Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 8:16/אבן עזרא על במדבר ח׳:ט״ז
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.