Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 25:35/אבן עזרא על ויקרא כ״ה:ל״ה
אומטה ידו. מגזרת לא ימוט והמ״ם שרש וכמוהו אם אמרתי מטה רגלי:
1AND HIS MEANS FAIL. The word u-matah (and…fail) is related to the word yimmot (he shall…be moved) in he shall never be moved (Ps. 112:6). The mem is a root letter.137. Similarly, the word matah (slippeth) in If I say: My foot slippeth (Ps. 94:18).
באחיך. ישראל:
2THY BROTHER. An Israelite.
געמך. שאתה חייב לנמצא עמך שאתה רואה:
3WITH THEE. For you are obligated to the one who is found with you, the one that you see.
דוהחזקת בו. הפך ומטה ידו שלא יפול:
4THEN THOU SHALT UPHOLD HIM. The reverse of and his means fail (matah).139 literally means fall. Since Scripture earlier employed the term fall, it now employs the term uphold. You shall uphold him so that he does not fall.
הגר ותושב. ואם הוא מארצך או גר ותושב
5AS A STRANGER AND A SETTLER. If he is from your country or is a stranger and a settler.138
ווחי. כמו יחיה:
6SHALL HE LIVE. Va-chai (shall he live) means he shall live.