Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Numbers 8/אבן עזרא על במדבר ח׳

אדבר אל אהרן. כי הוא חייב במצות הדלקת הנר:

1SPEAK UNTO AARON. For he is obligated to fulfill the commandment of lighting the lamps.¹

באל מול פני המנורה. פירוש והאיר אל עבר פניה והנה מלת האיר יוצאה כמו תאיר נרי ואין כן יאירו והארץ האירה ונסמכה זאת הפרשה להורות כי הדבור יהיה גם בלילה כי שם יהיה הנר דלוק ולא יכבה:

2IN FRONT OF THE CANDLESTICK. This explains to give light (he’ir) over against it (Ex. 25:37).² is, shall give light in front of the candlestick. Now the word he’ir (give light)³ is transitive. It is similar to the word ta’ir (dost light) in For Thou dost light my light (Ps. 18:29). However, this is not the case with the word ya’iru (shall give light)⁴ (shall give light) is intransitive and means shall shine, not shall shine upon. I.E. renders our clause, shall shine in front of the candlestick. and the word he’irah (did shine) in and the earth did shine (Ezek. 43:2). This section⁵ follows⁶ in order to teach that God’s word also came at night, for the light was to burn in the tabernacle and was not to be extinguished.

אוזה מעשה המנורה. הזכיר שלא נראה כמוהו:

1AND THIS WAS THE WORK OF THE CANDLESTICK. Scripture teaches that no such menorah was ever seen.⁷

במקשה. פירשתיו:

2BEATEN. I have already explained the meaning of mikshah (beaten).⁸ means equal” (I.E. on Ex. 25:31, Vol. 2, p. 547). According to I.E. the various parts of the menorah were of equal size.

גירכה. הוא על הקנה שתעמוד עליו כי כן כתוב ירכה וקנה:

3THE BASE THEREOF. This refers to the shaft upon which it stood,⁹ for Scripture explicitly states, its base, and its shaft (Ex. 25:31).

דפרחה. ידוע ולא היה כח בחרש חכם לעשותה כן לולי שהשם הראה אותה למשה במראה הנבואה:

4THE FLOWERS THEREOF. The meaning of the word pirchah (flowers thereof) is well known.¹⁰ If God had not shown Moses the menorah in a prophetic vision, then no wise craftsman would have had the ability to make the menorah described in Scripture.

הכן עשה. שב אל משה והטעם בצווי וכן ועשית מנורת זהב:

5SO HE MADE. This refers to Moses. The meaning of made is, made by command.¹¹ The same applies to And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold (Ex. 25:31).

ווטעם הסמך פרשת הלוים להורות כי אהרן יתעסק בהדלקת הנר ובשאר העבודות יעזרוהו הלוים ויעמדו לפניו לעשות מה שיצוה:

6The section dealing with the Levites follows the one dealing with the lighting of the menorah to teach us that Aaron shall occupy himself with the kindling of the lamps.¹² However, the Levites shall assist him in the other services and shall stand before him to do all that he commands.¹³

אקח את הלוים מתוך בנ''י. כי מעורבים היו וכן כל השבטים קודם שיסעו אל הדרך מהר סיני:

1TAKE THE LEVITES FROM AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. For they were mixed in.¹⁴ The same was true of all the tribes before they journeyed on from Mount Sinai.¹⁵

אמי חטאת. כמו תחטאני או טעמו כחטאת הקרבן:

1THE WATER OF PURIFICATION. Chattat (purification)¹⁶ usually means sin. Hence I.E.’s comment. here is similar to the word techatteni (purify me) (Ps. 51:9).¹⁷ Or it is possible that the me chattat (the water of purification) was similar to a sin offering (korban chattat).¹⁸ (the water of purification) means sin water, water which serves as a sin offering. In other words, the water atones for sin.

בהזה עליהם. אמר רבי משה שפ"א הפעל נו"ן כמו הכה תכה ונכון הוא:

2SPRINKLE…UPON THEM. Rabbi Moses¹⁹ says that the first root letter of hazzeh (sprinkle) is a nun.²⁰ is nun, zayin, heh. Compare, hakkeh²¹ (and of takkeh) is nun, kof, heh. Thus hazzeh is like hakkeh. They are both in the hifil and they both come from a root that opens with a nun. takkeh (thou shalt surely smite) (Deut. 13:16). Rabbi Moses is correct.

גוהעבירו תער על כל בשרם. וכבר העבירו תער אמרו המעתיקים אפילו הזקן ולא הפאה:

3AND LET THEM CAUSE A RAZOR TO PASS OVER ALL THEIR FLESH. Its meaning is, and they have already caused a razor to pass over their flesh.²² (and let them cause to pass) is a pluperfect. I.E. comments thus because the shaving of the body preceded the sprinkling. The sages said²³ 40-41. even the beard,²⁴ but not the corner of the beard.²⁵

דוכבסו בגדיהם. ואחר כן יהיו טהורים בטהרם במי חטאת:

4AND LET THEM WASH THEIR CLOTHES. And after this²⁶ they will be cleansed, being purified by the waters of purification.

