Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 7/אבן עזרא על במדבר ז׳
אוטעם ויהי ביום כלות משה. אחר ברכת כהנים כי כן היה כי ביום שנשא אהרן את ידיו אל העם ויברכם החלה חנוכת המזבח ופסוק ויהי ביום כלות משה להקים את המשכן לעד על דברי המעתיקים כי היה סותרו ומקימו וחוזר לסותרו ולהקימו כל ז' ימי המלואים להרגיל' כי טעם ויקדש אותם בהזאת הדם בשבעת ימי המלואים:
1[AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD MADE AN END OF SETTING UP THE TABERNACLE.] Moses made an end to the setting up of the tabernacle after the blessing of the kohanim,1 blessed Israel. See Num. 6:24-26; Lev. 9:22. as this was how events unfolded.2 at the end of chapter 6. On the day that Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them,3 the dedication of the tabernacle began.4 The verse And it came to pass on the day that Moses had made an end of setting up the tabernacle is proof of the words of our sages, that Moses took the tabernacle down, raised it up and took it down again, and erected it again throughout the seven days of dedication to train the kohanim.5 indicates that the tabernacle had been set up and taken down a number of times. See I.E. on Ex. 40:2 and the notes thereto (Vol. 2, p. 754). It should be noted that I.E. there rejects the opinion that Moses erected and took down the tabernacle during the seven days of dedication. For the meaning of and sanctified them is that he sanctified them [the furniture, the altar, and the vessels] by the sprinkling of the blood6 during the seven days of dedication.7
בואת המזבח ואת כל כליו. דבק עם ביום כלות משה להקים את המשכן והטעם שהקים המזבח במקומו:
2AND THE ALTAR AND ALL THE VESSELS THEREOF. This is connected to on the day that Moses had made an end of setting up the tabernacle.8 also applies to and the altar. It means that he set the altar up in its place.
גואת כל כליו וימשחם. בשמן המשחה:
3AND ALL THE VESSELS THEREOF, AND HAD ANOINTED THEM. With the anointing oil
דויקדש אותם. בדם והזכיר המזבח בעבור החנוכה:
4AND SANCTIFIED THEM. With blood. Scripture mentions the altar because of its dedication.9, the altar is included in the furniture thereof. Hence I.E. points out the altar is singled out for special mention because it had a special dedication. According to I.E. sex is one of the things that creates a barrier between man and God (Yesod Mora, chapter 7, pp. 107 and 108). The Nazirite is an individual who takes a vow to abstain from wine and haircutting. I.E. connects wine and hair to sexuality. He believes that most sexual taboos are violated because the transgressor has imbibed wine. As to the prohibition of cutting the hair, I.E. writes, “A woman who does not fix her hair does not seek to engage in sexual relationships” (Num. 5:31). He similarly notes that the Torah states that “a razor shall not come upon the head of a Nazirite so that he does not make himself attractive to women.” (Yesod Mora, p. 62).
אויקריבו נשיאי ישראל. שם כלל והטעם שעשו קרבן לה' אל פתח אהל מועד:
1THAT THE PRINCES OF ISRAEL…OFFERED. Scripture employs a general term.10 Its meaning is that they brought their offering to the Lord before the opening of the tabernacle.
אצב. כמו ובצבים ובפרדים מין ממיני השוורים המושכים את העגלות ויש אומרים שהוא כטעם מלאות יותר מדאי מגזרת ואת בטנך צבה בדרך רחוקה:
1COVERED. The word tzav (covered) here is similar to the word tzabbim (Utters) in and in litters, and upon mules (Is. 66:20). The reference is to a type of ox that pulls wagons.11 (covered wagons) means wagons pulled by a tzav. This commentary renders Is. 66:20, and upon oxen and mules. Others say that eglot tzav (covered wagons) refers to a wagon that is overloaded and that tzav is connected to the word tzavah (swell) (Num. 5:21). However, this is farfetched.
