Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Sforno · Torah
Sforno on Genesis 25:27/ספורנו על בראשית כ״ה:כ״ז
אאִישׁ שָׂדֶה. יוֹדֵעַ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הָאֲדָמָה:
1איש שדה, an expert farmer.
ביוֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים. שְׁנֵי מִינֵי אֹהָלִים: הָאֶחָד אֹהֶל רוֹעִים, וְהַשֵּׁנִי אֹהֶל בַּל יִצְעָן (ישעיהו לג:כ), שֶׁבּוֹ הִתְבּוֹנֵן לְהַכִּיר בּוֹרְאוֹ וְנִקְדַּשׁ בִּכְבוֹדוֹ.
2יושב אהלים, the plural mode indicates that the Torah speaks of two distinctly different kinds of tents; one is the tent used by shepherds, the other the tent described as בל-יצען described in Isaiah 33,20, (a reference to Jerusalem or the Temple). The function of that “tent” is to help people come closer to G’d and to gain insight into His ways and as a result to become holy, inspired by His glory.