Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 7/אבן עזרא על ויקרא ז׳

אוזאת תורת האשם. כבר הודעתיך ההפרש בין חטאת ואשם אף על פי שהכתוב יאמר בחטאת אשם ובאשם חטאת. וטעם להזכיר זאת הפרשה להזכיר החלבים שאין להם זכר בתורת החטאת:
1AND THIS IS THE LAW OF THE GUILT-OFFERING. I have previously1 explained to you the difference between a sin offering2. and a guilt offering.3. [There is a difference between the two] even though Scripture employs the term guilt when referring to a sin offering4 (ashamo)…for his sin. Also Lev. 4:13, 14, And are guilty (ve-ashemu)…then the assembly shall offer…a sin-offering. and the word sin when referring to a guilt offering.5. Scripture records this section6 because it wants to make mention of the fat,7 to which no reference is made when Scripture earlier records the law of the sin offering.8. There the Torah deals with sin and guilt offerings.
אעולת איש. מלעיל בעבור היות הטעם בראשית המלה האחרונה כמשפט:
1ANY MAN’S BURNT-OFFERING. The word olat (burnt offering) is penultimately accented9 in accordance with the rules of Hebrew grammar.10 It is so accented because the word that follows11 (man). has the accent on the first part of the word.
בוטעם לו. אחר שאמר לכהן תוספת ביאור שלא ינתן העור לכהן אחר:
2Scripture reads to himself even though it earlier stated even the priest12 appears redundant. Hence I.E.’s comment. because it wants to further explain that the skin not be given to another kohen.
אוכל נעשה. שם התאר לשון נקבה כמו אין אבן נראה כי לשון זכר ואשר היה נעשה ליום אחד:
1AND ALL THAT IS DRESSED. The word na’asah (dressed) is an adjective13 in the feminine. It is like the word nirah (seen) in there was no stone seen (I Kings 6:18). The masculine form of the word is found in Now that which was prepared (na’aseh) (Neh. 5:18).
אוחרבה. כמנחת היורד ומנחת הקנאות:
1OR DRY. As in the case of the “descending” meal offering14 and a meal offering brought about because of jealousy.15
אאם על תודה. טעמו שיתן תודה לשם שנמלט מצרה:
1IF HE OFFER IT FOR A THANKSGIVING. Its meaning is, if he offers it because he wants to give thanks to God for escaping from some trouble.
בחלות מצות. כרצונו אך לא פחותים משנים וכן רקיקי מצות:
2UNLEAVENED CAKE.16 (literally cakes). As many as he desires.17 However, he cannot bring fewer than two.18 The same applies to the unleavened wafers.19.
גמרבכת. הנבחר בפירושים בעיני שהיא מובחרת וחלות מצות ורקיקים אפויים וחלת המרבכת אינה כן:
3SOAKED. I believe that the best interpretation of solet murbekhet (fine flour soaked) is chosen flour. The unleavened cakes20. and the wafers21. were baked. The cakes made from chosen flour were not so treated.22 76b.
אעל חלת. כמו ויבאו האנשים על הנשים והטעם עם חלות:
1WITH CAKES. The meaning of al challot is with cakes.23 should be here rendered as with. The word al usually has the meaning of on. Hence I.E.’s comment. Similarly And they came, both men and (al) women (Ex. 35:22).24 has the meaning of with.
אוהקריב ממנו. אחד מכל קרבן. הנה ארבע חלות בפחותים והאמת שהם עשרה:
1AND OF IT HE SHALL PRESENT ONE OUT OF EACH OFFERING. Note, there had to be a minimum of four unleavened cakes.25 (of the four types of unleavened cakes mentioned in verse 12)…for a gift unto the Lord. However, in truth there were ten.26. This is the opinion of the rabbis in Menachot 77a.
אביום קרבנו יאכל. שיאכלנו המקריב אותו וביתו ומי שהוא טהור כי גם השלמים קדש ואם הם קדשים קלים:
1SHALL BE EATEN ON THE DAY OF HIS OFFERING. The one who offers the sacrifice, his family, and all who are clean shall eat it, for the peace offerings are also holy27 even though they are lesser holy offerings.
