Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra: The Genius Behind the Words

A Brilliant Mind of Medieval Spain

Rabbi Avraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra, known by the acronym Ra’avad, was born in 1089 in Toledo, Spain, during the Golden Age of Spanish Jewry. He passed away on the first day of the Jewish month of Adar I, 1167. A towering figure in Jewish scholarship, Ibn Ezra was more than just a biblical commentator. He was a poet, grammarian, physician, philosopher, astronomer, mathematician, and even an astrologer. His intellectual range was unmatched, and he left behind a vast legacy of books and piyyutim (liturgical poems).

Ibn Ezra is considered one of the greatest biblical commentators of all time. His style is known for its brevity, clarity, and commitment to the peshat, the straightforward, contextual meaning of the text. He approached the Torah with the precision of a grammarian, deeply attentive to language, syntax, and structure.

We still have his commentaries on the Torah, the Five Megillot, Yeshayahu, Trei Asar, Tehillim, Iyov, and Daniel. Though he mentions writing on Nevi’im Rishonim (Former Prophets) and Mishlei (Proverbs), those works have unfortunately been lost.

Poetry of the Soul and Songs of Shabbat

In addition to his commentaries, Ibn Ezra was one of the most prolific Jewish poets of the medieval period, with more than 300 of his poems preserved. Many of his compositions are still sung today, including beloved Shabbat zemirot like:

• “Ki Eshmera Shabbat”

• “Lecha Keli Teshukati”

• “Tzama Nafshi LeElokim LeKel Chai”

• “Ashorer Shir Bemilchamah Aruchah”

The poem Ki Eshmera Shabbat is among the most well-known Shabbat songs across Jewish communities. The opening lines—“If I keep Shabbat, God will guard me; it is an eternal sign between Him and me”—encapsulate Ibn Ezra’s spiritual view of Shabbat. The poem emphasizes spiritual elevation, delight, and reverence, and its author’s name appears as an acrostic in the first letters of each stanza.

Another of his well-known poems is Tzama Nafshi LeElokim LeKel Chai, often sung during Friday night meals or seudah shelishit (the third Shabbat meal). Its acrostic spells out “Avraham ben Ezra,” and its verses explore yearning for God, human humility, and Divine truth with poetic depth.

A Legacy Etched in Ink: Books That Shaped Generations

Ibn Ezra wrote dozens of works across diverse disciplines. His Torah commentaries, both the condensed and long versions, remain foundational in Jewish learning. Some major titles include:

• Peirush HaTorah HaKatzar (Concise Torah Commentary)

• Commentaries on Yeshayahu, Daniel, Tehillim, Trei Asar, and more

• Sefer Dikduk Ivri and other Hebrew grammar texts

• Yesod Mispar (a grammar book about the names of the numbers), Sefer HaEchad (on numbers 1–9), and Sefer HaMispar (arithmetic)

• Sefer HaIbur on the Jewish calendar

• Sefer HaOlam and Reshit Chochmah among other astrological writings

• Translations from Arabic, including the grammatical works of Rabbi Yehuda Ibn Chayyuj

Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra was more than a commentator. He was a bridge between the soul and the intellect, between tradition and creativity. Though some of his writings were lost over time, the scope and depth of what remains is staggering. His commitment to clarity, beauty, and truth continues to inspire those seeking meaning in Jewish texts and tradition, even 858 years after his passing.