Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 4:23/אבן עזרא על ויקרא ד׳:כ״ג
אאו הודע אליו. אחז הכתוב דרך קצרה כמו לכהן והטעם שידע הנשיא מעצמו שחטא או הודיעו אדם אחר שראהו. דקדוק הודע אליו פועל עבר כמו והצר לך ויחסר המודיע כמו אשר ילדה אותה ללוי ויאמר רבי משה הכהן כי הוא מהבנין שלא נקרא שם פועלו כי החולם והשורק יתחלפו והוא על משקל ויוסף הורד מצרימה והנשיא יקריב שעיר מטעם זרזיר מתנים או תיש כפירוש הגאון בספר משלי והוא זכר למעלת הנשיא רק לא יובא את דמה לפנים מהקדש והכהנים יאכלו חטאת הנשיא לכפר בעדו כי כן כתוב ולא יאכל הכהן הגדול חטאתו:
1IF HIS SIN…BE KNOWN TO HIM.34 (literally, or if someone made known to him his sin). Scripture employs an abridged style.35 It is similar to the verse dealing with the kohen.36. There too Scripture employs an abridged style. See I.E.’s first comment on verse 10. Its meaning is, if the ruler knows on his own that he has sinned or someone else who has seen him37 makes it known to him.38 The following is the grammatical explanation of hoda elav (be known to him): Hoda (be known) is a verb39. in the perfect.40 (he made known). Compare, ve-hetzar41 is a hifil. It is a variant of hetzir. The same is true of hoda, hodi’a. lekha (and he shall besiege thee) (Deut. 28:52). The one who informs is omitted.42 is omitted. Scripture does not read, o hoda ish elav chattato. Compare, whom she bore43 (Num. 26:59).44 Rabbi Moses the Kohen says that hoda (be known) is a hofal,45 should be rendered, be known. for the cholam and the shuruk interchange.46 for this word is huda. Hence I.E. notes that hoda is a variant of huda. Hoda follows the paradigm of hurad47. (was brought down) in And Joseph was brought down to Egypt (Gen. 39:1). The ruler offers a he-goat as a sacrifice in keeping with The greyhound; the he-goat also (Prov. 30:31).48. The verse speaks of those who walk haughtily. The he-goat walks with its head held high, as does the king. Hence a goat was chosen as the animal to be offered by the ruler (the king) as a sin offering. The latter is in accordance with the interpretation of the Gaon in the Book of Proverbs. The offering consists of a male, in keeping with the status of the ruler. However, its blood is not brought inside of the sanctuary.49 and the congregation. The kohanim, as is stated in Scripture,50 eat of the ruler’s sin offering to atone for the ruler. The kohen gadol does not eat of his sin offering.51