Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 15:15/אבן עזרא על במדבר ט״ו:ט״ו
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).