Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Numbers 6/אבן עזרא על במדבר ו׳

איפלא. יפריש או יעשה דבר פלא כי רוב העולם הולכים אחר תאותם:
1SHALL CLEARLY UTTER A VOW. The word yafli means to set aside. On the other hand, it might mean doing something out of the ordinary,1 is related to the word pele (wonder). for most people follow their lusts.2
בנדר נזיר. פירוש נדר להיות נזיר כי נזיר הוא תאר השם:
2THE VOW OF A NAZIRITE. Neder nazir means an oath to be a Nazirite, for the word nazir (Nazirite) is an adjective.3 modifies the person who takes the oath, for according to I.E. the meaning of neder nazir is to be a Nazirite person. See Weiser. The word ve-yenazeru (that they separate) (Lev. 22:13) is related to it.
גנזיר מגזירת וינזרו שירחיק מהתאות ועשה זה לעבודת השם כי היין משחית הדעת ועבודת השם ובפרשת כי תצא מחנה ארמוז לך סוד:
3[TO CONSECRATE HIMSELF UNTO THE LORD.]4. This literally means to separate himself unto the Lord. Hence I.E.’s comment. To distance himself from lust. He does this in order to serve God, for wine destroys reason and the proper service of God.5 means to separate (himself from wine) in order to serve God. I will hint at a secret in the chapter that opens with When thou goest forth in camp against thine enemies (Deut. 23:10).
אוטעם מיין ושכר. אם נדר להיותו נזיר וקדוש מיין ושכר יזיר על דעת המעתיקים ששכר גדול מהתירוש ואחרים אמרו שכר ממש כל דבר שישתכר האדם ממנו:
1[HE SHALL ABSTAIN FROM WINE AND STRONG DRINK.] Its meaning is, if he took a vow to be a Nazirite and holy, then he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. According to the transmitters of tradition, shekhar (strong drink) is aged wine.6 refers to old wine while yayin refers to young wine. See Targum and Rashi. Others say that shekhar is to be taken literally; it refers to any drink that intoxicates a person.
בוטעם חומץ יין והמשרה והענבים. לשום גדר שירחק מן היין כלל ובאשת מנוח פי' כל טומאה כל אשר יצא מגפן היין:
2[HE SHALL DRINK NO VINEGAR OF WINE…NEITHER SHALL HE DRINK ANY LIQUOR OF GRAPES, NOR EAT FRESH GRAPES.] This explains the oath.7 He must distance himself from anything connected to wine.8 In the account of the wife of Manoah,9 Scripture states, and eat not any unclean thing (Jud. 13:7). She10 may not eat of any thing that cometh of the grape-vine (Jud. 13:14).
גמשרת. אין לו חבר והתי"ו לסמיכת לשון נקבה וטעמו כל דבר שימס עם ענבים ויש אומרים משקה מבושל:
3LIQUOR OF. The word mishrat (liquor of) is not found elsewhere in Scripture. The tav indicates that the word is feminine and is in the construct. Mishrat anavim refers to anything that has been mashed with grapes. Others say that mishrat anavim refers to a cooked drink.11
אמחרצנים. אין לו ריע וכן זג והמפרשים אמרו חרצנים חצונים וזג פנימי' ואחרים הפכו הפירוש ויהיה פירוש מחרצנים דבק עם מכל אשר יעשה כל מה שיעשה מאלה שניהם:
1PRESSED GRAPES. The word chartzannim (pressed grapes) is not found anywhere else in Scripture. The same applies to the word zag (grape-stone). The commentaries tells us that chartzannim refers to the outer skin of the grape and zag to the pits. Others say the reverse.12 34b. According to these interpretations, me-chartzannim (from the pressed grapes)13 (from the pressed grapes even to the grape-stone). is connected to nothing that is made of the grape-vine. The meaning of our verse is that the Nazirite shall eat nothing made from the grapevine, that is, from these two things.14
אגדל פרע. שם הפעל מהכבד. והטעם גדל. יגדל:
1HE SHALL LET THE LOCKS OF THE HAIR OF HIS HEAD GROW LONG. The word gaddel (grow) is a pi’el infinitive.15). The meaning of gaddel is, he shall grow.
