in My heart speaks (Ps. 45:2).¹⁷ Marcheshet is so called because it emits sounds.¹⁸

אלאהרן ולבניו. אחריו והטעם לכהן המקריב כי כן כתוב על שתי המנחות:

1AARON’S AND HIS SONS’. After him.¹⁹ That is, to the kohen who places it upon the fire, for Scripture states so with regard to the two meal offerings.²⁰

אשאור. הוא המחמיץ גם כן הדבש ורבים אמרו שפירושו דבש תמרים וכן כל ארץ זבת חלב ודבש ויש להם כדמות ראיה בספר עזרא:

1LEAVEN. Se’or refers to leaven. It is the same case with honey. Some say that our verse speaks of date honey. The same is true whenever Scripture speaks of a land flowing with milk and honey. There is what appears to be proof of their opinion in the Book of Ezra.²¹. The latter seems to place honey among the produce of the field. Others say that the reference is to Neh. 10:36.

אקרבן ראשית תקריבו אותם לה׳‎. כטעם שתים שני עשרונים המונפים לפני השם בחג השבועות וזה פירוש לה׳‎ אף על פי שהם קדש לה׳‎ הם למאכל הכהן:

1AS AN OFFERING OF FIRST-FRUITS YE MAY BRING THEM UNTO THE LORD. As the two wave-loaves of two tenth parts of an ephah which were waved before God on the festival of Shavu’ot (Lev. 23:17). The meaning of unto the Lord is, even though they are holy unto the Lord they are food for the kohen.

אברית אלהיך. הכנסתיך בברית והשבעתיך שלא תקריב תפל ולא יאכל כי הוא דרך בזיון:

1THE COVENANT OF THY GOD. God caused you to enter the covenant and made you swear that you would not offer anything which is unsalted and inedible, for that is an insult.²²

אואם תקריב מנחת בכורים. רבים אמרו שמלת אם חיוב ולפי דעתי כי אין צורך כי החיוב הוא ראשית בכורים ולא הבכורים והרוצה להביא מנחה מבכורים נדבה יביא:

1AND IF THOU BRING A MEAL-OFFERING OF FIRSTFRUITS.²³. To be understood here as the first grain. Many say that the word im (if) indicates an obligation.²⁴ as when you bring a meal offering of the first grain. See Rashi: “Im here has the meaning of ki (when), for this offering is not optional.” Rashi believes that our verse deals with the omer (measure) of barley offered on the second day of Passover. This offering was obligatory. It was offered from the very first of the harvest. See Lev. 23:9-14. I believe that there is no need for this explanation, for there is an obligation to bring the first²⁵ of the grain²⁶ and not the first grain. One who wishes to bring a meal offering from the first grain²⁷ as a free will offering may do so.²⁸

באביב. נקרא כן בעבור שהוא ראשון והוא מגזרת אב:

2CORN IN THE EAR. Aviv (com in the ear) is so called because it is first.²⁹ thus means the first grain. It is related to the word av (father).³⁰

גגרש. טעמו ידוע וקרוב מגזרת גרסה נפשי ואם הוא בסמ״ך:

3GROATS. The meaning of geres (groats) is known. It is close to being related to the word garesah (breaketh) in My soul breaketh (Ps. 119:20).³¹ means broken grain. See Rashi: “geres means breaking or grinding.” The latter is so even though the word garesah is spelled with a samekh.³² is spelled with a sin.

דכרמל. כמו וכרמל בצקלונו:

4FRESH EAR. The word karmel (fresh ear) is related to the word karmel (fresh ears) in and fresh ears of corn in his sack (II Kings 4:42).