## Ibn Ezra on Leviticus Chapter 12

###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:2:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:2:1)

**אשה כי תזריע.** אחר שהשלים תורת הטהור והטמא בנאכלין הזכיר טמא אדם והחל מן האשה היולדת כי הלידה היא תחלה ורבים אמרו שהאשה מזרעת תחלה יולדת זכר על כן וילדה זכר ועל כן דעת חכמי יון שהזרע לאשה וזרע הזכר מקפיא וכל הבן מדם האשה והנה פירוש תזריע תתן זרע כי היא כמו הארץ:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
IF A WOMAN BE DELIVERED.¹ (literally, produces a seed). After Scripture concludes the law of clean and unclean food, it deals with human uncleanliness. The Torah starts² with the woman who gives birth, because human life begins at birth. Many say that if the woman produces the seed first,³ then she gives birth to a male.⁴ 60a; *Niddah* 28a. Scripture therefore states, *and bear a man-child*.⁵ The wise men of the Greeks similarly believed that the seed is of the woman. The seed of the male congeals.⁶ All of the child is created out of the blood of the woman.⁷ Note, the meaning of *tazri’a* (be delivered) means will give seed, for a woman⁸ (she) as in *Vat. Ebr*. 38 rather than *hu* (it) as in some printed editions. is like the ground.⁹ (zeru’ehah) *to spring forth* (Is. 62:11). Thus *ishah ki tazri’a* (if a woman be delivered) literally means if a woman gives forth her seed, i.e., the seed planted in her.

footnotes:
¹ Hebrew, tazri’a
² Its regulations of human uncleanliness.
³ Before the male.
⁴ However, when the male produces the seed first then the result is a female. See Berakhot
⁵ That is, Scripture therefore says, If a woman produce seed and bear a man-child.
⁶ The Greeks believed that the male seed gives form to the seed of the woman.
⁷ According to the Greek sages the woman provides the matter and the man the form of the embryo. See I.E. on Deut. 13:7 (Vol. 5, pp. 89,90).
⁸ Reading he
⁹ The point is that the field nurtures the seed planted in it. The same is the case with a woman. Compare, And as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:2:2
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:2:2)

וי״ו **וטמאה** כפ״א רפה בלשון ישמעאל. וסבת טומאתה שבעת ימים עד שובה אל המרובע וכן ימצא בימי החולי כי השנוי יראה עד סוף כל ז׳‎:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
The *vav* of *ve-tame’ah* (then shall be unclean) is like the unaspirated *vav* in Arabic.¹⁰ is not to be rendered: and she shall be unclean, but, then she shall be unclean. The reason that she is unclean for seven days is that she must wait until she completes¹¹ a quarter of days.¹² We find a similarity in the days of illness, for a change is seen at the end of the seven days.¹³

footnotes:
¹⁰ It does not always indicate the start of a new clause. See I.E. on Gen. 1:2 (Vol. 1, p. 30). In other words, ve-tame’ah
¹¹ Literally, returns to.
¹² The month is divided into quarters. According to the astrologers there is a change in nature and in fate at the end of each quarter. The same is true with each individual.
¹³ In other words, the quarters do not apply only to lunar months but also to events in life.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:2:3
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:2:3)

**נדת.** שם במשקל בזת והם שניהם מפעלי הכפל:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THE IMPURITY OF. The word *niddat* (impurity of) is a noun.¹⁴ It follows the paradigm of *bizzat* (spoil of).¹⁵ Both words come from a double root.¹⁶ comes from *nun, dalet, dalet. Bizzat* from *bet, zayin, zayin*.

footnotes:
¹⁴ In the construct.
¹⁵ The word is not found in the Bible. It is found in Rabbinic literature (see Rashi, Ex. 15:22).
¹⁶ Niddat


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:2:4
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:2:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:2:4)

**דותה.** טעמו כמו חולי כמו מדוה מצרים כי הדם היוצא הוא חולי בבשר האשה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
HER SICKNESS. *Devotah* (her sickness) is a noun in the plural.¹⁷ plus the feminine pronominal suffix. Compare, *madveh* (diseases) in *the evil diseases of Egypt* (Deut. 7:15).¹⁸ (her sickness) and *madveh* (diseases) come from the same root. Thus *devotah* means her illness. Some interpret *devotah* as her flow. See Rashi. The blood that comes out is an illness in the woman’s body.¹⁹

footnotes:
¹⁷ It’s the plural of davah
¹⁸ Devotah
¹⁹ A woman feels sick when she experiences the loss of blood. See Rashi, “No woman sees a flow of blood…without first experiencing a heaviness in her head and limbs.”


