## Ibn Ezra on Leviticus Chapter 5

###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:1:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:1:1)

**ונפש כי תחטא ושמעה קול אלה.** הוא החרם וכן ואת אלית והכתוב אחז דרך קצרה והזהיר שחייב העד להגיד כי אם לא יגיד יש עליו עונש מהשם שישא עונו אם שכח ולא הגיד ואחר כן נזכר לו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND IF ANY ONE SIN, IN THAT HE HEARETH THE VOICE OF ADJURATION. *Alah* (adjuration) refers to a curse. Similarly *alit* (thou didst utter a curse)¹ is the verbal form of *alah*. in *about which thou didst utter a curse* (Jud. 17:2). Scripture employs an abridged style.² Scripture warns that the witness is obligated to testify, for if he does not testify then he is liable for punishment from God, for he bears his iniquity. If he forgets and does not testify and then reminds himself [then he brings a guilt offering].

footnotes:
¹ Alit
² Before laying down the law regarding one who refuses to testify, it first should have stated that there is an obligation to bear witness (Filwarg).


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:2:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:2:1)

**או נפש אשר תגע.** בנבלת הארבעה הנזכרות והם חזיר וחביריו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
OR IF ANY ONE TOUCH ANY UNCLEAN THING. [WHETHER IT BE THE CARCASS OF AN UNCLEAN BEAST.] The reference is to the carcass of any of the four mentioned,³ namely, the swine⁴ and his compatriots.⁵

footnotes:
³ The four beasts explicitly mentioned in Lev. 11:4-7.
⁴ Lev. 11:7.
⁵ The camel (Lev. 11:4), the rock-badger (Lev. 11:5), and the hare (Lev. 11:6).


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:2:2
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:2:2)

**או בנבלת בהמה טמאה.** למאכלה כסום וחמור ושרץ טמא מהשמונה הנזכרים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
OR THE CARCASS OF UNCLEAN CATTLE. Unclean for food such as horses or asses.⁶*The carcass of unclean swarming things* refers to the carcass of the eight swarming things mentioned in Scripture.⁷

footnotes:
⁶ These are not explicitly mentioned in the Torah.
⁷ In Lev. 11:29,30.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:2:3
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:2:3)

**ונעלם ממנו.** ואחר כך יודע או נגע בזב וטמא מת וזבה ונדה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
IT BEING HIDDEN FROM HIM. He learned of this⁸ afterwards.⁹ [3. OR IF HE TOUCH THE UNCLEANNESS OF MAN.] He touched a man that suffered a flux,¹⁰. See Lev. 15:2. or someone who was unclean because he touched a dead body,¹¹ or a woman who suffered from a flux,¹² or a menstruant.¹³

footnotes:
⁸ That he was unclean.
⁹ After coming into contact with what is sacred.
¹⁰ Hebrew, zav
¹¹ See Num. 19:11.
¹² See Lev. 15: 25.
¹³ See Lev. 15:19.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:4:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:4:1)

**לבטא בשפתים.** דבור שפה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
UTTER CLEARLY WITH AN OATH. *Le-vatte visefatayim* (utter clearly) means to utter with the lips.¹⁴ means lips. Hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes:
¹⁴ Sefatayim


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:4:2
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:4:2)

**להרע.** למי שהוא חייב או לפירוש הגאון להתענות. וטעם להזכיר אלה שהוא חייב להודות ועל האחרות שהן מצות לא תעשה לא יתודה לפני הכהן והקרבן אחד:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
TO DO EVIL. To a guilty person,¹⁵ or, as the Gaon¹⁶ explains, to fast.¹⁷ Scripture mentions these sins¹⁸ because the violator is obligated to confess these sins. He is not obligated to confess before the *kohen* for other sins which consist of the violation of negative commandments.¹⁹ The sacrifice is the same.²⁰

