Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Numbers 8:7/אבן עזרא על במדבר ח׳:ז׳
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).