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:3:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:3:1)

**וביום השמיני.** אמרו חז״ל ביום ולא בלילה והנה הנולד חצי שעה קודם שקיעת החמה יהיה נמול לששה ימים וחצי יום כי יום התורה אינו מעת לעת:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND IN THE EIGHTH DAY. Our wise men, of blessed memory, said during the day, not at night.²⁰ Now a child born a half hour before sunset is circumcised after six and half days,²¹ for the day of the Torah is not measured by twenty-four hours.²²

footnotes:
²⁰ Circumcision is to be performed during the day.
²¹ The end of the day that the child was born, the following six days, and the morning of the eighth day.
²² It does not consist of twenty-four hours, for part of the day is considered a whole day.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:3:2
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:3:2)

**ימול.** מבנין נפעל כמו לא יכון ויהיה מגזרת מולים היו ויתכן להיותו חסר נו״ן מגזרת ונמלתם כמו איש כי ידור נדר ויחסר המל כמו אביו או בית דין:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED. *Yimmol* (shall be circumcised) is a *nifal*.²³. Compare, *yikkon*²⁴. (be established) in *shall not be established* (Ps. 101:7). According to this opinion, *yimmol* is related to the word *mullim*²⁵. (circumcised) in *were circumcised* (Josh. 5:5). It is also possible that *yimmol* is missing a *nun*²⁶ comes from the root *nun, mem. lamed*. and is related to the word *u-nemaltem*²⁷. (and ye shall be circumcised) (Gen. 17:11). *Yimmol* is like the word *yiddor* (voweth)²⁸. in *When a man voweth a vow unto the Lord* (Num. 30:3). Scripture omits the one who performs the circumcision, such as the father or the Beth Din (court).²⁹ comes from the root *nun, mem, lamed*, then the meaning of *yimmol* (shall be circumcised) is, he shall circumcise. In this case the subject is missing, for Scripture omits who “he” is. Hence I.E. points out that “he” refers to the father of the child, the Beth Din, or any authorized person. For similar comments of I.E., see I.E. on Gen. 25:26; 48:1; 50:26 (Vol. 1, pp. 251, 412, 452).

footnotes:
²³ From the root mem, vav, lamed
²⁴ From the root kaf, vav, nun
²⁵ From the root mem, vav, lamed
²⁶ In this case yimmol
²⁷ From the root nun, mem, lamed
²⁸ From the root nun, dalet, resh
²⁹ If yimmol


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:3:3
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:3:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:3:3)

**ערלתו.** ידועה כי הוא בערוה ואין כן ערלת לב ושפה ואזן כי כלם סמוכים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
HIS FORESKIN. It is known that the foreskin is on the private part.³⁰ This is not the case regarding the foreskin of the heart,³¹ the lip,³² and the ear,³³ for all of them are connected to another word.³⁴ (foreskin) stands by itself, it refers to the foreskin of the penis. When Scripture uses the term *orlah* metaphorically, it connects it to another word, as in *aral sefatayim* (of uncircumcised lips) (Ex. 6:12).

footnotes:
³⁰ The penis.
³¹ Deut. 10:16; Jer. 4:4.
³² Ex. 6:12,30.
³³ Jer. 6:10.
³⁴ Which explains them. When the word orlah


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:4:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:4:1)

ה״א **טהרה.** נח נעלם והי׳‎ ראוי להראות כה״א ויקרא לה נבח. וטעם דמי טהרה. שהוא דם טוהר כנגד דם נדה ואיננו מטמא והשם גזר על הזכר כמספר הזכר אשר תשלם צורתו בבטן והנקבה כפלים וזה דבר ברורה ומנוסה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
[PURIFICATION.] The *heh* of *tohorah*³⁵ should be rendered, her purification. (purification) is unsounded.³⁶ (dot) in it. According to I.E. the *heh* of *tohorah* (purification) is a pronominal suffix, and *tohorah* should be rendered as her purification. Such a *heh* usually has a dot in it. Hence I.E.’s comment. It should have been pronounced. It is like the *heh*³⁷ in it. in *lah* (it)³⁸ in *and called it Nobah* (Num. 32:43). The meaning of *deme tohorah* (the blood of purification) is clean blood.³⁹ as blood of cleanliness. This blood, in contrast to *dam niddah* (menstrual blood), is clean. It does not cause uncleanliness. The forty days that God decreed regarding a male child⁴⁰ corresponds to the time it takes for the form of the male to be completed in the womb.⁴¹ 3:7). It takes double that time for a female.⁴². This is clear and tested.

footnotes:
³⁵ According to I. E. tohorah
³⁶ It does not have a mappik
³⁷ It too is a pronominal suffix without a mappik
³⁸ Literally, to it.
³⁹ I.E. renders deme tohorah
⁴⁰ Our chapter decrees that a woman who has a baby boy has to wait forty days until she becomes “cleansed from the fountain of her blood.”
⁴¹ According to Rabbi Ishmael it takes forty-one days for a male child to be formed in the womb (Niddah
⁴² Ibid


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:4:2
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:4:2)

**בכל קדש לא תגע.** כמו המעשר והתרומה ובשר שלמים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
SHE SHALL TOUCH NO HALLOWED THING. Such as the tithe, *trumah*,⁴³ and the flesh of peace offerings.