footnotes:
¹⁵ To a person who is guilty of a capital crime or guilty of an offence that is punished by flogging. So Krinsky and Sarim. I.E. comments thus because a person would not be held to be violating an oath to harm an innocent man.
¹⁶ Rabbi Saadiah Gaon.
¹⁷ In other words, to do evil means to do evil to himself. See Rashi.
¹⁸ The point is: Scripture stated earlier that if one sins, he has to bring a sin offering (Lev. 4:27-35). It now lists a number of sins, i.e., refusing to testify, breaking an oath, coming into contact with that which is sacred when one is unclean. It then goes on to say that one who violates the latter brings the same sacrifice as those mentioned earlier in Lev: 4:27-35. The question thus arises: Why list these sins when they are apparently dealt with in Lev. 4:27-35?
¹⁹ In other words, the sins alluded to in Lev. 4:27-35.
²⁰ For the sins alluded to in Lev. 4:27-35 and for those mentioned in verses 1-4.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:7:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:7:1)

**ואם לא תגיע ידו.** כי היד היא העושה מלאכה והיא הקונה רמז למי שאין לו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND IF HIS MEANS²¹ (literally, his hand). SUFFICE NOT.²² For all manner of work is done by the hand. It is the means by which one acquires. The clause²³. alludes to one who does not have the means.²⁴ means: And if his means do not suffice.

footnotes:
²¹ Hebrew, yado
²² Literally, and if his hand does not acquire. Hence I.E.’s comment.
²³ And if his hand does not acquire
²⁴ To buy a lamb or a goat. In other words, And if his hand does not acquire


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:7:2
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:7:2)

**אחד לחטאת ואחד לעולה.** ויאמר רב יצחק כי טעם אחד עולה בעבור שלא תגיע ידו אולי עלה על רוחו מחשבה והקרוב אלי שהאחד כנגד האמורים והשני חטאת כמשפט:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
ONE FOR A SIN-OFFERING, AND THE OTHER FOR A BURNT-OFFERING. Rabbi Isaac²⁵ says the reason that one bird is brought for a burnt offering is that an unseemly thought may have entered his mind because his means do not suffice.²⁶, a burnt offering, is offered in atonement for improper thoughts. See I.E. on Lev. 1:4. However, I believe that the bird brought as an offering corresponds to the organs of the sacrifice offered on the altar.²⁷ The second bird is a sin offering, as the law requires.²⁸

footnotes:
²⁵ According to Weiser the reference is to Rabbi Isaac Gaon of Sura.
²⁶ He might have been angry at God for his poverty. According to I.E. an olah
²⁷ See Lev. 3:9,10; 14:5. The bird brought as a burnt offering takes the place of the organs of the lamb or goat brought to the altar.
²⁸ For those who sin and repent.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:11:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:11:1)

**עשירת האיפה.** מאכל לאיש אחד ביום אחד:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THE TENTH PART OF AN EPHAH. The amount of food a person eats in one day.²⁹

footnotes:
²⁹ See Ex. 16:36.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:15:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:15:1)

**תמעל מעל.** דבר שנתכסה עליו מגזרת מעיל והטעם כי חטאת הוא בקדשי השם יביא איל שהוא שוה כסף שקלים ומעוט רבים שנים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
COMMIT A TRESPASS. The reference is to something which covered the offender.³⁰ *Timol ma’al* (commit a trespass) is related to the word *me’il* (garment).³¹ literally means to garment a garment that is, to cover oneself with a garment. The reason why he shall bring a ram³² worth silver shekels³³. is that he sinned against that which is sanctified to God. The minimum of the plural *shekalim* (shekels) is two.

footnotes:
³⁰ The offender is compared to a person who covers himself with a garment which does not belong to him.
³¹ Thus, timol ma’al
³² And not a lamb or goat, which is a less expensive offering.
³³ Hebrew, shekalim


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:16:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:16:1)