אהזירו. שם הפעל מהכבד:
1THAT HE CONSECRATETH. The word hazziro (that he consecrateth) is a hifil infinitive.16.
בעל נפש מת. תאר לנפש או יחסר גוף:
2A DEAD BODY.17. The word met (dead) is an adjective describing body (nefesh). On the other hand, the word guf (body) is missing from our text.18 is describing the word guf. Our verse reads, nefesh met.
אלאביו ולאמו. ואף כי לאשתו ולבתו ולאחרים ויש אומרים כי מלת נזיר מגזרת נזר והעד כי נזר אלהיו על ראשו ואיננו רחוק ודע כי כל בני אדם עבדי תאות העולם והמלך באמת שיש לו נזר ועטרת מלכות בראשו כל מי שהוא חפשי מן התאות:
1FOR HIS FATHER, OR FOR HIS MOTHER. And certainly not for his wife, his daughter, and others. Some say that the word nazir (Nazirite) is related to the word nezer (crown). Because his consecration (nezer) unto God is upon his head19) his God is upon his head.” is proof of this. This interpretation is not farfetched.20. Note that most people are slaves to worldly lusts. The true king, the one who has a crown, the one who wears the royal diadem, is the person who is free from this lust.21, the one who wears the crown.
אבפתע פתאום. שניהם קרובים בטעם וכן אדמת עפר:
1VERY SUDDENLY. The words peta and pitom22 as very suddenly. According to I.E. the literal meaning of peto pitom is suddenly, suddenly. are close in meaning. The same applies to admat afar (dust of the earth) (Dan. 12:2).23 and afar mean the same. See I.E. on Gen. 8:11 (Vol. 1, p. 115.
בוטמא. המת יטמאנו:
2AND HE DEFILE. The corpse will defile him.24 does not mean and the Nazirite will defile himself, but that the corpse will defile the Nazirite.
גביום טהרתו. במי נדה כי הוא טמא מת:
3IN THE DAY OF HIS CLEANSING. By the waters of purification,25 for he was defiled by a corpse.26.
אאחד לחטאת ואחד לעולה. והסוד שהוא שאמרו חז"ל ושכר עבירה עבירה:
1ONE FOR A SIN-OFFERING AND THE OTHER FOR A BURNT-OFFERING. Its secret was explained by the sages. They said that the reward of sin is sin.27 4:2. I.E.’s point is that the Nazirite must have been guilty of some sin for uncleanliness to have befallen him during his period of Naziriteship (Filwarg).
בעל הנפש. הוא על נפש מת כמו ושרט לנפש ואילו היה שחטא על נפשו לא היה השם מצוה אותו שיחזור לחטאתו:
2FOR THAT HE SINNED BY REASON OF THE BODY.28. J.P.S. renders it as dead. The reference is to a dead body. Compare the word nefesh (body) in Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for a body (Lev. 19:28).29. J.P.S. renders it as the dead. If the sin referred to a sin committed against his very own body,30 19:a; Nedarim 10:2. then Scripture would not command him to return to his sin.31
אוהזיר לה' את ימי נזרו. כל הימים שנדר להיות נזיר ועתה יחל לספור אותם:
1AND HE SHALL CONSECRATE UNTO THE LORD THE DAYS OF HIS NAZIRITESHIP. All the days that he vowed to be a Nazirite. He shall now begin to count them.32
בכי טמא נזרו. כי הוא לא נדר רק שיהיו שלמים זה אחר זה ולא יכרית שום דבר ויפסיק ביניהם:
2BECAUSE HIS CONSECRATION WAS DEFILED. For he vowed to be a Nazirite for a fixed number of days in succession without anything intervening and breaking them up.
