Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 5/אבן עזרא על במדבר ה׳
אכל צרוע וכל זב וכל טמא לנפש. אלה הם מטומאת שבעה והם מטמאים אחרים על כן לא יצא בעל קרי מחוץ למחנה ואין יד במחנה לצאת חוץ רק כל אחד חופר באהלו כמנהג כל המחנות כלן כי תינוקים יש ביניהם. ופרשת כי תצא מחנה על מחנה קטן ידבר שאין שם אשה והארון ביניהם ואין (ס"א והם) סובבים כי במחנה ישראל השכינה באמצע ועוד אפרשנו במקומו:
1EVERY LEPER, AND EVERY ONE THAT HATH AN ISSUE,1. A zav or a zavah is a person who has an abnormal discharge from the genital organs. AND WHOSOEVER IS UNCLEAN BY THE DEAD. These are states of uncleanliness that last for seven days. They also render others unclean.2 and the zavah, see Lev. 15:1-28. For the uncleanliness of those who come into contact with the dead, see Num. 19:1- 22. Therefore a person who had a seminal omission does not leave the camp.3 Similarly, no place was setaside outside the camp4 for the performing of bodily functions.5 On the contrary, each person dug in his own tent6 as is the custom with all the camps, for there were children among them.7 Now the section which opens with When thou goest forth in camp against thine enemies (Deut. 23:10) speaks of a small camp wherein there are no women, and the ark is among them and they do not surround the ark.8 [They have to leave the camp],9 for God’s presence is in the center of any Israelite camp. I will explain this in its proper place.10
אנקבה. זבה או נדה או מצורעת או טמאת מת:
1FEMALE. A woman who has an irregular menstrual flow,11 a normal menstrual flow,12 a woman who is a leper13 or who was made unclean by a dead body.14
אויעשו כן. מיד קודם שנסעו והטמאים בנסעם יסעו בין דגל אפרים לדגל דן על דרך סברא כי לא פורש. ונסמכה פרשת איש או אשה כי הצרעת והזוב יבואו בעבור מעל. וטעם להזכיר זאת הפרשה פעם אחרת להזכיר ואם אין לאיש גואל:
1AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID SO. Immediately, before they journeyed. When the unclean journeyed, they journeyed between the standard of Ephraim15 and the standard of Dan.16 The aforementioned is based on logic,17 for this is not explained in Scripture. The section that begins with When a man or woman [shall commit any sin that men commit, to commit a trespass against the Lord]18 follows the previous chapter19 because leprosy and unclean issue20. are brought about by trespassing against the Lord.21 16b. The reason this section is repeated22 is that the Torah wants to mention but if the man have no kinsman (v. 8).23
אוהתודו. איזה מהם שיהיה איש או אשה:
1THEN THEY SHALL CONFESS. Whichever one it be, a man or a woman.
בבראשו. כאשר הוא. לא פחות ממנו:
2IN FULL. Be-rosho (in full) means as it is, not less than it is.24 literally means at its head, or at first. Hence I.E.’s comment.
גוחמישתו יוסף עליו. אם הוא מתודה מעצמו ואם יש עדים עליו יוסף שני חמישיות ומעתיקי הדת אמרו חומש החומש ודעתם רחבה מדעתנו:
3AND ADD UNTO IT THE FIFTH PART. If he confesses on his own. However, if there are witnesses then he shall add two fifths. Those who transmitted the law25 say a fifth of a fifth.26 108a. See Rashi on Lev. 5:24, “If he denies the fifth (i.e., he asserts that he has repaid both capital and fifth, but has not really paid the latter, for which a claim is now made against him) and takes an oath that he has paid it but afterwards admits the claim, then he must now bring (pay) a fifth in addition to this fifth (a fifth of the original fifth which now become the keren (capital) in addition to it).” (Rosenbaum and Silbermann translation). Their minds are greater than ours.
אהמושב לה'. בעבור יראת השם השיבו:
1THE RESTITUTION…SHALL BE THE LORDS. For he made restitution because of his fear of the Lord.27
אואיש את קדשיו לו יהיו. טעמו ברשות המקדיש הם שיתנם לאיזה כהן שירצה והזכיר זה בעבור מתנות כהונה:
1AND EVERY MAN’S HALLOWED THINGS SHALL BE HIS. Its meaning is that they belong to the one who hallows them. He may give them to any kohen that he wants to. This is noted because Scripture mentions the gifts given to the kohanim.28
אוטעם תשטה. בעבור ומעלה בו מעל:
1The portion dealing with a straying wife follows29 because the straying wife commits a trespass against her husband.30
בתשטה. תסור מהדרך הישרה וכן שטה מעליו ועבור:
2IF ANY MAN’S WIFE GO ASIDE. Tisteh means will go aside from the right way.31 means to go aside. Here, to go aside from the right path. Similarly seteh (go aside) in Go aside from it (Prov. 4:15).