**ישלם.** וישלם אשר חטא מן הקדש עם תוס׳‎ חמישתו וזה הוא אשם בשגגה בתחלה ואחר כך ידע:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
HE SHALL MAKE RESTITUTION. He shall make restitution for sinning by using a holy object and add a fifth.³⁴ This is a guilt offering brought by one who errs at first and then becomes cognizant of his sin.

footnotes:
³⁴ A fifth of its value.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:17:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:17:1)

**ואם נפש כי תחטא.** ועשה אחת ממצות לא תעשה ולא ידע אם הוא אסור יביא איל ודעת רבים שזה אשם תלוי לא ידע אם עשה אם לא עשה והחטאת שבתחלה לא ידע ואחר כן ידע והנה החטאת שלא ידע שהוא אסור עד שהודע והאשם ידע שהוא אסור ושכח ואחר כן נזכר או אשם תלוי:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND IF ANY ONE SIN.³⁵ And violates one of the negative commandments and does not know that what he did is prohibited,³⁶ he shall bring a ram.³⁷ Many believe³⁸ 23a. that the ram is brought as a “doubt guilt offering.” He brings a ram if he does not know whether he violated the law or not.³⁹) and permitted fat (*shuman*) lay before him, and he believed that both were permissible fat and he ate one of them. Afterwards, however he was informed that one of these was forbidden fat, and he does not know whether he has eaten the forbidden fat. Such a person has to bring a guilt-offering in doubt” (Rashi). A sin offering is brought if he did not know that he sinned and then became aware of it. Observe,⁴⁰ a sin offering is brought if he did not know that a certain act is prohibited until he was informed of it. A guilt offering is brought if he knew that it is prohibited but forgot, and then reminded himself. On the other hand, our verse might be speaking of a “doubt guilt offering.”⁴¹

footnotes:
³⁵ According to Lev. 4:27,28,32 when a person sins he brings a female lamb or a she-goat. However, according to our verse one who sins brings a ram. Hence the interpretations which follow.
³⁶ And then learns that what he did was prohibited. However, if he knows that the act is prohibited but forgets the law and then reminds himself he brings a sin offering.
³⁷ As a guilt offering.
³⁸ This is the opinion of the rabbis. See Keritot
³⁹ “This speaks of a person who is in doubt whether he has inadvertently committed an act of such a character as to be punishable with excision. For example, forbidden fat (chelev
⁴⁰ According to the latter opinion (Krinsky).
⁴¹ In other words, if we accept the opinion that a sin offering is brought for ignorance of the law, then we still have two options regarding the guilt offering spoken of in our verse.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:19:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:19:1)

**אשם אשם לה׳‎.** הוא פירושו אשם הוא:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
HE IS CERTAINLY GUILTY BEFORE THE LORD. This explains why it is called a guilt offering. It is so called because he is guilty.⁴²

footnotes:
⁴² The offering is called a guilt offering because he is guilty before the Lord.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:21:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:21:1)

**ומעלה מעל בה׳‎.** שעבר על מצות לא תעשה מדבר שהוא בינו ובין אדם:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND COMMIT A TRESPASS AGAINST THE LORD. By violating one of the negative precepts governing the relationship between a man and his neighbor.⁴³

footnotes:
⁴³ As Scripture goes on to explain.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:21:2
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:21:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:21:2)

**או בתשומת יד.** שותפות ששם ידו עמו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
IN A MATTER OF DEPOSIT.⁴⁴ (literally, a placing of the hand). Hence I.E.’s comment. Partnership. He joined hands with him.

footnotes:
⁴⁴ Hebrew, tesumet yad


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:21:3
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:21:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:21:3)

**בגזל.** בחזקה כמו ויגזול את החנית:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
OR OF ROBBERY.⁴⁵. Involving force. Compare, *and plucked* (va-yigzol)⁴⁶ and *gazel* come from the same root. *the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand* (I Chron. 11:23).

footnotes:
⁴⁵ Hebrew, gazel
⁴⁶ Va-yigzol


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:21:4
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:21:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:21:4)

**עשק.** בסתר:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
OR HAVE OPPRESSED. In secret.⁴⁷

footnotes:
⁴⁷ Harming his neighbor secretly in any way (Krinsky).


