Commentators:R. Avraham ibn Ezra/0

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Ibn Ezra – Intellectual Profile

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Ibn Ezra
Name
R. Avraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra
ר' אברהם בן מאיר אבן עזרא, ראב"ע
Dates1092 – 1167
LocationAndalusia / Italy / Provence / France / England
WorksCommentaries on Torah and part of Nakh, math, science, and grammar works.
Exegetical Characteristics
Influenced byR. Saadia Gaon, R. Yonah ibn Janach, R. Yehudah Hayuj
Impacted onMost Jewish Bible commentators. His though great impact on Chasidei Ashkenzaz

Background

Life

  • Name – Avraham ben Meir ibn Ezra1
  • Dates – 1088/89-1164 or 1092-11672
  • Location –  Andalusia, Italy, France, Provence, England. Ibn Ezra's life can be divided into two main periods, until about 1140 in which he was centered in Andalusia, and from then until his death which he spent wandering through Christian lands.3 In the first period his primary literary output was in the field of poetry. His Tanakh commentaries, grammatical and other works were written in the later period.4 As such, it was first at about the age of fifty that Ibn Ezra began to write the scholarly works for which he is so well known.
  • Education – Ibn Ezra was a polymath, engaging in many disciplines including Bible, Talmud,5 Midrash, grammar and philology, philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, astrology,6 and poetry.
  • Occupation – Poet,7 teacher,8 and Bible commentator
  • Family – Not much is known of Ibn Ezra's family. It is possible that he sired five children,9 but only one is known by name,  Yitzchak, who was a poet of note.10 It is possible that he predeceased his father.11 
  • Teachers – 
  • Contemporaries – R. Yehuda HaLevi,12 Rabbi Moshe ibn Ezra,13 Rabbi Joseph ibn Tzadik,14 Rashbam, R. Tam.15
  • Students – 
  • Time period – Ibn Ezra lived during the Almohad's invasion of Moslem Spain and their forced conversions of Jews to Islam on pain of death. This likely contributed to Ibn Ezra's leaving of Spain and his subsequent wanderings.16 He wrote an elegy, "אֲהָהּ יָרַד עֲלֵי סְפָרַד", lamenting the destruction of the Jewish communities in Spain in the aftermath of the invasion.17  In addition, the first (1095) and second crusades.(1150) took place during his lifetime.

Works

Ibn Ezra was a prolific writer, leaving behind many works in a variety of fields from poetry to astronomy:18

  • Biblical commentaries
    • Ibn Ezra wrote a commentary on all five books of the Torah,19 Yeshayahu,20 Trei Asar, Tehillim,21 Iyyov, the five Megillot,22 and Daniel. He is somewhat unique among commentators in having written two distinct commentaries for each of several books,23 including Bereshit,24 Shemot,25 Trei Asar, Tehillim, Esther, Shir HaShirim and Daniel.26  Two fragments of a third commentary to Bereshit, recorded by a patron and disciple, have also survived.27
    • It is likely that Ibn Ezra wrote on the other books as well, as he himself periodically refers his reader to such explanations,28 but these works have not survived.29  The commentaries on Mishlei and Ezra-Nechemyah attributed to him were likely authored by Moshe Kimchi.30 
  • Grammar – Ibn Ezra wrote several grammatical works including: 31ספר מאזנים, ספר צחות32, שפת יתר,33 שפה ברורה34, and יסוד דקדוק35.  He also translated several works of R. Yehuda ibn Hayyuj into Hebrew.
  • Astronomy and mathematics    Ibn Ezra wrote many astrological works including: Reshit Hokhmah,36 Safer Ha-Te’ammim,37 Keli Nechoshet,38 Ta’ame Luhot Al-Ku’arizmi, 39 Sefer Ha-Ibbur,  Response to Three Questions of Rabbi David Narboni, and Sefer Ha-Me’orot40
  • Rabbinics – No Talmudic novellae or Halakhic codes of Ibn Ezra are extant.  There is, though, one citation that might testify to his having written on the Talmud.  In his introduction to his commentary on Megillat Esther, R. Zecharyah b. Saruq writes, "ואנכי ראיתי חדושי הראב"ע מסכת קידושין והם בתכלית הדקות והאימות".
  • Philosophy / Jewish thought – Ibn Ezra's philosophical views can be found scattered throughout his Torah commentaries, but he also wrote several works which heavily focused on such issues. His work, יסוד מורא וסוד התורה, discusses the rationale behind Biblical commandments.41  His ערוגת המזימה פרדס החכמה deals with the existence of God, while ספר השם, as its name suggests, discusses the names of God. 

