Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 3/אבן עזרא על ויקרא ג׳

אשלמים. מפורש:

1PEACE-OFFERINGS. The term shelamim (peace offerings) is self-explanatory.¹ (peace). Unlike other sacrifices, shelamim are not offered for sin but rather for the continued peaceful existence of the celebrant. See I.E.’s short commentary on Ex. 29:27.

אעל הכסלים. ידוע והוא מגזרת כוכבי השמים וכסיליהם:

1BY THE LOINS. The meaning of the term kesalim (loins) is known. It is related to the word kesilehem² is, their flanks. (constellations thereof) in and the constellations thereof (Is. 13:10).³

בעל הכליות. כמו ויבואו האנשים על הנשים וטעמו עם. ונקראו כליות בעבור כח תאות המשגל והיא מגזרת נכספה וגם כלתה נפשי:

2HARD BY THE KIDNEYS. The term al (hard by) means with,⁴ as in And they came, both men with (al) women (Ex. 35:22).⁵ Kelayot (kidneys) are so called because they are the source of lust and sex. The word kelayot is related to the word kaletah (pineth) in My soul yearneth, yea, even pineth (Ps. 84:3).

אחלבו האליה תמימה. טעמו כאשר היא שהאליה תקרא חלב ותעו הצדוקים כאשר אפרש לך בפרשה השנית גם תעה הגאון שאמר כי הוא חלבו והאליה כי מדקדוק הלשון לא יתכן כי יהיה ראוי להיות חלבו ואליתו או החלב והאליה:

1THE FAT THEREOF, THE FAT TAIL ENTIRE. The meaning of chelbo ha-alyah temimah (the fat thereof, the fat tail entire) is, the fat as it is,⁶ for the tail is called fat.⁷ is, the fat thereof, that is, the tail. The Sadducees, as I will explain to you in the next Torah portion,⁸. Literally, in the second portion. err. The Gaon⁹ also errs, for he says that chelbo haalyah is to be interpreted as the fat thereof and the tail.¹⁰ The latter is contrary to the rules of grammar, for¹¹ the phrase should have read chelbo ve-alyato (its fat and its tail) or hachelev ve-ha-alyah (and its tail and its fat).

בהעצה. ידוע ממקומו ואין לו אח ויש שמי שהוציא מגזרת עץ בדרך רחוקה:

2THE RUMP-BONE. The meaning of atzeh (rump-bone) is known from its context. It has no brother.¹² There is a commentator who far-fetchedly connected it to the word etz (tree).¹³ (rump-bone) is as hard as wood.

אלחם אשה. כבר פירשתי לחם שהוא מאכל וימצא על הפרי ועל הבשר:

1THE FOOD¹⁴. OF THE OFFERING MADE BY FIRE. I have previously explained that the meaning of lechem is food.¹⁵ It is found in reference to fruit¹⁶ and meat.¹⁷

אואם עז. ממין העז זכר או נקבה כמשפט הכבש ובבן הבקר לא הזכיר האליה כי אם בכבש כי האליה בעז ובשור קטנה ועוד כי הכבשים שהן בארץ ישראל יש להם אליה גדולה וזה דבר ידוע:

1AND IF HIS OFFERING BE A GOAT. Any animal classified as a goat, be it male or female,¹⁸ (goat) takes in both males and females. as is the case with a sheep.¹⁹. The term keves applies to both males and females. See verse 7. Scripture does not mention the fat tail with regard to the herd. It only mentions it with regard to the lamb because the tail of a goat or a bull is small. Furthermore, the lambs in the Land of Israel have a large tail.²⁰ The latter is well known.²¹ 5:3.

אכל חלב לה׳‎. זה הכלל ואחר שהחלב והדם לגבוה הם אסורים לכם ובפרשה השניה אאריך לבאר חוקת עולם:

1ALL THE FAT IS THE LORD’S. This is a general statement. Now, since the fat and the blood belong to God, they are prohibited to you. I will expostulate at length on the phrase a perpetual statute in the next Torah portion.