Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 10:19

יש מדקדקים שאמרו שהה״א של התימה לא יהיה אחריו דגש עם אחד מהז׳‎ מלכים כי אם עם השוא הנע ימצא והה״א פתוח בעבור שלא יתכן להתחבר שני שואי״ן ובעבור שמצאו יו״ד הייטב דגוש אמרו כי זה הה״א לידיעה כה״א השבה עם נעמי הנמצאו פה העיר ההוללה ואלה ההי״ן במקום אשר הנה כן פירוש הייטב ועוד אמרו כי ואכלתי פועל עבר ואילו היה עתיד היה מלרע כמו ודברתי אל הנביאים ודברתי אתך והטעם כי בני הנשרפים היום הקריבו את חטאתם ואת עולתם כי העגל והאיל בעד אהרן ובניו: There are grammarians who say that the interrogative heh is not followed by a dagesh when the letter⁵⁴Following the interrogative heh. is vocalized with one of the seven “kings.”⁵⁵Vowels. The reference is to the kamatz, pattach, segol, tzereh, cholam, shuruk, and chirik (Weiser). The letter following an interrogative heh is found with a dagesh only when it has a mobile sheva beneath it. The heh⁵⁶The interrogative heh. is vocalized with a pattach because two mobile shevas cannot come back to back.⁵⁷The interrogative heh is vocalized with a chataf pattach. However, when the interrogative heh precedes a letter vocalized by a sheva na (a mobile sheva), it is vocalized with a pattach, for the chataf pattach has a sheva na within it and two mobile shevas cannot follow each other. Now, since they⁵⁸The grammarians. found that the yod of ha-yitav (would it have been well pleasing) has a dagesh in it, they said that the heh of ha-yitav is the heh which indicates the direct object,⁵⁹In other words, the heh of ha-yitav is not an interrogative heh. like the heh of ha-shavah (that came) in that came back with Naomi (Ruth 2:6); the heh in ha-nimtze’u foh (that are found here) (I Chron. 29:17); the heh in ha-hullalah (the renowned) in The renowned city (Ezek. 26:17). These hehs are in place of the word asher (that). This is the meaning of ha-yitav (would it have been well pleasing).⁶⁰The meaning of ha-yitav is, that finds favor. They further said that ve-akhalti (and if I had eaten) is a verb in the perfect.⁶¹Meaning I ate. It is not an imperfect, meaning and I will eat. According to I.E. the second part of our verse is to be rendered, and I ate (ve-akhalti) an amount that finds favor (ha-yitav) in the eyes of God. If the word were an imperfect it would have been ultimately accented like the words vedibbarti (I have also spoken)⁶²Literally, I will speak. in I have also spoken unto the prophets (Hosea 12:11) and ve-dibbarti (and I will speak) in And I will speak with thee (Ex. 25:22). The meaning of the first half of our verse is, my sons who were burned today offered their sin offering and their burnt offering, for the bull-calf and the ram⁶³Offered on the eighth day. See Lev. 9:2. were offered on behalf of Aaron and his sons.⁶⁴Hence our verse speaks of their sin offering and their burnt offering.

ותקראנה אותי כאלה. פירוש צרות או דאגות על מות הבנים ובעבור זה לא יכולתי לאכול כל חטאת רק אכלתי ממנה מה שייטב בעיני השם והטעם מה שיוציאני לידי חובה. ועל דעת המעתיקים שה״א הייטב לתימה והוא מלה זרה גם על הפירוש שהזכרתי היא זרה כי לא מצאנו בכל המקרא ה״א הדעת עם פועל עתיד. ומלת ואכלתי חטאת. כאילו אמר ואילו אכלתי חטאת גם מצאנו מלות לעתיד והן מלעיל פן אורש וגנבתי והטעם כי הייתי אונן ואין אונן אוכל חטאת כטעם לא אכלתי באוני: AND THERE HAVE BEFALLEN ME SUCH THINGS AS THESE. The reference is to troubles or anxiety because of the death of the sons. It was because of this that I was not able to eat the entire sin offering, but I ate enough of it to find favor in the eyes of God, that is, an amount which is enough to fulfill my obligation.⁶⁵And had the rest burned. According to the rabbis whenever the Torah requires one to eat something, the minimum amount that is to be consumed is the size of an olive. However, in the opinion of the transmitters of tradition⁶⁶The sages of the Talmud. the heh of ha-yitav is an interrogative heh⁶⁷According to the sages ha-yitav is to be rendered, would it have been well pleasing. See Zevachim 101a. Also see Rashi. The sages render the second half of our verse, and if I had eaten (ve-akhalti) the sin-offering to-day, would it have been well-pleasing (ha-yitav) in the sight of the Lord? and the word is irregular.⁶⁸For it has a dagesh in the letter following the interrogative heh. It is also irregular according to the explanation which I mentioned above,⁶⁹That of the grammarians who maintain that the heh of ha-yitav is a definite article. for we do not find in all of Scripture the definite article heh prefixed to a verb in the imperfect.⁷⁰Yitav is an imperfect. The meaning of ve-akhalti chattat is to be interpreted as, and if I had eaten the sin offering.⁷¹Ve-akhalti is a perfect, as it is penultimately accented. According to this interpretation ve-akhalti is to be rendered, and if I would have eaten. We also find words in the imperfect that are penultimately accented.⁷²Even though such words are usually ultimately accented. Thus ve-akhalti can be taken to be an imperfect. According to this interpretation ve-akhalti does not have to be rendered, and if I had eaten, but rather, if I would eat. Compare, ve-ganavti (and steal)⁷³Ve-ganavti is an imperfect. It is penultimately accented. in lest I be poor, and steal (Prov. 30:9). The meaning of our clause⁷⁴The meaning of and if I had eaten (ve-akhalti) the sin-offering to-day would it have been well-pleasing (ha-yitav) in the sight of the Lord? is, I was mourning, and a mourner does not eat of the sin offering. Its meaning is similar to I have not eaten thereof⁷⁵Of the tithe. in my mourning (Deut. 26:14).⁷⁶For a mourner is prohibited from eating anything which is holy.