Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 15/אבן עזרא על במדבר ט״ו
אכי תבואו אל ארץ מושבתיכם. נסמכה זאת הפרשה בעבור שנחלשו ויתאבלו לנחם הבנים להודיעם כי יבאו אל הארץ והנכון בעבור שנשאו קול כל העדה (וחטאו) ונסלח להם בעבור תפלת משה אמר וכי תשגו והעד ונסלח להם והוצרך להזכיר משפט מנחות כל עולה וזבח ובסוף והנפש אשר תעשה ביד רמה רמז למעשיהם והזכיר דבר המקושש כי עשה ביד רמה ומרוב חמלת השם על ישראל שם הציצית לזכר שלא יעשה האדם ביד רמה או שלא ישכח:
1WHEN YE ARE COME INTO THE LAND OF YOUR HABITATIONS. This chapter follows [the one dealing with the spies] in order to console the children by informing them that they would enter the land, for the Israelites grew weak and mourned.1 However, the real reason that this chapter follows the one dealing with the spies, is because all the congregation shouted and sinned.2 God forgave their sin because of the prayer of Moses.3 Scripture says, And when ye shall err (15:22).4 And they shall be forgiven (15:25) is proof of this.5 Scripture found it necessary to mention the law of the meal offering and of all burnt offerings and sacrifices.6 At the end,7 it states, But the soul that doeth aught with a high hand (v. 30). The latter alludes to Israel’s deeds.8 Scripture mentions the gatherer of wood (verses 32-34)9 because he acted with a high hand. God designated the fringes as a sign10 because of His great pity on Israel, so that a person will not act with a high hand or11 forget.12 issues. Thus in regard to the law concerning fringes, I.E. notes it is possible that Biblical rules require that the corners of garments be left unwoven so that their threads hang down to form fringes. He further notes that the law of fringes applies to pants. However, he then goes on to say that this interpretation is of no consequence, for the rabbis say that the fringes are specially prepared threads which are placed on the corner of any garment having four corners. Therefore pants are not included in the law of fringes.
אלפלא. לפרש וכן והפלה ה' ואם הוא בה"א כי אותיות אהו"י מתחלפות:
1CLEARLY UTTERED. Le-fale (clearly uttered) means to separate.13 (in fulfillment of a vow clearly uttered) is to be rendered, in fulfillment of a vow set aside. Similarly the word ve-hiflah (shall make a division) in And the Lord shall make a division (Ex. 9:4). This is so even though ve-hiflah is spelled with a heh,14 is spelled with an alef. for the letters alef, heh, vav, yod interchange.9.15
אמנחה סלת. עשרון לאחד מן הצאן:
1A MEAL-OFFERING OF…FINE FLOUR. A tenth of an ephah for each one of the flock.16
אשה כבשים. או עזים וכן פירש בסוף לכבש האחד או אם הקריב איל תהא מנחתו כפלים כי הכבש הוא קטן. ולא הזכיר עם בן הבקר נדבה והזכיר שלמים בעבור שלא הזכירו בתחלה ומשפט הכל אחד:
1THE HE-LAMBS. Or the kids.17 Furthermore, I.E. goes on to say, “Scripture similarly states at the end, for each lamb.” We do not find the phrase for each lamb in any of the following verses. Filwarg suggests that the heading verse 11 is an error and should be eliminated and that our note is a continuation of the previous one. It should read as follows:[Verse 4.] A MEAL-OFFERING OF…FINE FLOUR. A tenth of an ephah for each one of the flock, (that is) he-lambs or kids. Scripture similarly states at the end (of the verse), for each lamb (v. 5). See note 15. Scripture similarly states later, for each lamb.18 If the celebrant offers a ram, then his meal offering is doubled,19 for a lamb is a small animal. Scripture does not mention the free-will offering20. along with the bullock.21 It mentions the peace offering22. [with the bullock] because it did not mention it above.23 They all have one law.24 (vow) mentioned in verses 3 and 8 and the nedavah (free-will offering) mentioned in verse 3 all have one law. They are considered as shelamim (peace offerings). See Lev. 7:16-20 (Weiser).
