## Ibn Ezra on Leviticus Chapter 2

###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:1:1
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**ונפש כי תקריב.** נפש אדם והזכיר הנפש שהמנחה נדבה גם הנפש תקרא נדיבה ורוח נדיבה תסמכני:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND WHEN ANY ONE BRINGETH. The word *nefesh* (anyone) means a person. Scripture mentions *nefesh*¹. However, in chapter 1, it refers to a person by the term *adam* (man). See Lev. 1:2. Hence I.E.’s comment. because the meal offering is a free will offering and *nefesh* is called “willing.”² also means spirit. Compare, *And let a willing spirit uphold me* (Ps. 51:14).³ and not *adam* see Rashi on verse 1.

footnotes:
¹ Scripture here refers to a person by the term nefesh
² Nefesh
³ Thus the deeper meaning of our verse is, when a willing spirit brings a free will offering unto the Lord. For another interpretation of why Scripture here employs the term nefesh


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:1:2
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**סלת.** קמח חטה נקיה והיא הנקראת בלשון קדר סמי״ד והנה אין ראוי להיות מנחה לגבוה כי אם מהמין שאין למעלה הימנו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
FINE FLOUR. The meaning of *solet* (fine flour) is pure wheat flour. It is the same as that which is called *samid* in Arabic. Look, it is not fitting that a meal offering brought to the Most High come from anything than which nothing better exists.⁴ What is the value of this work today? From an historical and intellectual view, Ibn Ezra’s commentary on the Pentateuch is most important, as explained previously in the preface to Genesis. His influence can be seen in all subsequent Hebrew Biblical commentaries, particularly that of Nahmanides. His influence is equally apparent on Maimonides both in his philosophical work, the *Guide of the Perplexed*, and his *halakhic* work, his *Mishneh Torah*, extending also to many later Biblical scholars and philosophers. All this is well documented in Dr. Strickman’s forewords to the five books of this set. In spite of all of this, however, the question of the English translation’s value still remains. In his introduction to his commentary on the Torah, Ibn Ezra writes, “With regard to verses which deal with laws, statutes and regulations, if we find two possible interpretations for a verse and one of them in keeping with the interpretation of the transmitters of tradition, all of whom were righteous men, then without reservation and with all our might we will rely on the truth of their words. Heaven forbid that we should join the Sadducees who claim that the traditions of the Rabbinic sages contradict the literal meaning of Scripture and the rules of grammar. The fact of the matter is that our ancient sages are true and all their words are true” (Vol. 1, pp. 18,19). However, it must be noted that the rabbis who posited post-Mosaic changes in the Torah were men of stellar reputation. Abarbanel (Num. 21:1) claimed, though his opinion is very questionable, that Nahmanides held such views regarding Num. 21:1-3. Furthermore, despite the fact that Maimonides’ thirteen principles of Judaism ultimately became part of the liturgy and thus were accepted at face value by all pious Jews, in practice not all of Maimonides’ pronouncements on what constitutes heresy were accepted by post-Maimonidian authorities. There was room for difference. For example, according to Maimonides one who directs his or her prayer to anyone but God is guilty of idol worship. Nevertheless, there are prayers that are directed to angels or to God’s attributes. Thus there had to be another reason for normative Judaism’s rejection of the notion of any post-Mosaic changes in the Torah.

footnotes:
⁴ In other words, it is unfit that a meal offering brought to the Most High come from anything but the best.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:2:1
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**וקמץ.** מגזרת לקמצים וקדמונינו פירשו קמץ מלא ודבריהם אמת:

**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 TAKE. *Ve-kamatz* (and he shall take) is related to the word *li-kematzim* (in heaps) (Gen. 41:47).⁵ (and he shall take) means and he shall gather. Our sages explained that *melo kumtzo* means a handful.⁶ 9a, 18b. Their words are true.

footnotes:
⁵ According to this interpretation, ve-kamatz
⁶ See Menachot


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

**מסלתה.** מעט ממנה וכן מהשמן רק כל הלבונה יקטיר:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
OF THE FINE FLOUR THEREOF. A little of it, and so too of the oil. However, he shall burn all of the frankincense.


