Ibn Ezra – Page 2 – Peninim on the Torah

לא יהיה לך אלהים אחרים על פני

Sruly Schnair In Yisro, 5780

You shall not recognize the gods of others in My Presence. (20:3)

The prohibition against having any other gods is quite simple: A Jew believes only in Hashem as the Only Source of anything in his life. To ascribe power of any form to any other entity is pure idol worship. The Sefer HaChinuch considers this the ikar gadol, great/primary principle concerning upon which all the mitzvos are dependent. As Chazal (Sifri, Parashas Re’eh 11:28) state: “Whoever concedes to avodah zarah, idol worship, it is as if he has denied the entire Torah.” Essentially, a Jew by his very faith in Hashem must be totally committed only to Hashem, realizing and acknowledging…

Home -> 5780 -> Vayeitzei

ויפגעו בו מלאכי אלקים

Sruly Schnair In Vayeitzei, 5780

And the Angels of G-d met him. (32:2)

The word va’yifga connotes an unexpected encounter. When the angels encountered Yaakov Avinu, it was an unusual experience for them. As Horav S. R. Hirsch, zl, explains, Yaakov Avinu was the first of the Avos, Patriarchs, who merited to have mitaso sheleimah, that all of his children were righteous and followed in his ways of serving Hashem. Even after living for twenty years in the home of the evil Lavan, they emerged spiritually unscathed. The level that Yaakov achieved was incredible for the angels to behold. It was a momentous experience for them to see such a family on earth…

Home -> 5779 -> Bo

ויט משה את ידו על השמים ויהי חשך אפלה בכל ארץ מצרים

Sruly Schnair In Bo, 5779

Moshe stretched forth his hand towards the heavens, and there was a thick darkness throughout the Land of Egypt. (10:22)

Chazal (Midrash Rabbah/Shemos 14:2) ask from whence came this choshech, darkness. Rabbi Yehudah says it came from on High. It was a Heavenly/otherworldly darkness, as it says in Tehillim 18:12, “He made darkness His concealment, around Him His shelter.” (This means: even when Hashem intervenes in a swift and stunning manner in human affairs, He remains concealed [Ibn Ezra], or alternatively, man quickly forgets Hashem’s role in all that happens to him [Horav S.R. Hirsch]. The question is obvious: If the darkness that plagued Egypt was from Heaven – where in Heaven was it to be found? Is there darkness…

Home -> Vayakhel -> 5756

Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayakhel

“He filled him with G-dly spirit, with wisdom, insight and knowledge… He gave him the ability to teach.” (35:31,34)

In his commentary on this pasuk, the Ibn Ezra places great emphasis upon Betzalel’s unique ability to teach and train others in the skills required for creating the Mishkan, its holy vessels, and the priestly vestments. Many great scholars are replete with wisdom and understanding, but they lack the ability to properly convey their remarkable scholarship to others. Rather than viewing the teaching profession as a vocation which borders on mediocrity, Ibn Ezra extolls the virtue of those who are able to teach and do so. Horav A.H. Leibovitz, Shlita, notes that Betzalel is lauded for conveying mundane knowledge to…

Home -> Vayigash -> 5756

Sruly Schnair In 5756, Vayigash

“And Yosef shall put his hand on your eyes.” (46:4)

The Ibn Ezra infers from this pasuk that it is customary for the living to close the eyes of the dead. Hashem was assuring Yaakov that Yosef would be there when he passed away. Yosef would arrange to take Yaakov out of Egypt to be buried in the Me’oras Ha’Machpeilah. The custom is that the eldest son closes the eyes of his father, as the parent takes leave from this world. The Yalkut Yehudah offers a poignant and meaningful foundation for this custom. Closing one’s eyes indicates peace of mind. When one sleeps, his eyes are closed. He is at…

Home -> Vayeilech -> 5754

Sruly Schnair In 5754, Vayeilech

“I can no longer go out and come in” (31:2)

Rashi explains that Moshe was not suggesting that the frailty of old age impeded him from going out and coming in. The Torah itself later attests to his remarkable vigorous health and physical vibrancy. Rather, Moshe indicated that Hashem had forbidden him from continuing in his current position as leader. Rashi’s explanation does not seem consistent with the literal definition of the word kfut which means “able”. The literal definition would be translated as, “I am no longer able.” This translation implies physical impediment and inability to continue. We may suggest that, indeed, when a tzaddik is prohibited from doing…

Home -> 5778 -> Chukas

וירם משה את ידו ויך את הסלע במטהו פעמים

Moshe Marcovich In Chukas, 5778

Then Moshe raised his arm and struck the rock with his staff twice. (20:11)