אמלאת. שם הפועל מבעלי האל"ף על מנהג בעלי הה"א באחרונה וכמוהו לבלתי קראת לנו:
1FULFILLED. Melot (fulfilled) is an infinitive. Its final root letter is an alef.33. It is conjugated like a word that has a heh as a final root letter.34. Words that end in an alef end in an o in the infinitive. Thus the infinitive of mem, lamed, alef should be melo. It is like the word kero’ot (call)35, but whose infinitive form follows the paradigm of a word ending in a heh. in that thou didst call us (Jud. 8:1).
ביביא אותו. יביא נפשו כמו וירעו הרועים אותם או יביא הכהן אותו בצווי בעל כרחו להקריב את קרבנו:
2HE SHALL BRING IT.36. Oto can mean him or it. I.E. renders our phrase, he shall bring him. Yavi oto (he shall bring it) means he37 shall bring himself.38 (him) here has the meaning of himself. Compare, but the shepherds fed themselves (Ezek. 34:8).39). However, in order to makes sense of the verse we must render otam as themselves. Similarly, oto (him) in our verse is to be rendered as himself. Or yavi oto means that the kohen shall bring him40 against his will by commanding that he be forced to bring his sacrifice.
אכבש. זכר כמשפט כל עולה:
1ONE HE-LAMB. A male, as is the law regarding all burnt offerings.41
בוכבשה. נקבה כמשפט כל חטאת:
2ONE EWE-LAMB. A female, as is the law with all sin offerings.42
גואיל לשלמים. שמחה שהשלים מה שנדר:
3AND ONE RAM…FOR PEACE-OFFERINGS. As an expression of joy that he fulfilled his vow.
אאת חטאתו. בעבור שהזכיר באחרונה כי כן מנהג הל':
1HIS SIN-OFFERING. The sin offering is mentioned first43 because it was mentioned last,44 for this is Hebrew style.
אשער. על שני משקלים:
1THE HAIR OF. The Hebrew word for hair of is vocalized in two ways.45 (sheva, pattach) in our verse, and sa’ar (pattach, pattach) in Is. 7:20.
אבשלה. פירוש והיא בשלה:
1WHEN IT IS SODDEN. The meaning of beshelah (when it is sodden) is, and it46 is sodden.47. This literally means the shoulder cooked. Hence I.E.’s comment.
בהתגלחו את נזרו. הנה אות כי קדש הוא שב אל הזרוע כי הוא עיקר או ישוב הוא על המונף כלו:
2AFTER HE HATH SHAVEN HIS CONSECRATED HEAD. This is a sign that the kodesh hu (this is holy) (v. 20) refers to the word shoulder,48 for that is the main organ that is being waved. On the other hand, the word hu (this)49. may refer to all that is waved.50 is a singular. Thus kodesh hu refers to all that is being waved.
אוטעם מלבד אשר תשיג ידו. חיוב שיתן כפי ממונו גם כפי ימי הנדר אם רבים אם מעטים ונסמכה פרשת ברכת כהנים לפרשת נזיר כאשר השלים תורת הנזיר שהוא קדוש הזכיר תורת כהנים שהם קדושים והמכחישים אמרו כי זאת הברכה היה הכהן מברך לכל מביא מנחה ונסמכה בעבור על פי אשר תשיג יד הנודר והאמת כמו שהעתיקו חז"ל והעד וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם ויברכם ביום השמיני ונכתבה זאת הפרשה שהשם צוה בהקמת המשכן שיברך אהרן את העם ושם כתיב נשיאות כפים כי הכפים כידים רק ידים כללים:
1[BESIDE THAT FOR WHICH HIS MEANS SUFFICE.] It means that he is obligated to give in accordance with his wealth. He is also obligated to give in accordance with the days of his vow, whether they are few or whether they are many.51 The chapter dealing with the blessings of the kohanim52 follows the chapter dealing with the Nazirite because, after concluding the laws of the Nazirite who is holy, Scripture mentions the laws of the kohanim who are holy. Those who contradict Rabbinic tradition53 say that the kohen used this blessing to bless all who brought a gift. They claim that the blessing of the kohanim follows the law of the Nazirite because the latter concludes with “beside that which the means of the celebrant suffice.”54. However, the truth is in keeping with the tradition of our sages of blessed memory.55 And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them (Lev. 9:22)56 on the eighth day57 is proof of this. This portion58 was written because God commanded Aaron to bless the people when the tabernacle was erected. Scripture there59 mentions, nesi’at kappayim (the lifting of the hands),60. for the word kappayim means the same as yadayim (hands).61 (lifted up his hands). According to I.E. this means the same as va-yissa et kapav. Thus Lev. 9:22 refers to what the rabbis call nisi’at kappayim, that is, the blessing given by the kohanim. However, the term yadayim is a more general term.62 technically refers to the fingers and their sockets (Weiser).