אואם נדר. שבטא בשפתיו בצר לו:
1A VOW. A vow uttered by the lips when in trouble.
בונדבה. שנדבה רוחו אותו להביא זבח לשם לא לנדר ולא לתודה:
2OR A FREEWILL-OFFERING. His sprit moved him to bring a sacrifice to God, not because he had made a vow, or for thanksgiving.
גביום הקריבו. שם הפעל מהבנין הכבד הנוסף וממחרת אותו היום.
3ON THE DAY THAT HE OFFERETH HIS SACRIFICE. The word hakrivo is an infinitive28 in the hifil. [AND ON THE MORROW.] On the morrow of that day.29
דוי״ו והנותר ממנו. כפ״א רפ״ה בלשון ישמעאל וכמוהו ויעזב את עבדו גם והארץ היתה תהו ובהו:
4[THAT WHICH REMAINETH.] The vav of ve-ha-notar (that which remaineth)30 has the same meaning as an unaspirated fa in Arabic.31 is to be rendered, that which remaineth, not and that which remaineth. So too Rashi. The same applies to the vav in va-ya’azov (left) in left his servants (Ex. 9:21)32 is to be rendered left, not and he left. and the vav in ve-ha-aretz (now the earth) in Now the earth was unformed and void (Gen. 1:2).33
אבאש ישרף. כאשר נשרפו האימורים רק לא ישרף על גבי המזבח:
1SHALL BE BURNT WITH FIRE. Like the parts of a sacrifice which Scripture designates for burning. However, it should not be burned on the altar.
אוטעם המקריב אותו לא יחשב. אחר שיהיו האימורים קרבים לגבוה הנה כל הנשאר קדש וכן אבני המזבח שאחר שהם קדושים אין ראוי שישאר ממנו לחול על כן אבנים שלימות:
1[NEITHER SHALL IT BE IMPUTED UNTO HIM THAT OFFERETH IT.] Its meaning is, since Scripture designates that specific parts of the sacrifice be offered to God, all that remains of the animal is holy. Similarly the stones of the altar.34 Since they are holy, it is unfit that anything that remains from them be used in a non-sacred way. Scripture therefore reads, of unhewn stones (Deut. 27:6).35
בפגול. כדברי המתרגם ארמית וכן ומרק פגולים כליהם. ויש שואלים אחר שעלה ריח ניחוח איך לא יחשב והטעם על המחשבה כי משפט השלמים להיות קדש והפגול איננו קדש ועוד בעבור שלא שמר את המצוה יצא שכרו בהפסדו אם הוא שלמים ואם נדר תתחדש עליו עון כנגד הראשון אם לא ישלם נדרו:
2ABHORRED. The word piggul (abhorred) is to be rendered as the Aramaic translator does.36 by merachak (removed). Similarly the word piggulim (abominable things) in And broth of abominable things is in their vessels (Is. 65:4). Some ask, “Since the sweet savor ascended,37 how can it not be accepted?”38 The answer is that it depends on his intention. According to the law, the peace offerings must be holy. However that which is abhorred is not holy.39 Furthermore,40 the celebrant’s gain41 disappears in his loss42 with regard to a peace offering. In the case of a vow offering, there is a new sin43 corresponding to the first44 if he does not fulfil his vow.45
געונה תשא. עונש ולא הזכירו הכתוב וכרת על טמא שיאכל בשר קדש:
3SHALL BEAR HIS INIQUITY. His punishment.46 (iniquity) at times has the meaning of punishment. See I.E. on Gen 4:18 (Vol. 1, p. 84). Scripture does not mention the punishment.47 One who is unclean and eats sacred flesh is punished with karet (excision).48
אוטעם וטומאתו. להיותו טמא מעצמו כזב ומצורע גם בעבור מקרה לילה כי כן כתוב כי אמר מקרה הוא או שיהיה טמא בעבור אחר כטומאת אדם מת או חי והוא זב ומצורע או בבהמה טמאה שאינה נאכלת ושקץ טמא מהעוף והשרץ. ופעם אחת בא אלי צדוקי אחד ושאלני אם האליה אסורה מן התורה ואען ואומר אמת כי האליה תקרא חלב כי כן כתוב חלבו האליה תמימה רק קדמונינו התירוה ואסרו כל חלב אז ענה הלא כל חלב אסור מן התורה כי כן כתוב כל חלב וכל דם לא תאכלו ובתחלה כתוב חקת עולם לדורותיכם גם אני עניתיו כי זה הפסוק דבק עם זבח השלמים ואין מלת חקת עולם לדורותיכם בכל מושבותיכם ראיה גמורה כי הנה כתוב ולחם וקלי וכרמל לא תאכלו עד עצם היום הזה עד הביאכם את קרבן אלהיכם ושם כתוב חקת עולם ואם כן לא