Ibn Ezra: Quick Fire (Eikev)
Moses calls God “a devouring fire”. What aspect of devouring or of fire are we supposed to relate to God’s action here? Ibn Ezra clarifies.
Ibn Ezra: Incremental Free Will (Vaetchanan)
God hopes that the people of Israel will be reverent – does this mean they have free will? Or does God still control a great deal through laws of nature?
Ibn Ezra: The Secret of the Twelve (Devarim)
Ibn Ezra references the “secret of the twelve.” This phrase raises a question that has haunted Jewish tradition – did Moses write the entire Torah?
Ibn Ezra: The Death of the High Priest (Masei)
Someone who accidentally kills another can flee to a city of refuge. The person seeking refuge is then restricted to that city until the high priest dies.
Ibn Ezra: People or Possessions (Mattot)
Ibn Ezra on “We will build here sheepfolds for our flocks and towns for our children” (Numbers 32:16). Do they care more about possessions or people?