איברכך. תוספות חיים ועושר:
1THE LORD BLESS THEE. The Lord increase your life and your wealth.63
בוטעם וישמרך. שישמור התוספת שלא יגזול אחר מה שהוסיף:
2AND KEEP THEE. God will protect what he has increased so that no one steals it.
איאר ה' פניו אליך. כטעם באור פני מלך חיים והטעם וכל אשר תבקש ממנו ובשעת שתדרשו יאר פניו והטעם יקבל אותך וירצה למלא' שאלתך מיד:
1THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON THEE. Its meaning is the same as In the light of the king’s countenance is life (Prov. 16:15). It means may God make his face to shine upon you when you ask something of Him and at the time that you make the request. May God accept you and may His will be to immediately fulfill your request.
בואם בקשת אותו בעת צרה הוא יחנך גם יתכן היות ויחנך ויתן לך בקשתך כטעם חנוני אתם אשר חנן אלהים מגזרת חנן:
2[AND BE GRACIOUS TO THEE.] If you make a request of God in a time of trouble, may He be gracious to you. Ve-yechunekka (and be gracious to thee) is similar to channuni (have pity) in have pity upon me, O ye (Job. 19:21) and chanan (graciously given) in The children whom God hath graciously given (Gen. 33:5).64. Ve-yechunekka comes from the same root as chanan.65
אישא ה' פניו אליך. הפך אעלים עיני מכם והטעם כאשר פירשתי כי בכל מקום שתפנה יהיה פניו נשואות אליך:
1THE LORD LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON THEE. The reverse of I will hide Mine eyes from you (Is. 1:15). As I have already explained,66 its meaning is, wherever you go My face shall be lifted up to you.
בוישם לך שלום. כטעם לא יגע בך רע לא מאבן ולא מחיה רעה ולא מאויב:
2AND GIVE THEE PEACE. Its meaning is similar to, no evil — from stones, from evil animals, from any enemy — touch thee (Job. 5:19).
אושמו את שמי. כטעם לשום שמו שם שיהיו מקודשים בשם או טעמו כאשר יזכירו שמי עליהם כי בכל אחד מהשלשה פסוקים השם הנכבד והנורא:
1SO SHALL THEY PUT MY NAME. Its meaning is similar to to set His name there (Deut. 14:24),67 that is, the children of Israel be sanctified by God’s name. Or it means that when they shall mention My name over the children of Israel [I will bless them], for God’s revered and awe-inspiring name is found in each one of the three verses.68 refers to.
בואני אברכם. ויתכן היות מ"ם אברכם סימן הכהנים המברכים או יהיה סימן לישראל והטעם אם הם יברכום אני אברכם והטעם שאקיים ברכתם לפי דעתי שמ"ם אברכם סימן לכלם כהנים וישראלים:
2AND I WILL BLESS THEM. It is possible that the mem69 of va-avarekhem is a pronominal suffix meaning them. of avarekhem (I will bless them) refers to the kohanim who utter the blessing. It means they will bless Israel, and I will bless those who bless.70 is: the kohanim shall bless Israel and I will bless the kohanim. It is also possible that the mem of avarekhem refers to Israel.71 means and I will bless Israel. Its meaning is, if the kohanim bless Israel, then I will bless Israel; that is, I will fulfill the blessing of the kohanim. In my opinion, the mem of avarekhem refers to all of them, the kohanim and the Israelites.72 is, I will bless both Israel and the kohanim.