Ibn Ezra – Page 3 – Peninim on the Torah

She conceived again, and bore a son and declared, “This time let me gratefully praise Hashem; therefore she called his name Yehudah, then she stopped giving birth. (29:35)

In his commentary on this pasuk, Ibn Ezra makes a compelling statement. He interprets Leah’s “gratitude” as if she were saying, “I have had four sons. I, therefore, thank Hashem, for I want no more.” It is as if she were saying, “I have enough; Hashem has been very kind. I am now grateful for everything that He has given me.” Therefore she stopped giving birth. Horav Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi, Shlita, infers from Ibn Ezra that Leah caused her own inability to bear additional children. She claimed that she had had enough. Thus, she stopped conceiving and giving birth. Whether…

Home -> 5758 -> Metzora

Moshe Marcovich In Metzora, 5758

The Kohen shall command; and for the person being purified there shall be taken two live, clean birds….(14:4)

Ibn Ezra contends that the Kohen “takes” from his own money to supply the necessary components for the purification process. This is a bit unusual. When a person goes to a doctor to be healed, the physician expects the individual to pay for services rendered. Is the Kohen any different than a doctor? Why should he, the spiritual physician, pay for the healing process? The Torah should be as sensitive to the Kohen’s money as it is to the metzora! Al HaTorah identifies a practical reason for this distinction. The person who is stricken with tzaraas is an individual…

Home -> 5758 -> Ki Savo

Moshe Marcovich In Ki Savo, 5758

These shall stand to bless the people on Har Gerizim…and these shall stand for curse. (27:12,13)

The tribes were divided. Some stood by Har Gerizim to issue the blessings, while the remainder stood by Har Eival to issue the curses. Ibn Ezra notes that the bnei ha’geviros, sons of “main” wives, Rachel and Leah, stood for the blessings, while the bnei ha’shefachos, tribes that descended from the maidservants, Bilhah and Zilpah, stood for the curses. In order to “even” the sides, Reuven and Zevulun, were to stand on Har Eival. What is unusual about this division of tribes is the fact that Yissachar and Zevulun were separated from one another. Moreover, Zevulun was on the side…

Home -> 5774 -> Va'eschanan

ויום השביעי שבת לד' אלקיך לא תעשה כל מלאכה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Va'eschanan, 5774

But the seventh day is Shabbos to Hashem your G-d; you shall not do any work. (5:14)

Shabbos is much more than the catchword for the day of rest or the prohibition against laboring. Shabbos represents a covenant between Klal Yisrael and Hashem. It is a principle of our faith that Hashem created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day, proclaiming it holy. By not observing Shabbos, one impugns the belief in Hashem as Creator of the world. Shabbos calls to mind the exodus from Egypt, without which we would have continued as a slave people. As Ibn Ezra observed, “A slave never rests.” Hashem liberated us from the slavery of Egypt and…

Home -> 5774 -> Vaeira

ויקח עמרם את יוכבד דודתו לו לאשה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5774

Amram took his aunt, Yocheved, as a wife. (6:20)

As a general rule, we do not find many women’s names mentioned in the Torah. Mentioning Yocheved’s name is, therefore, unanticipated and gives us food for thought. Yocheved gave birth to three pillars of Judaism, leaders who nurtured our nation during its forty-year sojourn in the wilderness, but is this the primary source of her distinction? Horav Arye Leib Heyman, zl, posits that Levi ben Yaakov Avinu named his daughter – as well as his sons – with names that correlated to the mechiras Yosef, the sale of Yosef. He felt a greater sense of guilt and responsibility, since his…

Home -> 5774 -> Toldos

ותאמר אם כן למה זה אנכי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Toldos, 5774

And she (Rivkah) said, “If so, why is it that I am?” (25:22)

Rashi explains Rivkah Imeinu’s question to be: Why am I desiring and praying for pregnancy? Ibn Ezra explains that Rivkah questioned other women who had given birth to determine whether this experience that she was undergoing was usual. They replied that it was certainly out of the ordinary. Rivkah now wondered, “Why is my pregnancy so strange?” Ramban does not agree with Rashi or Ibn Ezra. He posits that Rivkah was saying, “If this is the way it will be for me, why am I in this world? I would rather not be alive. What purpose is there in such…