בכבר בארתי בספר מאזנים שמ"ם שנים עשר דבק ומוכרת והטעם שנים ועשר ונסמך אל עשר לקצר כמו שלש עשרה וכן שלש אלה ובאה מלת שני עשר בחסרון מ"ם דרך קצרה:
2[AND TWELVE OXEN.] I have already explained in my work Moznayim12 that the mem in shenem asar (twelve) remains both in the absolute13). and in the construct.14 (twelve). When a word ending in a mem is connected to another word, the mem is dropped. Hence I.E.’s comment. The meaning of shenem asar (twelve) is two (shenayim) and ten (eser).15 is short for shenayim ve-asar, Hence the change in the vowel, shenem rather than shenayim. The word shenem is connected to aser for purposes of brevity. The same applies to shelosh elleh (these three) (Ex. 21:11).16 is in the construct with elleh. Otherwise the phrase would be written shalosh elleh. See I.E. on Ex. 21:11 (Vol. 2, p. 464). The phrase shene asar (twelve)17 without the mem is an abridged form.18 is short for shenem asar.
געל שני הנשאים. כמו לשני.
3FOR EVERY TWO OF THE PRINCES. Al shene ha-nesi’im means for every two of the princes.19 usually means on. I.E. points out that here it means for.
דאמר הכתוב וקרבנו כי כבר הזכיר המקריב והוי"ו יש לו טעם כאומר וזה קרבנו ואמר בשני הקריב את קרבנו כי כן דרך המקרא כמו ויאמר יצחק אל אברהם אביו ויאמר אבי בעבור שארכו לו הדברים וכן ויאמר המלך אחשורוש ויאמר לאסתר המלכה ולא הזכיר ביתר הנשיאים הקריב כי אחז דרך קצרה וכן לגלגלותם במספר ראובן ושמעון לבדם וכן רבים:
4[13. AND HIS OFFERING.] Scripture reads, and his offering because Scripture had already stated, And he that presented [his offering] (v. 12). The vav of ve-korbano (and his offering) means, and this was his offering. Scripture writes with regard to the second day, hikriv et korbano (he offered his offering)20. There is no reason to say he offered his offering. Scripture should have read, he offered. (v. 18), for this is the style of Scripture. Compare, And Isaac spoke unto Abraham his father, and said: ‘My father’ (Gen. 22:7). The word father is repeated because Scripture is being lengthy. Then spoke the king Ahasuerus and said unto Esther the queen (Esth. 7:5) is also similar.21 and spoke). Scripture does not mention the term hikriv (he presented) with regard to the other princes,22 for Scripture wanted to be brief. Similarly the term le-gulgelotam (by their poles) is used only in the numbering of Reuben23 and Simeon.24 There are many such examples.25
אביום השביעי. יש אומרים כי בשבת הקריבו והיא הוראת שעה ויש אומרים כי היום הוא שביעי לחנוכת המזבח והמכחישים אמרו כי לא היה תחלת החנוכה יום ראשון לשבוע וזה לא יועיל כי לא יתכן שלא יהיה שבת בין שנים עשר יום. והנכון בעיני כי הוא כפירוש השני זבח השלמים וכן ביום השביעי בהקפת יריחו וכן ז' הימים בחנוכת הבית בעבור יום ענוי נפש:
1ON THE SEVENTH DAY. Some say that Elishama the son of Ammihud presented his offering on the Sabbath. It was a ruling for that time.26 Others say that the reference is to the seventh day of the dedication of the tabernacle.27 Those who disagree with our sages say that the first day of the altar’s dedication did not fall on the first day of the week.28 However, this is of no avail, for it is impossible that there be no Sabbath in twelve days.I believe that the second interpretation29 is correct, because of the peace offering.30 The seventh day of the circling of Jericho is similar.31 Likewise the seven days of the dedication of the temple (I Kings 8:65) because of the Day of Atonement.32
אפר אחד בן בקר. קטן כמו בן יונה:
1ONE YOUNG BULLOCK. Ben bakar means a young bullock. Compare, ben yonah (young dove).33
אבקר שנים. גם הם פרים זכרים וטעמו מין הבקר והעד וכל בקר זבח השלמים עשרים וארבעה פרים:
1TWO OXEN. These were also male bullocks.34 The meaning of bakar (oxen) is, from the kind of cattle.35 (two oxen) literally means two of the kind of cattle, the reference being to two bulls. And all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace-offerings twenty and four bullocks (v. 88) is proof of this.36 refers to bullocks.
