Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 22/אבן עזרא על ויקרא כ״ב

אוינזרו. כמו והזרתם והוא מבנין נפעל והטעם ירחקו ויבדלו מגזרת נזיר:

1THAT THEY SEPARATE THEMSELVES. Ve-yinnazeru (that they separate themselves) is similar to ve-hizzhartem (thus shall ye separate) (Lev. 15:31).¹. Ve-yinnazeru is a nifal. It means they shall distance and separate themselves. It is related to the word nazir (nazirite).² separates himself from wine and uncleanliness.

בולא יחללו. מושך עצמו ואחר עמו וכן הוא ולא יחללו אתם שם קדשי ולא יחללו אשר הם מקדישים לי:

2AND THAT THEY PROFANE NOT. And that they profane not applies to what immediately follows it and to what follows later. Our verse is to be read as follows: And that they profane not My holy name, and that they profane not that which they hallow unto Me.

גוטעם אני ה׳‎. קדוש:

3The meaning of I am the Lord is, I the Lord am holy.

אוטעם מלפני אני ה׳‎ כי אחר שיכרת מלפני השם לא יעמוד כאשר פירשתי בסוד השם:

1[FROM BEFORE ME: I AM THE LORD.] This means since he is cut off from God, he will cease to exist.³ I have explained the latter in my comments on the secret of God’s name.⁴ indicates that God alone exists forever and the existence of all things is contingent upon Him. See I.E. on Ex. 3:15 (Vol. 2, p. 67).

אעד אשר יטהר. ימי טהרתו:

1UNTIL HE BE CLEAN. Until the days necessary for his cleansing have passed.

אאשר יטמא לו. בשבילו כמו אמרי לי אחי הוא כל אלה הנזכרים יטמאו עד הערב:

1WHEREBY HE MAY BE MADE UNCLEAN. The word lo means whereby.⁵ literally means to him, or to it. Hence I.E.’s comment. Compare the word li (of me)⁶ literally means to me. in say of me: He is my brother (Gen. 20:13). All those mentioned⁷ shall become unclean until evening.

אובא השמש וטהר. ידוע כי וטהר שב אל הטמא כמו וכפר עליה הכהן וטהרה כי אין בפסוק זכר יום רק חז״ל העתיקו אפילו שיבא השמש לא יאכל עד סור האור ושמו זה הפסוק לאסמכתא כאשר פירשתי בפסוק לעם נכרי על כן אמרו טהר יומא:

1AND WHEN THE SUN IS DOWN, HE SHALL BE CLEAN. It is known that he shall be clean refers to the unclean, for there is no mention of the word day in the verse.⁸ (and he shall be clean) cannot refer to the day. Compare, and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean (Lev. 12:8). However, the rabbis of blessed memory transmitted to us the law that even if the sun sets he shall not eat until it is completely dark.⁹ (and he shall be clean) refers to the day. They render ve-taher as, and it shall be clean; i.e., the day shall be cleared away. See Berakhot 2a,b. They used this verse as a support.¹⁰ I have explained the latter¹¹ in my comments on the verse unto a foreign people (Ex. 21:8).¹² The rabbis therefore¹³ said that ve-taher (he should be clean) means that the day shall be clean.

בכי לחמו. מאכלו וכבר פירשתיו:

2BECAUSE IT IS HIS BREAD. His food.¹⁴ means his food. I have previously explained this.¹⁵ (bread) means food. See I.E. on Ex 16:4 (Vol. 2, p. 316).