Torah Commentary

Characteristics

  • Verse by verse / Topical – Ibn Ezra's commentary is generally a local, verse by verse commentary, marked by brevity and an emphasis on grammar and linguistics. However, there are many exceptions where Ibn Ezra includes lengthy discussions of philosophical and other issues42 including long excurses on God's name,43 the Priestly Garments, Ten Commandments,44 Aharon's role in the Sin of the Golden Calf,45 and Moses' request to see the face of God.46
  • Language – Ibn Ezra, somewhat unique among commentators of his era who came from Islamic lands, wrote his commentary in Hebrew rather than Arabic.47  Ibn Ezra's language is often cryptic and obscure,48 making it difficult to understand.49
  • Peshat and Derash – Ibn Ezra distinguishes between the authority he grants the interpretations of the Sages in legal and narrative material, finding their words binding with regards to the former but not the latter.50 In his introduction to his second commentary, he provides three criteria for determining when one may reject or reinterpret the simple sense of a text:51 if the explanation goes against reason, contradicts another verse, or disputes tradition ("קבלה" / Oral Law).52  It is these criteria which inform Ibn Ezra's distinct attitude towards aggadic and halakhic Midrashim:
    • Narrative material – According to Ibn Ezra, since aggadic interpretations are not binding (i.e. they don't fall under the realm of "קבלה"), if these do not accord with another verse53 or contradict logic,54 they might be rejected.55  Nonetheless, sometimes Ibn Ezra will cautiously add "but if it is a tradition, we will accept it".56  Elsewhere, he might maintain that the Midrash is correct in essence, but not meant to be taken at face value.57  There are also instances, though, where Ibn Ezra will not only reject a Midrashic interpretation but even belittle the very question it is asking, dismissing it as unnecessary.58
    • Legal material – With regards to legal material, in contrast, Ibn Ezra will  accept the opinion of the Sages, even if it appears to contradict the simple sense of the verse.59  In such cases, he often suggests that the verse is being used simply as an "אסמכתא", a hook to remind one of the law.60 He notes, too, that if a verse can sustain two different logical interpretations, only one of which accords with that of the Sages,61 the Sages' explanation should be preferred.62  He often speaks of the need to rely on the Sages, noting that otherwise the law cannot be properly determined.63
  • Grammar – Ibn Ezra's commentary is characterized by a heavy emphasis on grammar. He believed that knowledge of grammar is crucial to understanding the Biblical text, writing in the introduction to his Torah commentary: "ובעבותות הדקדוק נקשר".  See below ("methods") for discussion and examples of his grammatical insights.
  • Philosophy – See Ibn Ezra's comments to Gen. 18:21 and Ps. 1:6.
  • Numerology - See Ibn Ezra on Ex. 3:15.

Methods


  • Programmatic statements / introductions – In his introduction to his Torah commentary, Ibn Ezra lays out his methodology in interpreting the Biblical text. He first discusses and rejects four distinct approaches to Biblical exegesis, and then presents his own.64 He dismisses:
    • Christian allegorical and typological interpretations as these do not match the simple, literal sense of the text65
    • Karaite explanations66 since they do not accept the Oral law
    • The extensive philosophical treatises of the Geonim as they have no place in a peshat Torah commentary whose goal is to interpret the verses67 
    • Homiletical exegesis which draws heavily on Midrash, seeing these as superfluous, having already been expressed by the Sages.68
    • Regarding his own methodology he writes that his goal is, "לבאר כל כתוב כמשפטו, ודקדוקו ופשוטו". Elsewhere in the introduction, he similarly notes: "ובעבותות הדקדוק נקשר / ובעיני הדעת יכשר", pointing to two hallmarks of Spanish exegesis: grammar and logic.69 Each of these will be discussed below.
  • Grammar – Listed below are a few examples of some of the grammatical issues discussed by Ibn Ezra:70
    • דרך קצרה – Ibn Ezra often uses this language to mark varied examples where Tanakh uses abridged phrases or sentences. Tanakh might omit a subject,71 object,72 or prepositions.73 It might employs an adjective but leaves out the noun which it qualifies.74 At times, too, Tanakh will refrain from doubling a word.75 In some of these cases, Ibn Ezra will use the language of "מושך עצמו ואחר עמו"‎76 to express that a letter/word/phrase which appears in one part of the verse applies to another part of the verse as well.77
    • Missing / superfluous / interchangeable  letters – Ibn Ezra points out such grammatical phenomena, noting that sometimes the vav conjunctive might be lacking,78 the letters בכל""ם are simply assumed,79 or the אהו"י letters might not appear in a word.80  He lays out rules for which letters might be substituted one for another (ש/ס or א/ה/ו/י)  and which may not.81 He also notes letters which are unnecessary, in some cases thereby clarifying an otherwise difficult word.82
    • Androgynous nouns / verbs – Ibn Ezra notes that several nouns might be treated as either masculine or feminine.83 He also notes verbs which combine the masculine and feminine forms, as in the word "וַיֵּחַמְנָה"‎84
    • Unique forms – Ibn Ezra will often note unique or strange grammatical forms, referring to these as "מלים זרות"
    • Tense –  Ibn Ezra notes that Scripture at times employs the imperfect with the meaning of a perfect,85 the perfect with the meaning of an imperfect,86 or the perfect as a pluperfect.87
  • Reason  – Ibn Ezra holds human reason as integral to proper interpretation and will reject explanations of verses which do not stand up to it.88 
    • Homiletical expositions of the Sages – See the discussion and examples above regarding his rejection of aggadic explanations which he finds illogical.89
    • Mitzvot – Ibn Ezra notes that though we might not know the reason for all laws, it is impossible that any should refute logic.90  Thus, if the simple, literal meaning of a law appears irrational, it may be reinterpreted metaphorically.91 For instance, as Hashem obviously does not want man to kill himself, one must understand the statement "וּמַלְתֶּם אֵת עׇרְלַת לְבַבְכֶם" (Devarim 10:16) to mean that man must purify his heart or remove temptations, not to literally circumcise it.92
    • Prophetic statements – In prophecy too, it is possible that not all statements are meant to be taken literally. As Hashem would never command a prophet to act in a foolish way, Ibn Ezra suggests that certain commands which appear to have been fulfilled in actuality, were in fact simply prophetic visions.93  Other statements are taken allegorically to minimize the miraculous.94
    • טעמי המצוות – Ibn Ezra will often provide rationalist explanations for mitzvot.
  • Linguistics / Philology
    • Defining Words
      • Use of Biblical parallels – Ibn Ezra will often explain difficult words by looking at Biblical parallels95and/or laws of grammar.96
      • Use of cognate languages – Often, too, Ibn Ezra will turn to cognate languages such as Arabic97 or Aramaic98 to determine the meaning of a word. Sometimes, too, he will note linguistic patterns99 or grammatical forms100 that are similar in the two languages.
      • Loanwords – At times, Ibn Ezra posits that a Biblical word is actually  loanword form a different language, like Egyptian101 or Persian.
    • Awareness of double meanings
    • Parallel stories
    • "צחות הלשון" – Ibn Ezra is attuned to the literary beauty of Tanakh, sometimes remarking on "צחות הלשון," noting when Tanakh employs plays on words102 or repeats a word for literary effect103
  • Realia – Ibn Ezra  life experiences to bear on the Biblical text: 
    • Customs, science, and human behavior of his day – Ibn Ezra often explains verses in light of the customs of his own day, assuming, "כי מנהג ישראל היה כמנהג ישמעאל עד היום" (Second Commentary Shemot 38:8).104 
    • General human behavior, speech and customs – Ibn Ezra also explicates the text in light of more general human behavior.105
    • Identification of unknown places, plants, animals – Ibn Ezra is hesitant to identify such objects106 unless there is a tradition regarding them107 or there is enough evidence in the verses to provide an identification.
    • Realia of the Biblical perod – At times, Ibn Ezra will point to the customs of Biblical times to explicate a verse.108