אביום עשתי עשר יום. כבר בארתי בספר מאזנים למה השתנה זה המספר וטעם עשתי. כמו עשתנותיו מה שיולידו מחשבותיו כאילו העשר הוליד והוא סוד גדול. ויאמר רבי יונה הספרדי כי פירושו על שתי עשר והטעם החשבון שהוא קודם ממנו והנה טעה שתי טעיות גדולות. האחד כי חשבון שנים עשר הוא על אחד עשר הפך דבורו והעד הנאמן מבן עשרים שנה ומעלה. והטעות השנית כי אילו היה על שתי היה ראוי שיאמר עשני עשר ולא עשתי עשר כי עשתי לשון נקבה רק עשתי מלה אחת:
1ON THE ELEVENTH DAY. I have already explained in my work moznayim why this number37 (eleven). differs [from the other numbers].38 (2) asar; 13, sheloshah (3) asar (10); etc. However, the word for eleven in our verse is ashte asar and not ahad (1) asar (10). The word ashte in (ashte asar, eleven) is similar to the word eshtonotav (his thoughts) (Ps. 146:4). It (ashte) refers to that which a person’s thoughts give birth to. The number ten, as it were begets [eleven, etc.]. This is a great secret.39, p. 163). Rabbi Jonah the Sephardi40 says that ashte asar is short for al shete asar. Its meaning is, the number that precedes twelve.41 means eleven. Now Rabbi Jonah made two great mistakes. One, contrary to his words, the number twelve is beyond (al) the number eleven.42 means above, not before. Hence if ashte asar is short for al shetem asar, then its meaning is, not before 12 but beyond 12. From twenty years old and upward (va-ma’alah) (Num. 1:3) is proof of the aforementioned.43 and al come from the same root. We thus see that al means upward or beyond, not before. His second mistake is that if the word ashte is short for al shete, then the text should have read ashne asar,44. not ashte asar. For ashte is in the feminine.45 is short for shetem asar. Shetem asar is feminine. Now yom is masculine. Why would Scripture employ a feminine? Ashte is therefore one word.
אוטעם ובבא משה. יתכן שתחלת הדבור שהוא ויקרא אל משה היה כאשר נשלמה החנוכה וכל המדקדקים אמרו כי מדבר אליו מבנין התפעל והתי"ו מובלע ולפי דעתי שהוא שם הפועל כמו הנה לא ידעתי דבר והמ"ם תחת מן למשפט הלשון:
1[AND WHEN MOSES WENT IN.] It is likely that the beginning of God’s word to Moses [in the tabernacle], which is what And the Lord called unto Moses (Lev. 1:1) refers to, was uttered when the dedication of the tabernacle was completed. All the grammarians say that the word middabber (speaking) in speaking unto him is a hitpa’el46 with the tav swallowed.47. In other words, middabber is short for mitdabber. However, in my opinion middadbber is an infinitive. It is similar to the word dabber (speak)48 in behold, I cannot speak (Jer. 1:5). The mem prefixed to middabber is in place of the word min, as is the rule in the Hebrew language.49 placed in front of a word has the meaning of from. I.E. renders va-yishma et ha-kol middabber elav (then he heard the voice speaking unto him) as, then he heard the voice of the One who spoke to him.
בוטעם וישמע. שהוא לבדו היה שומע הקול ולא ישמענו מי שהוא באהל מועד מחוץ לפרוכת גם זה נכון כי השם הוסיף בהרגשת אזניו כאשר הוסיף באור עיני נער אלישע וכן ויגל ה' את עיני בלעם:
2The meaning of va-yishma (then he heard) is that only Moses heard the voice. Anyone in the tent of meeting outside of the curtain did not hear the voice. The following is also correct: God made Moses’ ear supersensitive50 as he added to the sight of Elisha’s young man (II Kings 6:17). Similarly Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam (Num. 22:31).51
גוידבר אליו. כן הי' משפט הדבור תמיד:
3AND HE SPOKE UNTO HIM. This was the way God’s word always came to Moses.52