Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 18

13It was on the following day that Moses sat to judge the people. The people stood around Moses from morning to nightfall.   יגוַֽיְהִי֙ מִמָּ֣חֳרָ֔ת וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב משֶׁ֖ה לִשְׁפֹּ֣ט אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֤ד הָעָם֙ עַל־משֶׁ֔ה מִן־הַבֹּ֖קֶר עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וַֽיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת - It was on the following day. It was the day after Yom Kippur; so is stated in Sifrei. What, then, is meant by “the following day”? It refers to the day after Moses descended Mount Sinai. Now, you must admit that it is impossible to say that it was some other day prior to the day after Yom Kippur, for before the giving of the Torah, it would have been impossible for Moses to say: “and I make known God’s rules and teachings”; 1 and from when the Torah was given on 6 Sivan until the Yom Kippur, Moses never sat to judge the people – for on 17 Tammuz, he first descended the mountain, after being there for the 40 days following 6 Sivan, and broke the tablets; and on the next day, he ascended the mountain early in the morning, stayed there for 80 days, and descended on Yom Kippur. This section, then, is written here not in chronological order, for this section of וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת was not said until the second year. Even according to the one who says that Jethro came before the giving of the Torah, his being sent off to his own land was not until the second year; for here it says: “Moses sent off his father-in-law…,” 2 and we find in the account of Israel’s journeying under their banners that Moses said to Jethro: “We are traveling to the place…. Please do not leave us,” 3 and if this return of Jethro to his land mentioned here was before the giving of the Torah, then from when Moses let him go and he departed, where do we find that he came back? And if you say that the account there does not speak of Jethro but of Chovav, and he was Jethro’s son, I answer that Chovav and Jethro are one and the same person, for it is written: “from the descendants of Chovav, father-in-law of Moses.” 4   וַֽיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת.  מוֹצָאֵי יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הָיָה, כָּךְ שָׁנִינוּ בְּסִפְרֵי וּמַהוּ מִמָּחֳרָת? לְמָחֳרַת רִדְתּוֹ מִן הָהָר; וְעַל כָּרְחֲךָ אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר אֶלָּא מִמָּחֳרַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי קֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר "וְהוֹדַעְתִּי אֶת חֻקֵּי וְגוֹ'", וּמִשֶּׁנִּתְּנָה תּוֹרָה עַד יֹהַ"כִּ לֹא יָשַׁב מֹשֶׁה לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הָעָם, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְי"ז בְּתַמּוּז יָרַד וְשָׁבַר אֶת הַלֻּחוֹת וּלְמָחָר עָלָה בְּהַשְׁכָּמָה וְשָׁהָה שְׁמוֹנִים יוֹם וְיָרַד בְּיוֹם הַכִּיפּוּרִים; וְאֵין פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ כְתוּבָה כַּסֵּדֶר, שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת עַד שָׁנָה שְׁנִיָּה – אַף לְדִבְרֵי הָאוֹמֵר יִתְרוֹ קֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה בָּא, שִׁלּוּחוֹ אֶל אַרְצוֹ לֹא הָיָה אֶלָּא עַד שָׁנָה שְׁנִיָּה – שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר כָּאן וַיְשַׁלַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת חֹתְנוֹ, וּמָצִינוּ בְמַסַּע הַדְּגָלִים שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה "נֹסְעִים אֲנַחְנוּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם וְגוֹ'"(במדבר י כט), אַל נָא תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָנוּ" (שם לא), וְאִם זוֹ קֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה, מִשֶּׁשִּׁלְּחוֹ וְהָלַךְ הֵיכָן מָצִינוּ שֶׁחָזַר? וְאִם תֹּאמַר, שָׁם לֹא נֶאֱמַר יִתְרוֹ אֶלָּא חוֹבָב, וּבְנוֹ שֶׁל יִתְרוֹ הָיָה, הוּא חוֹבָב הוּא יִתְרוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי כָתוּב "מִבְּנֵי חֹבָב חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה" (שופטים ד'):