Themes

  • Philosophy
    • God – God is incorporeal, God is the All. Purpose of man is to know God, obey His laws, and cling to God.
    • The Precepts:  According to Ibn Ezra’s calculations, there are only about sixty mitzvot in the Torah, though he believed that each one has infinite implications.109  Ibn Ezra distinguished among three types of mitzvot.
      • Rational laws. Ibn Ezra refers to these as pikkudim (deposits) because God deposited them in the mind, and they were known via human reasoning even before the Torah was given.110 These include civil laws and injunctions against incest, adultery and the like.111
      • Symbolic precepts. This category includes commandments that serve as reminders of the rational laws or of precepts that all Israelites, both men and women, are obligated to be conscious of at all times. The Sabbath, which recalls creation, is an example.112
      • Esoteric commandments.  This group includes commandments that possess a purpose that only a few can fathom.  An individual is obligated to observe  these commandments even if he does not understand their purpose or function.113 
  • Polemics against the Karaites
  • Astrology – Ibn Ezra often speaks of astrological phenomenon and the role of the stars in determining what will take place on earth.  For example, he notes that each nation has its own unique constellation that guides it, while Hashem alone guides Israel.114 He states that the arrangement of the stars reveals what is new and destined for each day, reflecting the mind of Hashem.115
  • Miracles
  • Anthropomophism

Textual Issues

  • Manuscripts – 
  • Printings – 
  • Textual layers – See Ibn Ezra's Torah Commentary for discussion of Ibn Ezra's own additions to his First Commentary.

Sources

Significant Influences

  • Earlier Sources
    • R. Saadiah Gaon (892-942 C.E.)
    • R. Moshe, Ha-Kohen ibn Giqatilah(11th century)
    • R. Solomon ibn Gabirol.(1020-1070 C.E.)
    • Grammarians - R. Judah ibn Hayyuj ( c. 950-1000), R. Jonah ibn Janach (c. 920-c 970); R Menahchem ben Saruk (c. 910- c. 970 C.E.); Dunash ben Labrat (920-990 C.E.)
  • Teachers – 
  • Foils – 

Occasional Usage

Possible Relationship.


Impact

Later exegetes116 


  • Rabbi Yehudah He-Chasid117
  • Rabbi David Kimchi (1160-1235)
  • Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (1195-1270)
  • Rabbi Levi ben Gershon (1288-1344).
  • Rabbi Don Yitzchak Abravanel (1437-1508).
  • Maimonides - The many parallels between the teachings of Ibn Ezra and those of Maimonides (1138–1204) have led some to suggest that the works of Ibn Ezra influenced Maimonides.118 Ibn Ezra also impacted on the Chasidei Ashkenaz.119 

Supercommentaries