Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 4:20/אבן עזרא על במדבר ד׳:כ׳
אולא יבואו. הקהתים אל אהל מועד לראות כבלע את הקדש והטעם כאשר יוסר בנינו יוסר מסך הפרכת ונגלה הארון ויש אומרים כי כבלע כמו ככסות והטעם כאשר יכסו הארון לשאת אותו וזה טעם קרוב מהראשון והנה שתים אזהרות שלא יגעו בקדש כי אם בבדים ישאוהו ולא יראו הקדש:
1BUT THEY SHALL NOT GO IN. The Kohathites shall not go in to the tent of meeting to see the holy things as they are being covered. The meaning of ke-vala et ha-kodesh (the holy things as they are being covered) is, when the structure is taken down, the veil of the curtain is removed and the ark is revealed.31 is, when the holy (i.e., the tabernacle) is taken down. Others say that the meaning of ke-vala is, when they are being covered. Thus the meaning of ke-vala et ha-kodesh is, when they cover the ark in order to carry it.32 means when it is covered. The word bala means swallowed. Thus ke-vala literally means when he swallows, i.e., when he covers. This interpretation is more plausible than the first one. Now there are two prohibitions. One, not to touch the holy vessels-they are to be carried only by staves. Two, the Kohathites shall not see the holy things.