אשכבת זרע. השכיבה הידועה כי עקרה לזרע:
1CARNALLY. Shikhvat zera (carnally) refers to carnal laying. It is called shikhvat zera32 because its purpose is for seed.33
בונסתרה שלא גלתה היא הדבר ואפילו עד אחד אין בה שתהיה חשודה בעבורו:
2AND IT BE HID. She did not reveal the matter. There is not even one witness through whom she is suspect.
גוהיא לא נתפשה. בעדים אנשים או על ידי נשים עד שתהיה חשודה:
3NEITHER SHE BE TAKEN IN THE ACT. By witnesses, men or women, so that she be suspected.
אועבר עליו. לשון זכר וכן רוח גדולה וחזק מאד:
1AND THE SPIRIT OF JEALOUSY COME UPON HIM. Ru’ach (spirit) is masculine here.34 (come upon), the verb governing ru’ach, is masculine. Similarly ru’ach (wind) in and a great and strong wind (I Kings 19:11).35 (strong), one of the verbs governing ru’ach, is masculine.
בוטעם עבר. שעל' במחשבתו:
2COME. Come upon his mind.
אוהביא. בעל כרחה:
1BRING. Against her will.
בעליה. עמה או בעבורה:
2FOR HER. Aleha (for her) means with her or because of her.36 is, upon her. Hence I.E.’s comment.
גקמח שעורים. אמרו רבותינו היא עשתה מעשה בהמה תביא מאכל בהמה ומנחת הנדבה היא סולת חטים לזכרון לטוב. וזאת המנחה מזכרת עון אם היה שם על כן היא גרוע להיותה שעורים בלא שמן ובלא לבונה:
3BARLEY MEAL. Our rabbis said, she acted like a beast, let her bring the food of a beast.37 2:1. A free-will meal offering consists of pure wheat flower so that the celebrant will be remembered for good. However, this meal offering recalls a sin, if a sin was committed. Hence it is an inferior offering and consists of barley without oil and without frankincense.
אוהקריב אתה. המנחה:
1AND THE PRIEST SHALL BRING HER NEAR. Her38. refers to the meal offering.39 literally means her. However, it also means it.
בוהעמידה לפני ה'. לפני המזבח:
2AND SET HER40 is to make the woman stand before the Lord. BEFORE THE LORD. Before the altar.
אמים קדשים. מהכיור כי כבר נקדשו:
1HOLY WATER. From the basin, for it has already become holy.41
בבקרקע. ידוע תחת הקרקע:
2ON THE FLOOR OF THE TABERNACLE. The reference is to the well-known floor.42 (dust) has a definite article before it, a heh with a segol beneath it. Hence I.E.’s comment. The word afar (dust) has a definite article before it. It refers to the earth which is beneath the floor.43 (in the dust) refers to the earth which is beneath the floor of a certain spot in the tabernacle. See Mishnah Sotah 2:2.
אופרע את ראש האשה. יגלה ולפי דעתי יוציא פרע ראשה שהיה מכוסה:
1AND LET THE HAIR OF THE WOMAN’S HEAD GO LOOSE. Para (go loose) means he shall uncover.44. However, I believe that it means he shall take out the hair of the woman, which was covered, and let it go loose.
במי המרים. לפי דעתי שמלת מי סמוך ומלת המרים תאר השם אם כן סודו ידוע גם יתכן שנקראו על שם סופם כמו ובגדי ערומים תפשיט והעד ובאו בה המים המאררים למרים להורות כי האלות הנקראות המאררים ישימו המים מרים אחר היותם מתוקים:
2THE WATER OF BITTERNESS. It is my opinion that the word me (water) is in the construct45 and the word ha-marim is an adjective.46 If so, then its secret is known.47 is short for me ha-sammim ha-marim (the water containing the bitter ingredient). See Sotah 20a. It is also possible that the waters were so called because of their ultimate taste.48 Compare, And stripped the naked of their clothing (Job 22:6).49 And the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her and become bitter (v. 24) is proof of this, for this verse indicates that the oaths,50 which they that cause the curses51 refers to, will make the sweet waters bitter.
גומלת המאררים. מהבנין הכבד כמו אשר אררה ה':
3The word ha-me’arerim (that causeth the curse) is a pi’el. It is like the word erarah (cursed) in which the Lord hath cursed (Gen. 5:29).52. The root alef, resh, resh usually comes in the kal. Hence I.E.’s comment.
אוטעם והשביע. שתענה האשה אמן אמן:
1[SHALL CAUSE HER TO SWEAR.] Its meaning is that the woman shall answer, Amen, Amen.