נאכל לחם בגלות כי לא הקרבנו קרבן העומר וגם הוא השיב כל חלב שור וכשב וען לא תאכלו גם אני השיבותי כי גם זה הפסוק דבק עם זבח השלמים והעד כי כל אוכל חלב מן הבהמה אשר יקריבו ממנה להוציא חלב כל בשר שאיננו קרב לשלמים והכלל בשר חול על כן הזכיר בפרשה הזאת וחלב נבלה וחלב טרפה יעשה לכל מלאכה ואכול לא תאכלוהו וידוע כי בשר הנבלה והטרפה אסורות והאסור הוא הבשר ובעבור שאין החלב קרב לגבי המזבח שמא יחשוב אדם שהוא מותר על כן הזהיר ואכול לא תאכלוהו ובעבור זה לא הזכיר הדם ובאה זאת הפרשה לבאר עונש האוכל חלב בשר קדש וכן כל דם הוסיף לעוף על כן חלב העוף מותר והראיה הגמורה שאמר בספר אלה הדברים בבשר תאוה שהוא חול שיאכלנו כלו ולא הוציא רק את דמו לבדו בשלשה מקומות ואין זכר לחלב כלל אז פקח הצדוקי עיניו ופצה בשפתיו שבועה שלא יסמוך על דעתו בפירוש המצות רק ישען על העתקת הפירושים:
1[HAVING HIS UNCLEANLINESS.] This means if his uncleanliness comes from his body, as in the case of a flux49. or a leper.50. Also because of uncleanliness caused by a nocturnal emission, as Scripture states, for he thought: Something51 hath befallen him52 (I Sam. 20:26). It also applies to uncleanliness that comes from contact with an outside source53 such as a dead body, or a living person who experienced a flux or is a leper, or an unclean beast which may not be eaten, or a detestable thing from among the fowl and that which swarms.54 A Sadducee55 once came to me and asked, “Does the Torah prohibit the fat tail?”56). I answered that it is true that the fat tail is called “fat” (chelev),57 for the Torah states, the fat thereof, the fat tail entire (Lev. 3:9). However, while our sages prohibited all fat, they permitted the fat tail.58. Nahmanides charged that Ibn Ezra’s position is more heretical than that of the Karaites. Luzzato claimed that I.E. did not really believe that fat (chelev) is permitted. He was merely playing devil’s advocate. However, Nahmanides correctly interpreted Ibn Ezra. I.E. held that biblically speaking only the fat of an animal actually offered on the altar is prohibited. Other fat is prohibited by the rabbis. See I.E. on Deut. 12:15. The importance of I.E.’s comment on this verse for understanding Ibn Ezra’s approach to the halakhah is discussed in the introduction to this volume. The Sadducee then replied, “Does not the Torah prohibit all fat? Indeed it is written, that ye shall eat neither fat nor blood (Lev. 3:17). The latter is preceded by Scripture’s statement, It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations (Ibid.).”I once again answered him that this verse59 relates to the peace offering. Also, the clause It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations60 implies even in a time when the sanctuary no longer exists. does not provide complete proof, for we see that Scripture states, And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor fresh ears, until this selfsame day, until ye have brought the offering of your God (Lev. 23:14).61. Now Scripture there writes, it is a statute for ever (Ibid.). Shall we then not eat bread in the Diaspora? For we have not brought the omer offering.62 means as long as the sanctuary exits. Similarly a perpetual statute. He, on his part, replied, “Ye shall eat no fat, of ox, or sheep, or goat (v. 23).”63 I again answered that this verse too refers to a peace offering. For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men present an offering (v. 25) is proof, for the latter excludes the fat of all flesh which is not offered as a peace offering, that is, all secular meat.64 Scripture therefore states in our section, And the fat of that which dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn of beasts, may