הוהטהרו. מבנין התפעל והתי"ו מובלע וכן המתקדשים והמטהרים:

5[AND CLEANSE THEMSELVES.] The word ve-hitteharu (and cleanse themselves) is a hitpa’el.²⁷ in it. The tav of the hitpa’el is swallowed.²⁸. Compare, ha-mitkaddeshim ve-ha-mittaharim²⁹ is in the hitpa’el and does not have a tav in it, for its tav is swallowed by its tet. (They that sanctify themselves and purify themselves) (Is. 66:17).

אפר בן בקר. קטן:

1A YOUNG BULLOCK. The term ben bakar indicates a young bullock.³⁰) ben bakar (the son of cattle). I.E. points out that this should be interpreted as a bull, a young bovine.

בסלת. שלשה עשרונים כמשפט:

2FINE FLOUR. Three-tenth parts (of an efah) as is the law.

גתקח לחטאת. בציווי כי הם יקחו והטעם יתנו כמו ויקחו לי תרומה או יקחו עמם כמו ויקחו להם איש שה לבית אבות:

3SHALT THOU TAKE. By issuing a command, for the Levites shall take.³¹ (the Levites) take a young bullock. Thus it is the Levites who do the taking. The meaning of Then let them take (ve-lakechu) is, then let them give.³² means shalt thou offer. Compare, ve-yikechu li terumah (that they take for Me an offering).³³) to Me an offering. We thus see that the Hebrew word yikkach (to take) sometimes has the meaning of to give. On the other hand, the meaning of Then let them take might be that they shall take with them.³⁴ (then let them take) has its usual meaning. Compare, they shall take (ve-yikechu) to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses (Ex. 12:3).

אלפני ה'. והטעם כאשר תקריבם לפני האהל יסמכו בני הלוים את ידם על ראש כל אחד מהפרים ורבים כן:

1BEFORE THE LORD. Its meaning is, when you present the Levites before the tent, the Levites shall lay their hands upon the head of each one of the bullocks.³⁵ (upon the heads of the bullocks). This literally reads, upon the head of the bullocks. I.E. interprets this to mean upon the head of each one of the bullocks. There are many similar instances in Scripture.

אועשה. בצווי כי אהרן היה המקריב והעד הנאמן שאמר כי החטאת גם העולה הם לכפר על הלוים וכתוב ויכפר עליהם אהרן:

1AND OFFER THOU. Offer by command, for Aaron was the celebrant. Scripture’s statement that the sin offering and also the burnt offering were to make atonement for the Levites is true proof of the aforementioned.³⁶ Furthermore, Scripture states, and Aaron made an atonement for them³⁷ (v. 21).

אוטעם והעמדת את הלוים. אחר שיכפר אהרן עליהם תעמידם לפניו ויניפם:

1[AND THOU SHALT SET THE LEVITES BEFORE AARON.] After Aaron shall make atonement for the Levites, you shall set them up before Aaron, and Aaron shall offer them for a wave offering.

בוהנפת. בצווי כמו יעשה להם:

2AND OFFER THEM FOR A WAVE-OFFERING. Via your command. Compare, And offer thou (v. 12).³⁸. 38. The Mikra’ot Gedolot reads, and whatsoever there may be to do with them (Num. 4:26). However, this appears to be an error. See Filwarg.

אוהיו לי הלוים. זו מעלה גדולה:

1AND THE LEVITES SHALL BE MINE. This is a great status.³⁹

אואחרי כן יבאו הלוים. אחרי שתטהר אותם:

1AND AFTER THAT SHALL THE LEVITES GO IN. After you purify them.

בוהנפת. כצווי:

2AND OFFER THEM. Via your command.

אכי נתונים נתונים. הם ובניהם ישראל נתנום לי ואני לקחתי אותם לי והטעם קבלתים ולא נתנום בעבור פדיון פטרת כל רחם. ופטרת ופטר שתי לשונות כמו צדקה וצדק או על משקל אחר:

1FOR THEY ARE WHOLLY GIVEN UNTO ME. They, and their children, are given unto Me.⁴⁰ (for they are wholly given unto Me). I.E. believes that the first netunim refers to the Levites and the second to the children of the Levites. The Israelites gave them to Me⁴¹ and I took them unto Me;⁴². that is, I accepted them. Why are they given [unto Me]?⁴³. 38. The printed texts apparently read, they are not given (unto me). This is an obvious error. In order to redeem all that openeth the womb. The word pitrat (openeth) and peter (openeth)⁴⁴ (that openeth the womb). The Book of Exodus refers to the first-born as peter…rechem (openeth the womb) (Ex. 13:2). are two different words.⁴⁵ Compare, tzedek (righteousness) and tzedakah (righteousness).⁴⁶ refers to any act of righteousness. Tzedakah in rabbinic literature refers to a gift of charity. Or they might be the same word in two paradigms.⁴⁷ and pitrat.