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:21:5
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:21:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:21:5)

**ועמיתו.** רעהו ויתכן שהוא בעומתו. וה״א בהנה נוסף:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
HIS NEIGHBOR. *Amito* means his neighbor. It most probably means the one who is beside him.⁴⁸ (neighbor) to the word *le-ummat* (close by) (Ex. 25:27).

footnotes:
⁴⁸ I.E. connects the word amit


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:22:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:22:1)

**ונשבע על שקר.** פירושו או נשבע על ממון שיבקש אדם ממנו והעד או מכל אשר ישבע עליו לשקר:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND SWEAR TO A LIE. The meaning of *ve-nishba al shaker* (and swear to a lie) is, or swear to a lie⁴⁹ prefaced to *va-nishba* means or, rather than and. regarding money that one seeks from him. The fact that Scripture states, *or any thing about which he has sworn falsely* (v. 24)⁵⁰ is proof of this. The *heh* of *va-hennah* (therein) is superfluous.⁵¹ is a variant of *hen*.

footnotes:
⁴⁹ The vav
⁵⁰ And then goes on to state that he must return the money regarding which he has sworn falsely.
⁵¹ Henneh


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:24:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:24:1)

**בראשו.** בעצמו או מה שהוא שוה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
IN FULL. *Be-rosho* (in full)⁵² literally means a head. Thus *be-rosho* literally means for its head. means in itself,⁵³ or its worth.

footnotes:
⁵² The word rosh
⁵³ Head is a metaphor for the entire body. It thus can be taken to mean the entire thing.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:24:2
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:24:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:24:2)

**וחמשתיו.** מיעוט רבים שנים והנה הם שני חמישיות ועוד אפרשנו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THE FIFTH PART. The minimum of a plural is two. Thus *chamishitav*⁵⁴ is a plural. (the fifth part) means two fifths. I will explain it later.⁵⁵

footnotes:
⁵⁴ Chamishitav
⁵⁵ See I.E. on Num. 5:7 (Vol. 4, p. 35): “If he confesses on his own (then he adds a fifth part). However, if there are witnesses then he shall add two fifths. Those who transmitted the law say a fifth of a fifth. Their minds are greater than ours.”


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:24:3
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:24:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:24:3)

**ביום אשמתו.** טעמו ביום שובו מאשמתו יביא איל:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
IN THE DAY OF HIS BEING GUILTY. Its meaning is, in the day that he turns away from his guilt⁵⁶ he shall bring a ram.

footnotes:
⁵⁶ When he repents.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:25:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:25:1)

**בערכך.** כראשון והוסיף חומשים בעבור שזה האשם הוא בזדון ודברי יחיד הם שגם זה האשם תלוי:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
ACCORDING TO THY VALUATION. As the first one.⁵⁷. See I.E. on verse 15. Scripture adds fifths⁵⁸ because this guilt offering is brought for a deliberate sin. There is an individual opinion that this guilt offering is also⁵⁹ a “doubt-offering.”

footnotes:
⁵⁷ The ram first mentioned in verse 15, i.e., a ram worth two shekalim
⁵⁸ See I.E. on v. 24.
⁵⁹ Like the offering spoken of in verse 17. This opinion apparently accepts that Scripture speaks of one who is not certain whether he swore falsely.


###### Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:26:1
[Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 5:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Leviticus/r/5:26:1)

**לאשמה בה.** שם מהבנין הקל תחת שם הפועל:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
TO BE GUILTY THEREBY. *Ashmah* (guilty) is a noun in the *kal*. Scripture employs it in place of the infinite.⁶⁰.

footnotes:
⁶⁰ Le’eshom