אוריקי מוח יפרשו הפסוק שהוא בספר יחזקאל והוא כל נבלה וטרפה מן העוף ומן הבהמה לא יאכלו הכהנים כל מה שנבלוהו וטרפוהו עופות או בהמות וזה הבל כי הנה בתורה כתוב כל נבלה וטרפה לא יאכל והטעם שאם יאכל לא ישמש:

1Those whose brains are empty explain the verse in Ezekiel, which reads, The priests shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself, or is torn, whether it be fowl or beast (Ezek. 44:31), as meaning that the priests shall not eat anything brought down or torn by animals or fowl.¹⁶). Deut. 44:21 prohibits an Israelite from eating meat which dies of itself (nevelah). Ezek 44:21 seems to limit the prohibition to eat nevalah and terefah only to kohanim. In order to harmonize Ezekiel and the Torah, there were those who claimed that Ezekiel spoke of an animal that has been properly slaughtered and then ripped apart and befouled by birds and beasts. In other words, the Torah prohibits any Israelite from eating the meat of any animal that has been ripped apart by an animal of prey, while Ezekiel adds that a kohen is also prohibited from eating kosher meat that has been befouled. It should be noted that according to this interpretation the word nevelah is not to be taken literally but means flesh which is as disgusting as meat that dies of itself (Filwarg). For other interpretations see Sarim and Meijler. However, this is nonsense, for the Torah states all that dies of itself or is torn he¹⁷. shall not eat.¹⁸ The meaning¹⁹ is if he eats²⁰ he shall not minister.²¹ eats that which was torn or died of itself he is ritually unclean and shall not serve in the tabernacle or eat sacred food.

אושמרו את משמרתי. רמז למקדש על כן ולא ישאו עליו חטא ומתו בו:

1THEY SHALL THEREFORE KEEP MY CHARGE. Mishmarti (my charge) alludes to the sanctuary. Scripture therefore reads, lest they bear sin for it (alav), and die therein (vo).

אוכל זר. שאינו מזרע אהרן:

1THERE SHALL NO COMMON MAN. One who is not of the seed of Aaron.

אהם יאכלו בלחמו. זכרים ונקבות:

1THEY MAY EAT OF HIS BREAD. Males and females.

אבתרומת הקדשים. השוק והחזה:

1THAT WHICH IS SET APART FROM THE HOLY THINGS. The thigh and the breast (Lev. 10:15).

אמלחם אביה תאכל. כמו בראשונה:

1SHE MAY EAT OF HER FATHER’S BREAD. As at first.

בוכל זר לא יאכל בו. על בן אם יש לה ובעבורו לא תאכל היא:

2BUT THERE SHALL NO COMMON MAN EAT OF IT. The reference is to a son, if she has one. She cannot eat of the holy food because of her son.

אונתן לכהן את הקדש. טעמו עם הקדש או תהיה מלת ונתן לכהן מושכת עצמה ואחרת עמה וכן פירושו ויסף חמשיתו עליו ונתן לכהן ונתן את הקדש ולפי דעתי שאין צורך בעבור מלת עליו:

1AND SHALL GIVE UNTO THE PRIEST THE HOLY THING. The meaning of ve’et ha-kodesh (the holy thing) is, with²² here has the meaning of with. the holy thing.²³ implies that only the holy thing is to be given to the kohen. The question thus arises, what is to be done with the fifth part? Hence this interpretation. On the other hand, and shall give unto the priest might apply to what precedes it and to what follows it. Our verse is to be interpreted as follows: Then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it and shall give it unto the priest, and he shall give unto the priest the holy thing. I believe that there is no need for this interpretation, for Scripture reads unto it.²⁴ takes in the fifth part.

אוהשיאו אותם. פעל יוצא לשנים פעולים והטעם שיזהירום ויורום עד שלא ישגו:

1AND SO CAUSE THEM TO BEAR. Ve-hisi’u (and cause…to bear) is a hifil. Its meaning is, they shall caution them and teach them so that they do not err.²⁵ do not teach the Israelites they cause them as it were, to bear the iniquity of profaning the holy food.

אואחרי שהזכיר קדשי בני ישראל הזהיר שלא יביאו הקדשים מבעלי המומין:

1After mentioning the holy things of the children of Israel²⁶ Scripture goes on²⁷ to caution the Israelites to not bring the holy things from blemished animals.