אביום הכותי. זמן כמו אתה עובר היום:

1ON THE DAY THAT I SMOTE. The word yom (day)⁴⁸ means time.⁴⁹ Compare, Thou art this day (yom) to pass over (Deut. 2:18).⁵⁰

אוטעם ואקח את הלוים. וכבר אמר לקחתי אותם לי כי כן דרך המקרא והוא דבק עם הפסוק הבא אחריו וכאשר לקחתי לי הלוים נתתים אני לאהרן ולבניו:

1[AND I HAVE TAKEN THE LEVITES.] Scripture has already stated, have I taken them unto Me (v. 16). This is the style of Scripture.⁵¹ And I have taken the Levites is connected to the verse which follows. It means, when I took the Levites, I gave them to Aaron and his sons (v. 19).

אולכפר. להיותם כפר נפשם כאשר פירשתי:

1AND TO MAKE ATONEMENT. To be an atonement for the souls of the children of Israel, as I have already explained.⁵²

אויעש משה ואהרן. משה בצווי ואהרן שהניפם וישראל שסמכו עליהם:

1THUS DID MOSES AND AARON. Moses by command, Aaron by waving them, and Israel by the laying of their hands on them.

אוטעם ויתחטאו. כי גם הם עשו:

1[AND THE LEVITES PURIFIED THEMSELVES.] Scripture tells us that they also performed [purification rituals].

בויכפר עליהם. וכבר כפר עליהם ויש אומרים כי בתחלה התחטאו ואחר כן סמכו ידיהם על הפרים ואיננו רחוק ואם כן יהיה פירוש והעמדת את הלוים וכבר העמדתם בתחלה:

2AND AARON MADE ATONEMENT FOR THEM. And Aaron had already made atonement for them.⁵³ is a pluperfect that means had made atonement. Others say that the Levites first purified themselves and afterwards laid their hands on the bullocks.⁵⁴ This interpretation is not far off the mark.⁵⁵ (and made atonement). If this is so, then the meaning of And thou shalt set the Levites (v. 13) is: and you have already set the Levites⁵⁶ at the beginning.⁵⁷ (had atoned) is not a pluperfect.

אכן עשו להם. תמיד בני אהרן לבניהם:

1SO DID THEY UNTO THEM. So did the sons of Aaron always unto the children of the Levites.⁵⁸

אזאת אשר ללוים. והטעם זאת הקצבה ואין מבן שלשים שנה מכחיש זה הפסוק כי מבן שלשים שנה הוא לעבודת משא ומבן חמש ועשרים לעבודת האהל:

1THIS IS THAT WHICH PERTAINETH UNTO THE LEVITES. Its meaning is, this is the set time of service which pertains to the Levites.⁵⁹ (this is) is short for zot ha-kitzvah (the set time of service). The verse reading from thirty years and upward (Num. 4:23)⁶⁰. does not contradict our verse,⁶¹ 24a, they begin their studies at the age of 25 and their service at the age of 30. See Rashi. for from thirty years and upward refers to the service of bearing burdens (Num. 4:24), while our verse, which reads from twenty and five years all and upward, refers to the service in the work of the tent of meeting.

בוטעם לצבא. להמנות עם צבא העובדים:

2The meaning of li-tzeva (to perform the service) is, to be counted among the host of workers.⁶² means a host. Hence I.E.’s interpretation.

אבמשמרותם. על הזקנים ונדבקה פרשת הפסח כי החנוכה היתה בחדש הראשון ואז נבדלו הלוים ובאה זאת הפרשה בעבור שהוא כתוב בפסח והיה כי תבאו אל הארץ והיה כי יביאך ה' צוה שהם חייבים גם במדבר:

1TO KEEP THE CHARGE. This command is directed to the elders.⁶³ The section dealing with the Passover follows the section dealing with the consecration of the Levites because the dedication of the altar took place in the first month.⁶⁴ The Levites were separated⁶⁵ at that time.⁶⁶ The section dealing with Passover⁶⁷ is written here because, concerning the Passover, it was written, And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land (Ex. 12:25); And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into the land (Ex. 13:5).⁶⁸ This chapter⁶⁹ records that God commanded that they were obligated to offer the Passover sacrifice in the desert also.⁷⁰