When Moshe Rabbeinu struck the stone, instead of speaking to it, as per his instructions from Hashem, his actions were considered to be sinful. As a result, he was not permitted to enter into Eretz Yisrael. The commentators offer a number of different explanations to shed light on Moshe’s error. Rashi says that altering Hashem’s command from “speaking” to “striking” was wrong. Other commentators attribute the error to his reaction, the derogatory manner in which he spoke to the people: Shimu na hamorim, “Listen, you rebellious ones/fools.” Whether the issue was becoming angry or referring to descendants of the Avos,…

Home -> 5754 -> Toldos

Moshe Marcovich In Toldos, 5754

And he said, is he not rightly named Yaakov, for he has supplanted me these two times. (27:36)

The various commentators seem to have one theme in their understanding of hbceghu. Targum Onkelos interprets it as “he has outsmarted me.” Ibn Ezra relates this term to ceg, as in ckv ceg (crooked heart), thereby meaning “to take a crooked and cunning route.” Rashi explains it as “setting a trap.” They all seem to be consistent in explaining ceg as including the idea of devious undertaking with malice aforethought to reach one’s goal. Indeed, this analysis is confirmed by the fact that Yaakov was compelled to “trick” his brother on two occasions. As Rabbi E. Munk z.t.l. notes, this…

Home -> 5778 -> Vayishlach

ויהיו בני יעקב שנים עשר... בני רחל יוסף ובנימין... אלה בני יעקב אשר יולד לו בפדן ארם

Roberto Szerer In Vayishlach, 5778

The sons of Yaakov were twelve… the sons of Rachel were Yosef and Binyamin… these are the sons of Yaakov who were born to him in Paddan Aram. (35:23,24,26)

The Rishonim, early commentators, question the location of Binyamin’s birth. The Torah states that he was born in Paddan Aram, when, in fact, he was born outside of Bais Lechem (Bethlehem) on the road to Efras. This is where Rachel Imeinu died and was buried. It was clearly not Paddan Aram. Ibn Ezra explains that the majority of Yaakov Avinu’s sons (eleven) were born in Paddan Aram. Chizkuni offers a novel response to this question, which offers us a powerful insight into the concept of tefillah, prayer. Indeed, Binyamin was not born in Paddan Aram, but the precursors for his…

Home -> 5777 -> Bereishis

וישמעו את קול ד' אלקים מתהלך בגן לרוח היום ויתחבא האדם ואשתו מפני ד' אלקים בתוך עץ הגן

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Bereishis, 5777

And they heard the sound of Hashem Elokim walking in the garden in the wind of the day, and Adam and his wife hid from before Hashem among the trees of the garden. (3:8)

The concept of Hashem “walking” in the garden or the “sound” that He makes in the wind has anthropomorphic overtones which do not apply to Hashem, Who has no physical presence. Rashi and Ibn Ezra define kol as voice, rather than sound, and ruach as direction, rather than wind. This would be a reference to the direction of the sun at the end of the day. A voice travels as it increases with intensity. Thus, the pasuk is interpreted: And they heard the voice of Hashem steadily increasing in the garden towards the end of the day. Bearing this in…

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לא יהיה לך אלהים אחרים על פני

You shall not recognize the gods of others in My Presence. (20:3)

ויפגעו בו מלאכי אלקים

And the Angels of G-d met him. (32:2)

ויט משה את ידו על השמים ויהי חשך אפלה בכל ארץ מצרים

Moshe stretched forth his hand towards the heavens, and there was a thick darkness throughout the Land of Egypt. (10:22)

“He filled him with G-dly spirit, with wisdom, insight and knowledge… He gave him the ability to teach.” (35:31,34)

“And Yosef shall put his hand on your eyes.” (46:4)

“I can no longer go out and come in” (31:2)

וירם משה את ידו ויך את הסלע במטהו פעמים

Then Moshe raised his arm and struck the rock with his staff twice. (20:11)

And he said, is he not rightly named Yaakov, for he has supplanted me these two times. (27:36)

ויהיו בני יעקב שנים עשר... בני רחל יוסף ובנימין... אלה בני יעקב אשר יולד לו בפדן ארם

The sons of Yaakov were twelve… the sons of Rachel were Yosef and Binyamin… these are the sons of Yaakov who were born to him in Paddan Aram. (35:23,24,26)

וישמעו את קול ד' אלקים מתהלך בגן לרוח היום ויתחבא האדם ואשתו מפני ד' אלקים בתוך עץ הגן

And they heard the sound of Hashem Elokim walking in the garden in the wind of the day, and Adam and his wife hid from before Hashem among the trees of the garden. (3:8)

YEARS

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