בוטעם ומן הגר. כי משפט אחד לנודר ולמתנדב לישראל ולגר כי כן כתוב וחכמים הפרישו בין נדר ובין נדבה וכל נדר נדבה ואין כל נדבה נדר וכל קרבן שיעלה כלו על המזבח ראוי להיותו בלא מום::

2[STRANGERS.] Scripture reads or of the strangers for it is stated that there is one law for the Israelite and the stranger who offer a vow or freewill offering.²⁸ The sages differentiated between a vow offering and a freewill offering.²⁹ 1:1. All vow offerings are freewill offerings. However, not all freewill offerings are vow offerings.³⁰ It is fitting that all sacrifices that are offered in their entirety³¹ on the altar be unblemished.³²

אלפלא. לפרש:

1CLEARLY UTTERED. Le-fale means to clearly utter.

אעורת. שם התאר לעין:

1BLIND. Avveret (blind) is an adjective relating to the eye.

בוי״א כי שבור ביד וחרוץ ברגל וחרוץ מגזרת כן משפטך אתה חרצת כמו גזור:

2Some say that shavur (broken) means a break in the hand and charutz (maimed) refers to an injury in the foot. Charutz is related to charatzta (hast decided it) in So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it (I Kings 20:40). Charutz means cut.³³

גיבלת. כמו תבלול וכללו של דבר אנחנו נסמוך על הקבלה ולא נשען על דעתנו החסרה:

3A WEN. Yabbelet (wen) is similar to tevallul (overspread) (Lev. 21:20). The general rule is: we rely on tradition,³⁴ not on our deficient minds.

דלא תקריבו אלה לה׳‎. לפלא נדר ולא יקח מאלה האמורים:

4YE SHALL NOT OFFER THESE UNTO THE LORD. In fulfillment of a clearly uttered vow. Nor shall the kohen take the organs from these.³⁵.

אשרוע. כראשון: וקלוט הפכו והוא מגזרת עיר מקלט:

1TOO LONG. Saru’a (too long) has the same meaning as when first mentioned (Lev. 21:18).³⁶ TOO SHORT. Kalut (too short) is the opposite of saru’a (too long). Kalut is related to the word miklat (refuge) in the city of refuge (Josh. 21:13).³⁷ means compressed or held back. A city of refuge limits or holds the refugee back in that he may not leave.

אומעוך. מגזרת מעכו שדיהן:

1BRUISED. Ma’uch (bruised) is related to mo’akhu (pressed) in their bosoms pressed (Ezek. 23:3).

בוכתות. מגזרת ואכות אותו טחון ושניהם בביצים:

2OR CRUSHED. Katut (crushed) is related to va-ekkot (beat) in and beat it in pieces (Deut. 9:21). Crushed and bruised refer to wounds in the testicles.

גונתוק. מגזרת כאשר ינתק פתיל הנעור׳‎:

3OR TORN. Natuk (torn) is related to yinnatek (broken) in as a string of tow is broken (Jud. 16:9).

דובארצכם לא תעשו. לשנות מעשה השם:

4NEITHER SHALL YE DO THUS IN YOUR LAND. To change God’s work.³⁸

אומיד בן נכר. שלא יחשוב בלבו הואיל והוא קרבן בן נכר לא אחוש להקריבו:

1FROM THE HAND OF A FOREIGNER. One should not think as follows: I will not hesitate to offer this sacrifice, for it is the offering of a foreigner.³⁹

במשחתם. המ״ם נוסף והתי״ו שרש מגזרת השחתה ומ״ם להיות להם משחתם שרש והתי״ו נוסף:

2THEIR CORRUPTION. The mem of moshchatam (their corruption) is not a root letter. However, its tav is a root letter. Moshchatam is related to the word hashchatah (destruction).⁴⁰. On the other hand, the mem of moshchatam (their anointing) (Ex.40:15) is a root letter and the tav is not.⁴¹.

גירצו. מבנין נפעל ואחר שהזכיר לא ירצו הזכיר כי כל קרבן שיקרב קודם יום השמיני גם הוא לא ירצה:

3BE ACCEPTED. Yeratzu (be accepted) is a nifal. After stating that a blemished sacrifice will not be accepted, Scripture goes on to say that any sacrifice brought from an animal less than eight days old will also not be accepted.