אוטעם כמספרם. על המנחה והשמן והיין:
1[ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER.] The reference is to the meal offering, the oil, and the wine.
אאו אשר בתוככם. היום:
1OR WHOSOEVER MAY BE AMONG YOU. Today.25 should be interpreted as: or whosoever be among you today or throughout your generations.
אהקהל. יש אומרים כי זה הה"א הוא לקריאה ולפי דעתי שאין סימן קריאה בלשון הקדש והעד הארבעה והאחד מהם משה משה רק זה הה"א הוא ה"א הדעת וסימן הקריאה איננו:
1AS FOR THE CONGREGATION. Some say that the heh prefixed to the word kahal (congregation) is the sign of the vocative.26), there shall be one statute both for you, and for the stranger. However, I believe that there is no vocative letter in the holy tongue. The four instances27 are proof of this.28, otherwise why repeat the common noun. One of them is Moses, Moses.29 as an example because he is expounding the Book of Numbers, and Moses is the central human character. On the contrary, this heh30 prefixed to kahal. is the sign of the definite object.31 is, the congregation. It is not a sign of the vocative.
בככם כגר. כבר ביארתי משפט הכפי"ן בהתחברם:
2AS YE ARE, SO SHALL THE STRANGER BE. I have already explained the rule governing two kafs joined together.32 are affixed to two words following each other it indicates an abridged clause. Thus our verse, which states ka-khem ka-ger (as you are, so shall the stranger be) is to be interpreted: as you are, so shall the stranger be; as the stranger is, so shall you be. See I.E. on Gen. 44:18 (Vol. 1, p. 396).
אוטעם תורה אחת. לבד מהעולות כי העולות הם בחיוב חקה ועוד אמר השם כאשר תביאו מנחה על העולה מהסלת כן תתנו גם מעריסותיכם ואין צורך להזכיר מה שקבלו קדמונינו ז"ל כי הם שתים חלה ותרומה ושיעורן לפי שכל דבריהם אמת וזולתם הבל הנה שעור נוסף בין שעשו בשגגה מה שצוו שלא לעשות ובין שלא עשו בשגגה מה שצוו לעשות:
1[ONE LAW.] Its meaning is, one law aside from the burnt offerings, for the burnt offerings are obligated by statute.33 (statute) refers to. Verse 15 states, there shall be one statute (chukkah) both for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you. Verse 16 states, One law (Torah) and one ordinance shall be both for you, and for the stranger. Prima facie, Scripture is redundant. Hence I.E. comments that verse 15 deals with that which is obligatory, namely, the burnt offering (for it concludes the law mentioned in verse 14, which deals with sacrifices), and verse 16 deals with all the other commandments, for it speaks of Torah (Filwarg). God also says,34 as you bring a meal offering of fine flour along with the burnt offering, thus shall you do with your dough.35 follows the law of the meal offering. There is no need to mention what our ancients, of blessed memory, received by tradition, namely, that one is obligated to set aside two offerings, a portion of the dough36. and a portion of the grain,37. In other words, one has to set aside a portion from the dough, even though he has already set aside a portion from the grain out of which this very dough was made (Filwarg). and their amount.38 Their words are true. Everything else is nonsense.
אהנה שעיר נוסף בין שעשו בשגגה מה שצֻוו שלא לעשות ובין שלא עשו בשגגה מה שצוו לעשות:
1[ONE HE-GOAT.] Scripture adds a he-goat.39 The congregation must bring a sin offering whether they erred by doing something they were prohibited from doing or erred in not doing something they were obligated to do.