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

**אזכרתה.** האל״ף נוסף והטעם מה שהיה לו לזכרון לפני השם בעבור מנחתו ורבים פירשוהו כריח וקטורת כמו זכרו כיין לבנון:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THE MEMORIAL-PART THEREOF. The *alef* of *azkaratah* (the memorial part thereof) is superfluous.⁷ comes from the root *zayin, kaf, resh*. The *alef* serves no purpose. *Azkaratah* is so called because the meal offering by the celebrant serves as a memorial before God.⁸ means *the memorial part thereof*. God recalls the celebrant because of his meal offering. Others say that *azkaratah* means its scent. It is like scent of the incense.⁹ Compare, *The scent thereof* (zikhro) *shall be as the wine of Lebanon* (Hos. 14:8).

footnotes:
⁷ According to this opinion azkaratah
⁸ In other words, azkaratah
⁹ The portion of the meal offering offered on the altar is similar to the incense offered on the altar.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:3:1
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**לאהרן ולבניו.** ולכל הכהנים בשוה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
SHALL BE AARON’S AND HIS SONS’. And to all *kohanim* equally.¹⁰ (Lev. 7:10) (Filwarg).

footnotes:
¹⁰ Unlike the meal offerings that are baked in the oven which belong to the priest who offers them (Lev. 7:9), a meal offering mingled with oil is shared by all the kohanim


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:4:1
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**חלות.** עבות ויש אומרים עגולות מלשון חלילה בדברי קדמונינו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
UNLEAVENED CAKES. The word *challot* (cakes) means thick cakes.¹¹ (unleavened cakes) means thick unleavened cakes. Others connect *challot* to the Rabbinic term *chalilah* (circle).¹² means rounded cakes. See *Sukkah* 5:6.

footnotes:
¹¹ Thus challot matzot
¹² They say that challot


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:5:1
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**מחבת.** קערה מכוסה בקערה והתי״ו תחת ה״א כתי״ו ושבת לנשיא:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
A GRIDDLE. *Machavat* (griddle) refers to a plate covered with a plate.¹³ Its *tav* is in place of a *heh*,¹⁴ comes from the root *chet, bet, heh*, meaning to hide. A *machavah* is a utensil in which the food is hidden (Weiser), i.e., covered. like the *tav* of *ve-shavat* (it shall return) in *then it shall return to the prince* (Ezek. 46:17).¹⁵ is in place of a *heh*, for *ve-shavat* is a variant of *ve**shavah*.

footnotes:
¹³ It refers to a pan with a cover.
¹⁴ A variant of machavah. Machavah
¹⁵ The tav of ve-shavat


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:7:1
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**מרחשת.** מעשה מטוגן ויש מפרשם מגזרת רחש לבי והטעם בעבור שישמיע קול:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THE STEWING-PAN. *Marcheshet* (the stewing pan) means fried.¹⁶ (stewing pan) describes a utensil. It refers to a type of meal offering. I.E. renders our clause: And if your offering be a fried meal offering (*minchah marcheshet*). Some connect the word *marcheshet* to *rachash* (speaks) in *My heart speaks* (Ps. 45:2).¹⁷ *Marcheshet* is so called because it emits sounds.¹⁸

footnotes:
¹⁶ Contra other commentaries, I.E. does not believe that marcheshet
¹⁷ Translated according to I.E.
¹⁸ When an oil-saturated mixture is fried, it emits sounds.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:10:1
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**לאהרן ולבניו.** אחריו והטעם לכהן המקריב כי כן כתוב על שתי המנחות:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AARON’S AND HIS SONS’. After him.¹⁹ That is, to the *kohen* who places it upon the fire, for Scripture states so with regard to the two meal offerings.²⁰

footnotes:
¹⁹ The generations that followed Aaron.
²⁰ The meal offering baked on a griddle and the one baked in an oven.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:11:1
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**שאור.** הוא המחמיץ גם כן הדבש ורבים אמרו שפירושו דבש תמרים וכן כל ארץ זבת חלב ודבש ויש להם כדמות ראיה בספר עזרא:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
LEAVEN. *Se’or* refers to leaven. It is the same case with honey. Some say that our verse speaks of date honey. The same is true whenever Scripture speaks of a *land flowing with milk and honey*. There is what appears to be proof of their opinion in the Book of Ezra.²¹. The latter seems to place honey among the produce of the field. Others say that the reference is to Neh. 10:36.