אשור או כשב או עז. נקראים על שם סופם כמו ובגדי ערומים תפשיט. יומת המת כי יפול הנופל או הטעם זכר המין:

1WHEN A BULLOCK, OR A SHEEP, OR A GOAT. The newborn animals are called by what they ultimately become. Compare, And stripped the naked⁴² of their clothing (Job 22:6); “the dead⁴³ shall be put to death”⁴⁴ (Deut. 17:6); “for the one who falls shall fall from it”⁴⁵ (Deut. 22:8). On the other hand, Scripture may have been referring to the name of the species.⁴⁶ means when an animal that belongs to the species of bullock, sheep, or goat is born.

בוטעם ומיום השמיני. כמו הנמול עד המרובע:

2[BUT FROM THE EIGHTH DAY AND THENCEFORTH.] Like a child that is circumcised, that is, until a quarter of the month has passed.⁴⁷

גוהלאה. אחריו והעד חץ יהונתן:

3THENCEFORTH. Hale’ah (thenceforth) means afterwards. The arrow of Jonathan is proof.⁴⁸) the young man. See I Sam 20:22.

אושור או שה. פירשתיו והמצוה על זכר ונקבה:

1AND WHETHER IT BE COW⁴⁹ (ox). OR EWE.⁵⁰ (male sheep). I have previously explained this.⁵¹ and seh are the names of the species. In other words, they do not apply only to males. The commandment pertains to both males and females.⁵²

אוטעם וכי תזבחו זבח תודה. שיאכל ביום אחד בעבור שהזכיר שור או שה שלא ישחט ביום אחד והוסיף על הפרשה הכתוב בצו את אהרן מלת לרצונכם:

1[AND WHEN YE SACRIFICE A SACRIFICE OF THANKSGIVING.] The reason that And when ye sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving…On the same day it shall he eaten follows is that Scripture earlier noted it is prohibited to kill a cow or a ewe [and its young together] in one day.⁵³ Scripture adds to what is written in the Torah portion Tzav (Lev. 6:2),⁵⁴ that ye may be accepted.⁵⁵

אוטעם אני ה׳‎. להיות התודה שלימה:

1[I AM THE LORD.] Scripture reads I am the Lord to teach that the thanksgiving offering is to be “whole.”⁵⁶.

אושמרתם מצותי. בלב:

1AND YE SHALL KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. In your hearts.

בועשיתם אתם אני ה׳‎. שאחקור מה שיש בלב ואראה כל העשוי:

2AND DO THEM; I AM THE LORD. For I investigate what is in the heart, and I see everything that is done.

אוטעם ולא תחללו את שם קדשי. עם בני אהרן ידבר כי הפרשה דבקה והם המצווים שלא ישחטו להם או לישראל אם ובן ביום אחד גם יתכן שמצוה וכי תזבחו זבח תודה לכהנים והעד שהחל בפרשה אחר כן דבר אל בני ישראל ועד שני ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל:

1[AND YE SHALL NOT PROFANE MY HOLY NAME.] This is directed to the sons of Aaron, for this section⁵⁷ is connected to what is earlier stated.⁵⁸ They⁵⁹ are commanded not to sacrifice for themselves or for Israel a cow and its offspring on one day. It is also possible that And when ye sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving (v. 29) is directed to the kohanim.⁶⁰. The fact that the following section opens with Speak unto the children of Israel (Lev. 23:2) is proof of this.⁶¹. But I will be hallowed among the children of Israel is a second witness.⁶². Had it been directed to the Israelites, Scripture would have read: But I will be hallowed among you.

אהמוציא אתכם ובסוף אני ה׳‎ שהוא הדבור הראשון והוא עיקר כל המצות ואחר שהזכיר קדשי בני ישראל הזכיר הימים שיקריבו בהם העולות והחל מהשבת:

1THAT BROUGHT YOU OUT. The verse ends with I am the Lord. This the first statement of the Decalogue⁶³ and the root of all the commandments.⁶⁴ After mentioning the holy things of the children of Israel,⁶⁵ the Torah notes⁶⁶ the days that Israel shall offer burnt offerings. It starts with the Sabbath.