Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 26:16/אבן עזרא על ויקרא כ״ו:ט״ז
אוהפקדתי עליכם. כאדם פקיד על אחר יעשה חפצו בו:
1AND I WILL APPOINT…OVER YOU. As one who is appointed over another does whatever he wants, to him.
בבהלה את השחפת ואת הקדח׳. חליים ידועים. וטעם את. עם:
2TERROR…EVEN CONSUMPTION AND FEVER. Common diseases. The meaning of et49 (even) is “with”.
גוטעם בהלה. שתבהלו ולא תדעו מה תעשו וי״א כי בהל׳ כפתאום ורבים אמרו כי השחפת והקדחת שנים חליים בזרע כמו השדפון והירקון כי כן כתוב בעבור וזרעתם לריק ואין צורך כי פירושו שיבואו להם חליים ואם באו שוללים לכפרים יאכלו הזרע כי אין מי שיצא אליהם לגרשם:
3The meaning of behalah (terror) is that you will be terrified and will not know what to do. There are those who say that behalah (terror) means suddenly.50 Many say that shachefet (consumption) and kadachat (fever) are diseases of the seed like blasting51. and mildew,52. for Scripture clearly states that the latter are such diseases (Amos 4:9).53 They say this54 (consumption) and kadachat (fever) are diseases of the seed. because our verse states, and ye shall sow your seed in vain. However, there is no need for this,55 (consumption) and kadachat (fever) as diseases of the seed on the basis of the verse’s stating and ye shall sow your seed in vain. for the meaning of our verse is that they shall be struck with illnesses56 (consumption) and kadachat (fever). and if marauders shall come to the villages they shall then eat their seed, for there will not be anyone to go out and scatter the raiders.57.
דוטעם מכלות עינים. שאלה החליים יחשכו עינים וידאבו הנפש והאל״ף חסר ממלת ומדיבות נפש וכן ממלת שקר מזין וי״א כי העינים מן הגוף בעבור ומדיבו׳ נפש ואין צורך:
4The meaning of that shall make the eyes to fail is that these diseases will darken the eyes and languish the soul. The alef is missing in the word medivot (languish) in and the soul to languish. It is similarly missing in the word mezin (giveth ear) in And a liar giveth ear (Prov.17:4). Some say that the eyes to fail speaks of the eyes of the body58 is to be taken literally, not as a metaphor. because it goes on to say and the soul to languish.59 However, there is no need for this interpretation.60 refers to spiritual pain so does the eyes to fail.