footnotes:
²¹ The reference is probably to II Chron. 31:5, viz., the children of Israel gave in abundance the first-fruits of corn, wine and oil, and honey, and all the increase of the field


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:12:1
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**קרבן ראשית תקריבו אותם לה׳‎.** כטעם שתים שני עשרונים המונפים לפני השם בחג השבועות וזה פירוש לה׳‎ אף על פי שהם קדש לה׳‎ הם למאכל הכהן:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AS AN OFFERING OF FIRST-FRUITS YE MAY BRING THEM UNTO THE LORD. As the two wave-loaves of two tenth parts of an ephah which were waved before God on the festival of Shavu’ot (Lev. 23:17). The meaning of *unto the Lord* is, even though they are holy *unto the Lord* they are food for the *kohen*.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:13:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/2:13:1)

**ברית אלהיך.** הכנסתיך בברית והשבעתיך שלא תקריב תפל ולא יאכל כי הוא דרך בזיון:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THE COVENANT OF THY GOD. God caused you to enter the covenant and made you swear that you would not offer anything which is unsalted and inedible, for that is an insult.²²

footnotes:
²² To God.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:14:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/2:14:1)

**ואם תקריב מנחת בכורים.** רבים אמרו שמלת אם חיוב ולפי דעתי כי אין צורך כי החיוב הוא ראשית בכורים ולא הבכורים והרוצה להביא מנחה מבכורים נדבה יביא:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND IF THOU BRING A MEAL-OFFERING OF FIRSTFRUITS.²³. To be understood here as the first grain. Many say that the word *im* (if) indicates an obligation.²⁴ as when you bring a meal offering of the first grain. See Rashi: “*Im* here has the meaning of *ki* (when), for this offering is not optional.” Rashi believes that our verse deals with the *omer* (measure) of barley offered on the second day of Passover. This offering was obligatory. It was offered from the very first of the harvest. See Lev. 23:9-14. I believe that there is no need for this explanation, for there is an obligation to bring the first²⁵ of the grain²⁶ and not the first grain. One who wishes to bring a meal offering from the first grain²⁷ as a free will offering may do so.²⁸

footnotes:
²³ Hebrew, bikkurim
²⁴ They render and if thou bring a meal-offering of first-fruits
²⁵ The very first.
²⁶ See Deut. 26:1-11.
²⁷ From the first grain harvest.
²⁸ However, he is not obligated to do so.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:14:2
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**אביב.** נקרא כן בעבור שהוא ראשון והוא מגזרת אב:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
CORN IN THE EAR. *Aviv* (com in the ear) is so called because it is first.²⁹ thus means the first grain. It is related to the word *av* (father).³⁰

footnotes:
²⁹ Aviv
³⁰ The father comes before the son.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:14:3
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**גרש.** טעמו ידוע וקרוב מגזרת גרסה נפשי ואם הוא בסמ״ך:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
GROATS. The meaning of *geres* (groats) is known. It is close to being related to the word *garesah* (breaketh) in *My soul breaketh* (Ps. 119:20).³¹ means broken grain. See Rashi: *“geres* means breaking or grinding.” The latter is so even though the word *garesah* is spelled with a *samekh*.³² is spelled with a *sin*.

footnotes:
³¹ According to I.E. geres
³² And the word geres


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 2:14:4
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**כרמל.** כמו וכרמל בצקלונו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
FRESH EAR. The word *karmel* (fresh ear) is related to the word *karmel* (fresh ears) in *and fresh ears of corn in his sack* (II Kings 4:42).