Home -> Vayeilech -> 5774

וילך משה וידבר את הדברים האלה אל כל ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Vayeilech

Moshe went and spoke these words to all of Yisrael. (31:1)

The Midrash Tanchuma states: Ein va’yelech ela lashon tochachah. “The word vayelech means rebuke.” Apparently, Moshe Rabbeinu went to all of the tribes to bid them farewell. His farewell was couched in reproach, in which he informed the people of their shortcomings. Where in the pasuk is this indicated? It seems that all Moshe told them was that he had reached the age of 120 years old, that he was no longer able to “go out and come in”, and that he was not going to enter into Eretz Yisrael. In other words, Moshe was gezegening zich, bidding farewell, to…

Home -> 5774 -> Pinchas

בקנאו את קנאתי בתוכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Pinchas, 5774

When he zealously avenged Me among them. (25:11)

Obviously, it was “among them.” Pinchas did not go into a backroom to negotiate a settlement between the sinners. He acted decisively within sight of the entire nation. Horav Yehudah Tzedakah, zl, explains that the Torah places emphasis on the b’socham, among them, to teach us that Pinchas did not fear repercussion. His sincerity and love were apparent as he placed Hashem and His Glory above his personal life and welfare. He epitomizes the true kanai, zealot. Indeed, in his commentary to Bereishis 18:26, “If I find fifty righteous (persons) within (b’soch) the city,” Ibn Ezra writes, “Those who fear…

Home -> 5774 -> Korach

ויקומו לפני משה ואנשים מבני ישראל חמשים ומאתים נשיאי עדה קראי מועד אנשי שם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Korach, 5774

They stood before Moshe with two hundred and fifty men from Bnei Yisrael, leaders of the assembly, those summoned for meeting, men of renown. (16:2)

The two hundred and fifty men that rallied with Korach were not ordinary people. They were from among Klal Yisrael’s spiritual elite. This, of course, did not prevent them from making the mistake of their lives. Perhaps their distinguished position, thinking themselves infallible, might have led to the error which cost them their lives. No one should think that he is above reproach. One who does is in serious trouble. Who were these two hundred and fifty men? Rashi claims that they were all from the Tribe of Reuven. Ibn Ezra, however, contends that they were representatives of all of…

Home -> 5759 -> Metzora

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Metzora, 5759

This shall be the law of the metzora on the day of his purification. He shall be brought to the Kohen. (14:2)

The Torah commands the people to bring a metzora to the Kohen. This implies that the metzora is brought even by force, if necessary. The Ibn Ezra explains that human nature’s control over a person is compelling. The moment that he is healed from his illness, he no longer senses the urgency to attain his purity. Thus, he must be brought to the Kohen. Horav Mordechai Gifter, Shlita, feels that this applies to all areas of human endeavor. When the metzora is in pain, when he suffers various afflictions, he does anything to effect a release from his anguish. Yet,…

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She conceived again, and bore a son and declared, “This time let me gratefully praise Hashem; therefore she called his name Yehudah, then she stopped giving birth. (29:35)

The Kohen shall command; and for the person being purified there shall be taken two live, clean birds….(14:4)

These shall stand to bless the people on Har Gerizim…and these shall stand for curse. (27:12,13)

ויום השביעי שבת לד' אלקיך לא תעשה כל מלאכה

But the seventh day is Shabbos to Hashem your G-d; you shall not do any work. (5:14)

ויקח עמרם את יוכבד דודתו לו לאשה

Amram took his aunt, Yocheved, as a wife. (6:20)

ותאמר אם כן למה זה אנכי

And she (Rivkah) said, “If so, why is it that I am?” (25:22)

וילך משה וידבר את הדברים האלה אל כל ישראל

Moshe went and spoke these words to all of Yisrael. (31:1)

בקנאו את קנאתי בתוכם

When he zealously avenged Me among them. (25:11)

ויקומו לפני משה ואנשים מבני ישראל חמשים ומאתים נשיאי עדה קראי מועד אנשי שם

They stood before Moshe with two hundred and fifty men from Bnei Yisrael, leaders of the assembly, those summoned for meeting, men of renown. (16:2)

This shall be the law of the metzora on the day of his purification. He shall be brought to the Kohen. (14:2)

YEARS

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