Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Numbers 28:11/אבן עזרא על במדבר כ״ח:י״א

אובראשי חדשיכם. אמר רבי משה הכהן הספרדי נ"ע שפירושו חדש ניסן כי כן כתוב ראשון הוא לכם ואחר כן אמר זאת עולת חדש בחדשו שיעשו כן בכל חדש על כן הוסיף לחדשי השנה ופירושו נכון הוא ואע"פ שיש לטעון על יו"ד ובראשי חדשיכם רק בעבור שמצאנו הנה חדש מחר ישר דבורו:

1AND IN YOUR NEW MOONS. Rabbi Moses Ha-Kohen the Spaniard, who rests in paradise, says that u-ve-roshe chodshekhem¹⁸ (and in your new moons) refers to the new moon of Nisan, for Scripture clearly states, it shall be the first month of the year to you (Ex. 12:2).¹⁹ Scripture then goes on to say, This is the burnt-offering of every new moon (v. 14), that is, they shall offer this burnt offering²⁰ on every new moon. The Torah therefore adds, throughout the months of the year (Ibid.).²¹ Rabbi Moses’ interpretation is correct. He is right even though the yod in u-ve-roshe chodshekhem (and in your new moons) argues against his interpretation.²² is a plural. Hence roshe chodshekhem seems to mean the many first days of the month. If the reference was to the new moon of Nisan, then Scripture should have read u-ve-rosh chodshekem (and on the first day of your months). However, the fact that we find hinneh chodesh machar²³. (Behold, tomorrow is the new moon) (I Sam. 20:5) shows that what he says is correct.²⁴. This implies that an ordinary new moon is called chodesh, and the new moon of Nisan rosh chodesh. Otherwise Samuel would have referred to the new moon by the phrase rosh chodesh.