footnotes:
⁴³ The heave offering.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:4:3
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:4:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:4:3)

**ואל המקדש.** אל חצר אהל מועד או אל העזרה בבית המקדש:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
NOR COME INTO THE SANCTUARY. The courtyard of the tent of meeting or into the temple courtyard.⁴⁴

footnotes:
⁴⁴ Sanctuary does not refer to the sanctuary per se.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:4:4
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:4:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:4:4)

**בדמי טהרה.** או על דמי טהרה אחד הוא:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
*Be-deme tohorah* (in the blood of purification) (v. 4) and *al deme tohorah* (in the blood of purification)⁴⁵ have one meaning.

footnotes:
⁴⁵ In our verse.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:6:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:6:1)

**בן שנתו.** לולי הקבלה מי היה מפרש לנו בן שנתו דאם הוא בן שנה תמימה לא יותר או פחות או תוספות ויש אומרים שטעם הכבש לעולה שמא עלתה שום מחשבה על רוחה בשעת לדתה מרוב הצער. חטאת שמא דברה בפיה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
OF THE FIRST YEAR. If we did not have tradition, who would explain whether *ben shenato* (of the first year)⁴⁶ means of the first year. See *Mekhilta* 4. means exactly one year, or less than a year, or a year plus?⁴⁷ Some say that the reason a woman who gives birth brings a lamb for a burnt offering is that she may have had some unseemly thought because of her pain when giving birth.⁴⁸ She brings a sin offering because she might have uttered some unseemly thing with her lips.⁴⁹ 31b: “Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai’s student asked: Why did the Torah say that a woman who gives birth shall bring an offering? He said to them: when she crouches to give birth she swears that she will not have sexual relations with her husband.”

footnotes:
⁴⁶ According to Rabbinic interpretation, ben shenato
⁴⁷ Under two years.
⁴⁸ A burnt offering is brought for unseemly thoughts. See I.E. on Lev. 1:4. She might have blasphemed or wished evil upon her husband for causing her this pain.
⁴⁹ See Niddah


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:7:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:7:1)

**והקריבו.** זה וזה הכבש והתור או בן יונה והכתוב אחז דרך קצרה וכן לא הזכיר מליקת חטאת העוף כי הכהן איננו אוכל חטאת עוף:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND HE SHALL OFFER IT. This one and the other one,⁵⁰). Hence I.E.’s comment. the lamb and the turtle-dove or the young pigeon.⁵¹ Scripture employed an abridged style. It similarly does not mention the snipping of the head of the fowl brought for a sin offering,⁵² for⁵³ does not eat of the sin offering fowl (Meijler). the *kohen* does not eat of the sin offering fowl.⁵⁴) to refer to it and the burnt offering (the lamb).

footnotes:
⁵⁰ Scripture employs the singular (ve-hikrivo
⁵¹ Our verse does not list in detail what is to be offered.
⁵² See Lev. 1:15.
⁵³ The term “for” goes back to the first line of I.E.’s quote. Our text should be understood as follows: This one and the other one, the lamb and the turtledove or the young pigeon, for the kohen
⁵⁴ Hence it is like a burnt offering and Scripture can use one term (ve-hikrivo


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:7:2
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:7:2)

**וכפר עליה.** כאשר פירשתי:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND MAKE ATONEMENT FOR HER. As I explained.⁵⁵

footnotes:
⁵⁵ To serve as a ransom for the punishment due her. See I.E. on Lev. 1:4.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:7:3
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:7:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:7:3)

**וטהרה ממקור דמיה.** זה אות כי לא תטהר בתולדתה עד הימים הספורים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND SHE SHALL BE CLEANSED FROM THE FOUNTAIN OF HER BLOOD. This is a sign that she does not naturally became cleansed until the days that are enumerated arrive.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:8:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:8:1)

**תמצא ידה.** כטעם ואין ידו משגת:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND IF HER MEANS SUFFICE NOT.⁵⁶ This means the same as but if his means suffice not⁵⁷. (see Lev. 5:11).

footnotes:
⁵⁶ Literally, And if her hand does not find.
⁵⁷ Literally, And if his hand does not acquire. The point is that “And if her hand does not find” means And if her means suffice her not


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:8:2
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 12:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/12:8:2)

**וכפר עליה הכהן וטהרה.** זה יורה אם לא יכפר עליה הכהן לא תטהר וזה תלוי בארץ:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND THE PRIEST SHALL MAKE ATONEMENT FOR HER, AND SHE SHALL BE CLEAN. This teaches that if the *kohen* does not make atonement for her she shall not be clean. This applies only in the Land of Israel.⁵⁸ suffices.

footnotes:
⁵⁸ The cleaning rituals described in our chapter apply only in the Land of Israel. Outside of the Land of Israel, immersion in a mikveh