be used for any other service; but ye shall in no wise eat of it (v. 24). It is known65 that the flesh of that which dies of itself and that which is torn of beasts is prohibited. It is the flesh that is prohibited.66 Now since the fat67 is not offered on the altar, one might think that it is permitted. Hence Scripture warns,68 but ye shall in no wise eat of it.69) of an animal that dies or is torn by another animal. It is for this reason that Scripture does not mention the blood.70 This section71 was written in order to explain the punishment incurred by one who eats the fat of sacred flesh. The verse relating to any blood (v. 27) was similarly written to add that the blood of fowl is prohibited.72 The fat of fowl is therefore permitted.73 Scripture’s statement in the Book of Deuteronomy (Deut. 1:1)74 with regard to meat eaten out of desire, that is, non-sacred meat (Deut. 12:15-25), is total proof of what I say,75 for Scripture states that non-sacred meat may be eaten in its entirety.76 (Deut. 12:15). The fat of the latter is permitted. Only its blood is excluded in three places.77 Fat is totally unmentioned.78 The Sadducee’s eyes opened and he uttered an oath with his lips to the effect that he will never rely on his judgment when it comes to explaining the commandments. He will rely only on the tradition transmitted by the Pharisees.79
אשוק הימין. לזורק הדם והחזה לכל הכהנים:
1THE RIGHT THIGH. Is to be given to the kohen who sprinkles the blood, and the breast to all the kohanim.
אזאת. זאת שכר משחת אהרן או משחת בניו נגידות:
1THIS IS THE CONSECRATED PORTION. This is the reward of the consecration of Aaron or of the consecration of his sons. The word mishchat (consecrated portion) means leadership.80.
אביום משחו. מיום וכן בבשר ובלחם:
1IN THE DAY THAT THEY WERE ANOINTED. Be-yom (in the day) is to be rendered, from the day.81 of be-yom has the meaning of a mem. The priestly gifts mentioned in verse 34 were given to kohanim from the day that they commenced to minister. Hence I.E.’s interpretation. Similarly ba-basar82 has the meaning of “from” (of), not “in.” u-va-lachem (of the flesh and of the bread) (Lev. 8:32).
אולמלואים. ככתוב בפרשת ואתה תצוה:
1AND OF THE CONSECRATION-OFFERING. As written in the Torah portion And Thou Shalt Command (Ex. 27:20).
אלהקריב את קרבניהם לה׳‎ במדבר סיני. כי לא הקריבו קרבן עד שבאו אל הר סיני וכבר הראיתיך שהמזבח שבנה משה על חלושת עמלק הוא בחורב והוא הר סיני ושם ישבו ישראל שנה פחות עשרה ימים כי כן כתוב ובמדבר לא הקריבו עולות כי כן אמר הנביא הזבחים ומנח׳‎ הגשתם לי במדבר ארבעים שנה בית ישראל גם לא עשו פסח כי אם במצרים ושנית בהר סיני כי במדבר לא היו להם מקנה ואחר שנסעו מהר סיני לא מלו בדרך והנה רובם ערלים ובעבור אכילת פסח מל אותם יהושע:
1TO PRESENT THEIR OFFERINGS UNTO THE LORD, IN THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI. For Israel did not offer sacrifices until they came to Mount Sinai. I have previously shown you that the altar which Moses built after defeating Amalek was built in Horeb, which is Mount Sinai.83 Israel camped there for a year minus ten days.84 The latter is clearly stated in Scripture. They did not offer sacrifices in the wilderness, for the prophet clearly states, Did ye bring unto Me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? (Amos 5:25). Israel similarly only offered the Passover sacrifice in Egypt, and for a second time at Mount Sinai,85 for they had no cattle in the wilderness. They did not circumcise on the way after they journeyed from Mount Sinai. Most of them were thus uncircumcised.86 Joshua circumcised them87 so that they could partake of the Passover sacrifice.88