אוחטאתם. היא השעיר ובעבור שהוא סמוך אל עזים הוא קטן והעתיד הפך:
1AND THEIR SIN-OFFERING. The reference is to the he-goat.40 refers to the bullock, and their sin-offering before the Lord refers to the he-goat. A sei’r izzim (he-goat) refers to a young goat because the word se’ir (he-goat) is connected to izzim (goats). The reverse is the case with the term atud (he-goat).41. 38. An atud is a mature goat. Some texts read atid (the future) in place of atud (he-goat). However, the latter is practically impossible to explain. See Filwarg.
אעז בת שנתה. פירוש שעירת וזה החטא הוא שלא עשו מה שצוה לעשות והוא שוגג והנה הוא כמשפט העושה בשגגה מה שצוה שלא לעשות:
1A SHE-GOAT OF THE FIRST YEAR FOR A SIN-OFFERING. This explains a goat, a female (Lev. 4:28).42 The sin spoken of in our verse refers to a failure, due to error, to do what the Torah commands.43 Now this law is the same for the one who errs and does what he is commanded not to do.44
אתורה אחת. כזאת תורת החטאת:
1ONE LAW.45. This is similar to This is the law of (torat) the sin-offering (Lev. 6:18).46 (law) (rather than mitzvat, chukkat, mishpat) is used with regard to the rules of the sacrifices (Filwarg).
אביד רמה להראות הכל שאיננו ירא מהשם:
1WITH A HIGH HAND. To show all that he does not fear God.
במגדף. כדרך לשון בני אדם:
2BLASPHEMETH. This is the way people speak.47
אכי דבר ה' בזה. זה הוא ביד רמה:
1BECAUSE HE HATH DESPISED THE WORD OF THE LORD. This is what with a high hand refers to.
בואת מצותו הפר. שצוהו שלא לעשות ביד רמה ויש אומרים או אם יפר מצותו בסתר:
2AND HATH BROKEN HIS COMMANDMENT. For God commanded him not to act with a high hand. Others say that and hath broken His commandment refers to one who violates God’s commandment in secret.
גהנפש ההיא. איננה המשכלת כדברי תועה רוח רק הוא חבור נפש עם הגוף:
3THAT SOUL. This does not refer to the rational soul.48 as those who err say.49 It refers rather to the connection of the soul to the body.50
דעונה בה. כמו דמו בראשו:
4HIS INIQUITY SHALL BE UPON HIM. Compare, his blood shall be upon him (Ezek. 33:4).
אבמדבר. לפי דעתי שהוא מדבר סיני וכבר הזכרתי למה נסמכה הפרשה גם יתכן שעשה המקושש ביד רמה והזהירוהו ולא הועיל. יש אומרים ויקריבו אותו ליל ראשון:
1IN THE WILDERNESS. I believe that the reference is to the wilderness of Sinai.51 (wilderness) has the direct article (ba) prefixed to it. The reference is thus to “the” wilderness, which I.E. is certain must refer to Sinai. I have already mentioned52 why this chapter follows the incident of the spies.53 It is also possible that the gatherer of wood acted with a high hand54 and they warned him,55 but to no avail.56[33. BROUGHT HIM.] Some say they brought him in on Saturday night.57
אבמשמר. בפתחות הבי"ת מקום היה ידוע:
1IN WARD. Ba-mishmar (in ward) is vocalized with a pattach.58 of ba-mishmar (in ward) is vocalized with a pattach. It refers to a specific place.59 is the sign of the direct object.
במה יעשה לו. אי זו מיתה ימות:
2WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO HIM. How he should be put to death.60
אכאשר צוה ה'. מיתת הרגימה:
1AS THE LORD COMMANDED. Death by stoning.
אועשו להם ציצית. יתכן על שני פירושים האחד שיעשו ציצית כמו בציצית ראשי והם החוטים היוצאים שאינם ארוגים:
1THAT THEY MAKE THEM…FRINGES.61. It is possible to interpret this in two ways. One, that they make fringes (tzitzit) like those in by the fringes (be-tzitzit)62 of my head (Ezek. 8:3),63 the reference in our verse being to threads that are not woven.64
בעל כנפי בגדיהם. על כל בגד חלוק או מכנסים כי אם תחלקוה הנה הוא כדמות כנף:
2IN THE CORNERS OF THEIR GARMENTS. Upon smooth garments65 or pants,66 for if pants are divided they will have corners.67
גפתיל תכלת. על הציצית. וטעם תכלת. בעבור שהוא כעין השמים:
3A THREAD OF BLUE. Upon the fringes. The reason the thread was blue is that blue is a sky-like color.