באם לא שכב איש אתך. הטעם איש אחר בחזקה:
2IF NO MAN HAVE LAIN WITH THEE. Its meaning is, if another man has not forced himself upon you.53 cannot be taken literally because we are dealing with a married women. Hence I.E.’s comment.
גואם לא שטית. ברצונך ודקדוק שטית טומאה כמו לא תבנה אתהן גזית:
3AND IF THOU HAST NOT GONE ASIDE. Willingly. Satit means you have gone aside and committed an unclean act.54 is short for satit tume’ah. It is similar to thou shalt not build it of hewn stones (Ex. 20:25).55. I.E. believes that this is short for: you shall not build a hewn structure out of them. See I.E. on Ex. 20:25 and the notes thereto (Vol. 2, p. 443-4).
דהנקי. תהיה נקייה כמו ומות בהר ויתכן להיות והשביע הראשון בשם והשני באלה כאשר הוא מפורש:
4BE THOU FREE. The meaning of hinnaki is, be thou free.56 is an imperative. It literally means free yourself. However, it cannot mean that here, for it is not in the power of the woman to free herself. Hence hinnaki must be taken as an imperfect rather than as an imperative, even though it has the form of the latter. It is similar to and die in the mount (Deut. 32:50).57 (and die), an imperative, must be interpreted as if written ve-tamut (and you will die), for the time of one’s natural death is not in one’s hands. See I.E. on Gen. 1:22 and the notes thereto (Vol. 1, p. 42). It is possible that the first time Scripture says, and the priest shall cause her to swear58 means, and the priest shall cause her to swear by invoking God’s name. The second time this phrase is used59 it means, as Scripture notes,60 via the curses.
אירך ובטן. שכנים:
1THY THIGH…THY BELLY. They are the neighbors.61
בצבה. כמו נפוחה ואין ריע לו חוץ מהפרשה הזאת:
2TO SWELL. The word tzavah means to swell. The word is not found anywhere else in Scripture.62
אולנפיל. נפתח הלמ"ד להורות על חסרון ה"א הבנין וכן לשמיד:
1TO FALL AWAY. The lamed of lanpil (to fall away) is vocalized with a pattach because the heh of the form63. is missing.64 is short for le-hanpil. The same is true of the word lashmid (to destroy) (Is. 23:11).65 is short for le-hashmid.
באמן. פעמים חזוק:
2AMEN, AMEN. The word amen is repeated for emphasis.66 says.
אוטעם בספר. שהיה להם ספר ידוע באלות:
1[IN A SCROLL.] They had a specific scroll for curses.67 (in a book). Ba-sefer literally means in the book. Hence I.E.’s comment.
אאזכרתה. מה שיהיה לה לזכרון לטוב או לרע כפי מעשיה:
1THE MEMORIAL-PART THEREOF.68. This literally means her memorial. Hence I.E.’s comment. That which served as her memorial, for good or bad in accordance with her deeds.
אותמעל מעל. כאשר פירשתי דבר מכוסה:
1AND HAVE ACTED UNFAITHFULLY. Va-timal ma’al (and have acted unfaithfully) is to be understood here as I have explained.69 It refers to something covered.70 means to remove a cover (me’il), to uncover that which should remain covered. Va-time’ol ma’al thus means, and have committed an act of treachery.
אונזרעה זרע. שיתן לה השם זרע בשכר הקלון שאירע לה:
1AND SHALL CONCEIVE SEED. God will give her seed in recompense for the shame which befell her.
אתשא את עונה. אם נטמאה:
1SHALL BEAR HER INIQUITY. If she was defiled.
בוטעם ונקה האיש מעון. כי אם עבר עליו רוח קנאה הנה היא אסורה לו שישכב עמה והשוכב יש לו עון. יש אומרים שטעם הסמך פרשת נזיר לפרשת סוטה שיהיה לה בן נזיר אם לא נטמאה ולפי דעתי כי נסמכה בעבור נזירת האשה שהיא הפך המועלת כי רובי העבירות סבתם היין ואשה שלא תתקן שער ראשה איננה מבקשת להבעל:
2Our verse states, And the man shall be clear from iniquity.71 For if a spirit of jealousy came upon him she is prohibited to him. He is not allowed to be with her.72 If he sleeps with her, he is guilty of sin. Some say that the section dealing with the Nazirite follows the section dealing with the wife who is accused of adultery because if the latter was not defiled, then she will have a son who is a Nazirite. However, I believe that the chapter dealing with the Nazirite follows [the chapter dealing with the wife who is accused of adultery] because it lays down the law regarding a female Nazirite who is the reverse of the unfaithful wife. Now wine73 causes most sins. Furthermore, a woman who does not fix her hair74 does not seek sexual relations.75