אוהיה לכם לציצת. והנה ישוב הפתיל להיותו בקצה כמו הציצית. והפירוש השני כאשר העתיקו חז"ל ובעבור שיש עדים נאמנים על הפירוש השני בטל הראשון והם העתיקו כי זאת המצוה עם בגד שיש לו ארבע כנפים והציצית הם הגדילים ועוד אפרשנו. והנה מצוה על כל מי שיש לו בגד בארבע כנפים שיתכסה בו ביום תמיד ולא יסירנו מעליו למען יזכרו והמתפללים בטלית בשעת התפלה יעשו זה בעבור שיקראו בקריאת שמע והיה לכם לציצית ועשו להם ציצית רק לפי דעתי יותר הוא חייב להתעטף בציצית בשאר השעות משעת התפלה למען יזכור ולא ישגה ולא יעשה עבירה בכל שעה כי בשעת התפלה לא יעשה עבירה:
1AND IT SHALL BE UNTO YOU FOR A FRINGE. The thread at the end was like the fringe.68 The other interpretation is the one which the rabbis of blessed memory transmitted.69 Now the first interpretation is nullified in view of the fact that there are true witnesses70 to the second explanation. The rabbis transmitted to us the law that this commandment applies to a garment that has four corners and that the tzitzit are fringes.71 I will explain this law later.72 Now this commandment states that everyone who has a four-cornered garment shall always cover himself with it during the day. He shall not remove it so that he remembers73. 38. Mikro’ot Gedolot reads, so that they remember. the commandments. Those who pray with a tallit during the time of prayers do so because they read in the shema,74 is part of the morning and evening prayers. It consists of Deut. 6:4-9; Deut. 11:13-21; Num. 15:37-41. And it shall be unto you for a fringe (v. 39) and that they make them throughout their generations fringes (v. 38). However, I believe that one is more obligated to enwrap oneself in fringes when he is not at prayer than during the time of prayer, so that he remembers the commandments and does not err and trespass during the other hours of the day, for in the hour of prayer he will not sin.75, p. 79.
בוראיתם אותו. מצוה להיות נראה:
2THAT YE MAY LOOK UPON IT. The commandment requires that the fringes be seen.
גאחרי לבבכם. המתאוה והעין רואה והלב חומד והנה יהיה הציצית לאות ולסימן שלא ירדוף אדם אחר הרהור לבו וכל אשר שאלו עיניו:
3AFTER YOUR OWN HEART. Which lusts. The eye sees and the heart desires. The fringes thus serve as a sign and a mark that a person should not pursue the thoughts of his heart and all that his eyes desire.
דאשר אתם זונים. כי מי שילך אחרי תאותו הוא זונה מתחת עבודת אלהיו:
4AFTER WHICH YE USE TO GO ASTRAY. For one who follows his desires goes astray from the service of his God.
אוטעם למען תזכרו. וכבר אמר וזכרתם את כל מצות ה'. שאם תזכרו תהיו קדושים ולא תתגאלו בתאות הלב המטנפת הרוח המשכלת:
1THAT YE MAY REMEMBER. Scripture has previously stated, and remember all the commandments of the Lord (v. 39).76. The meaning of our verse is: if you remember the commandments of God, you will be holy and you will not defile yourselves with the lusts of the heart which defile the rational soul.77
אאני ה' אלהיכם. אני הוא שהוצאתי אתכם להיות לכם לאלהים על כן אמרתי לכם אני ה' אלהיכם:
1I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD. I am He who took you out of Egypt to be your God. I therefore say to you: I am the Lord your God.78