וַיֵּשֶׁב משֶׁה וגו' וַיַּֽעֲמֹד הָעָם - That Moses sat…. The people stood… i.e., he was sitting like a king and all the people were standing. Jethro found this conduct displeasing, for it indicated a lack of respect for the Israelites, so he reproved him for it, as it says: “Why are you alone seated while everyone else stands?”   וַיֵּשֶׁב משֶׁה וגו' וַיַּֽעֲמֹד הָעָם.  יוֹשֵׁב כְּמֶלֶךְ וְכֻלָּן עוֹמְדִים, וְהֻקְשָׁה הַדָּבָר לְיִתְרוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מְזַלְזֵל בִּכְבוֹדָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוֹכִיחוֹ עַל כָּךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (פסוק יד) מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה יוֹשֵׁב לְבַדֶּךָ וְכֻלָּם נִצָּבִים:
מִן־הַבֹּקֶר עַד־ערב - From morning to nightfall. Is it possible to say this, that he was deciding disputes the entire day? Rather, it is to be understood in the sense that regarding any judge who judges a case honestly and correctly, even for one hour, Scripture considers him as if he were engaged in the study of the Torah all day, and as if he became a partner with the Holy One, blessed be He, in the act of Creation, of which it says: “There was nightfall and then morning.” 5   מִן־הַבֹּקֶר עַד־ערב.  אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר כֵּן? אֶלָּא כָּל דַּיָּן שֶׁדָּן דִּין אֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ אֲפִלּוּ שָׁעָה אַחַת, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה כָּל הַיּוֹם וּכְאִלּוּ נַעֲשֶׂה שֻׁתָּף לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וְגוֹ' (שבת י'):
14When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing to the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why are you alone seated, while all the people stand around you from morning until nightfall?”   ידוַיַּרְא֙ חֹתֵ֣ן משֶׁ֔ה אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־ה֥וּא עֹשֶׂ֖ה לָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתָּ֤ה עֹשֶׂה֙ לָעָ֔ם מַדּ֗וּעַ אַתָּ֤ה יוֹשֵׁב֙ לְבַדֶּ֔ךָ וְכָל־הָעָ֛ם נִצָּ֥ב עָלֶ֖יךָ מִן־בֹּ֥קֶר עַד־עָֽרֶב:
15Moses replied to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me to seek instruction from God.   טווַיֹּ֥אמֶר משֶׁ֖ה לְחֹֽתְנ֑וֹ כִּֽי־יָבֹ֥א אֵלַ֛י הָעָ֖ם לִדְר֥שׁ אֱלֹהִֽים:
כִּֽי־יָבֹא - means here the same as כִּי בָא – “because the people come” - a present tense.   כִּֽי־יָבֹא.  כְּמוֹ כִּי בָא, לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה:
לִדְרשׁ אֱלֹהִֽים - (lit.) To seek God. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: לְמִתְבַּע אֻלְפַן – to inquire regarding the teaching from the mouth of the Almighty.   לִדְרשׁ אֱלֹהִֽים.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "לְמִתְבַּע אֻלְפַּן" – לִשְׁאֹל תַּלְמוּד מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה:
16Whenever one of them has a legal matter, he comes to me, and I judge between a man and his fellow, and I make known God’s rules and teachings.”   טזכִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֨ה לָהֶ֤ם דָּבָר֙ בָּ֣א אֵלַ֔י וְשָׁ֣פַטְתִּ֔י בֵּ֥ין אִ֖ישׁ וּבֵ֣ין רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְהֽוֹדַעְתִּ֛י אֶת־חֻקֵּ֥י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים וְאֶת־תּֽוֹרֹתָֽיו:
כִּי־יִֽהְיֶה לָהֶם דָּבָר בָּא - (lit.) When they have a [legal] matter, he comes to me - i.e., he who has the matter comes to me.   כִּי־יִֽהְיֶה לָהֶם דָּבָר בָּא.  מִי שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ הַדָּבָר – בָּא אֵלַי:
17Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.   יזוַיֹּ֛אמֶר חֹתֵ֥ן משֶׁ֖ה אֵלָ֑יו לֹא־טוֹב֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֖ה עֹשֶֽׂה:
וַיֹּאמֶר חֹתֵן משֶׁה - Moses’ father-in-law said. Scripture refers to him in an honorable way, “the father-in-law of the king.”   וַיֹּאמֶר חֹתֵן משֶׁה.  דֶּרֶךְ כָּבוֹד קוֹרְאוֹ הַכָּתוּב חוֹתְנוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ:
18You will surely wear yourself out, you yourself as well as this entire people that is with you, for this matter is too weighty for you; you will not be able to do it alone.   יחנָבֹ֣ל תִּבֹּ֔ל גַּם־אַתָּ֕ה גַּם־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמָּ֑ךְ כִּֽי־כָבֵ֤ד מִמְּךָ֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר לֹֽא־תוּכַ֥ל עֲשׂ֖הוּ לְבַדֶּֽךָ:
נָבֹל תִּבֹּל - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: מִלְאָה תִלְאֶה – “You will surely become weary.” The literal meaning of the words denotes withering – “flestre” in Old French – as in וְהֶעָלֶה נָבֵל “and the leaves will wither”; 6 and כִּנְבֹל עָלֶה מִגֶּפֶן “as a leaf withers from the vine,” 7 i.e., that it is shriveled by the heat of the sun and by frost, and thus its strength is weakened so that it wears out and falls off the vine.   נָבֹל תִּבֹּל.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ לְשׁוֹן כְּמִישָׁה, פלייש"טרא בְּלַעַז, כְּמוֹ "וְהֶעָלֶה נָבֵל" (ירמיהו ח'), "כִּנְבֹל עָלֶה מִגֶּפֶן" (ישעיהו ל"ד), שֶׁהוּא כָמוּשׁ עַל יְדֵי חַמָּה וְעַל יְדֵי קֶרַח וְכֹחוֹ תָּשׁ וְנִלְאֶה:
גַּם־אַתָּה - (lit.) Also you. The word גַּם “also” is added here to include Aaron, Hur, and the 70 elders.   גַּם־אַתָּה.  לְרַבּוֹת אַהֲרֹן וְחוּר וְשִׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים:
כִּֽי־כָבֵד מִמְּךָ - means: its weight is great, above what your strength can bear.   כִּֽי־כָבֵד מִמְּךָ.  כָּבְדּוֹ רַב יוֹתֵר מִכֹּחֲךָ:
19Therefore, listen to me. I will give you advice, and if God agrees with you, you be the people’s representative before God, and you convey the cases to God.   יטעַתָּ֞ה שְׁמַ֤ע בְּקֹלִי֙ אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ וִיהִ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים עִמָּ֑ךְ הֱיֵ֧ה אַתָּ֣ה לָעָ֗ם מ֚וּל הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהֵֽבֵאתָ֥ אַתָּ֛ה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים:
אִיעָצְךָ וִיהִי אֱלֹהִים עִמָּךְ - (lit.) I will give you advice, and God will be with you - in agreeing to my advice; i.e., he said to him, “Go and consult the Almighty.”   אִיעָצְךָ וִיהִי אֱלֹהִים עִמָּךְ.  בָּעֵצָה; אָמַר לוֹ צֵא הִמָּלֵךְ בַּגְּבוּרָה (מכילתא):
הֱיֵה אַתָּה לָעָם מוּל הָֽאֱלֹהִים - (lit.) You be for the people opposite God - means: be a messenger and intermediary between them and the Omnipresent, asking Him for verdicts for them.   הֱיֵה אַתָּה לָעָם מוּל הָֽאֱלֹהִים.  שָׁלִיחַ וּמֵלִיץ בֵּינוֹתָם לַמָּקוֹם וְשׁוֹאֵל מִשְׁפָּטִים מֵאִתּוֹ:
אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים - (lit.) The matters - i.e., their matters of dispute.   אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים.  דִּבְרֵי רִיבוֹתָם:
20You will caution the people regarding the rules and the teachings, and inform them of the path they should follow and the deeds they should do.   כוְהִזְהַרְתָּ֣ה אֶתְהֶ֔ם אֶת־הַֽחֻקִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַתּוֹרֹ֑ת וְהֽוֹדַעְתָּ֣ לָהֶ֗ם אֶת־הַדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ יֵ֣לְכוּ בָ֔הּ וְאֶת־הַמַּֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַֽעֲשֽׂוּן:
21You must discern, from among all the people, men who are well-established, God-fearing, men of integrity, who ‘hate’ money. Appoint these individuals over the people as leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens.   כאוְאַתָּ֣ה תֶֽחֱזֶ֣ה מִכָּל־הָ֠עָ֠ם אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֜יִל יִרְאֵ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אַנְשֵׁ֥י אֱמֶ֖ת שׂ֣נְאֵי בָ֑צַע וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ עֲלֵהֶ֗ם שָׂרֵ֤י אֲלָפִים֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מֵא֔וֹת שָׂרֵ֥י חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י עֲשָׂרֹֽת:
וְאַתָּה תֶֽחֱזֶה - (lit.) You must perceive - with the prophetic Holy Spirit that is upon you.   וְאַתָּה תֶֽחֱזֶה.  בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁעָלֶיךָ:
אַנְשֵׁי־חַיִל - (lit.) Men of ability - i.e., rich men, who therefore do not need to flatter or show favoritism to anyone.   אַנְשֵׁי־חַיִל.  עֲשִׁירִים, שֶׁאֵין צְרִיכִין לְהַחֲנִיף וּלְהַכִּיר פָּנִים (שם):
אַנְשֵׁי־אֱמֶת - (lit.) Men of truth. These are trustworthy men, who have sufficient integrity that their promises can be relied on, as a result of which their words will be respected.   אַנְשֵׁי־אֱמֶת.  אֵלּוּ בַּעֲלֵי הַבְטָחָה, שֶׁהֵם כְּדַאי לִסְמֹךְ עַל דִּבְרֵיהֶם, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי כֵן יִהְיוּ דִבְרֵיהֶם נִשְׁמָעִין:
שׂנְאֵי בָצַע - Who hate money - i.e., who hate even their own money when it involves a lawsuit, similar to that which we learn: “Any judge from whom money must be taken through a lawsuit is not a judge.” 8   שׂנְאֵי בָצַע.  שֶׁשּׂוֹנְאִין אֶת מָמוֹנָם בַּדִּין, כְּהַהִיא דְּאָמְרִינָן: כָּל דַיָּנָא דְּמַפְּקִין מָמוֹנָא מִינֵּיהּ בְּדִינָא לָאו דַּיָּנָא הוּא (בבא בתרא נ"ח):
שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים - Leaders of thousands. These amounted to 600 leaders for the 600,000 adult male Israelites.   שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים.  הֵם הָיוּ שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׂרִים לְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף:
שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת - Leaders of hundreds. These were 6,000.   שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת.  שֵׁשׁ אֲלָפִים הָיוּ:
שָׂרֵי חֲמִשִּׁים - Leaders of fifties. These were 12,000.   שָׂרֵי חֲמִשִּׁים.  י"ב אֶלֶף:
שָׂרֵי עֲשָׂרֹֽת - Leaders of tens. These were 60,000.   שָׂרֵי עֲשָׂרֹֽת.  שִׁשִּׁים אֶלֶף:
22They will judge the people at all times: they will bring every major case to you, and they will judge every minor case themselves—to ease your burden by sharing it with you.   כבוְשָֽׁפְט֣וּ אֶת־הָעָם֘ בְּכָל־עֵת֒ וְהָיָ֞ה כָּל־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַגָּדֹל֙ יָבִ֣יאוּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְכָל־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַקָּטֹ֖ן יִשְׁפְּטוּ־הֵ֑ם וְהָקֵל֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְנָֽשְׂא֖וּ אִתָּֽךְ:
וְשָֽׁפְטוּ - Onkelos translates this as וִידוּנוּן – “they will judge,” an expression of command (future tense).   וְשָֽׁפְטוּ.  וִידוּנוּן, לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי:
וְהָקֵל מֵֽעָלֶיךָ - means: this thing is to make it easier for you. The form וְהָקֵל is similar to וְהַכְבֵּד אֶת לִבּוֹ “(lit.) to make his heart heavy” 9 and וְהַכּוֹת אֶת מוֹאָב “and smiting Moab”; 10 i.e., it is an infinitive expressing a continuous present tense.   וְהָקֵל מֵֽעָלֶיךָ.  דָּבָר זֶה לְהָקֵל מֵעָלֶיךָ, וְהָקֵל כְּמוֹ "וְהַכְבֵּד אֶת לִבּוֹ" (שמות ח'), "וְהַכּוֹת אֶת מוֹאָב" (מלכים ב ג'), לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה:
23If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to bear up, and all the people as well will come home unwearied.”   כגאִ֣ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְצִוְּךָ֣ אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְיָֽכָלְתָּ֖ עֲמֹ֑ד וְגַם֙ כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה עַל־מְקֹמ֖וֹ יָבֹ֥א בְשָׁלֽוֹם:
וְצִוְּךָ אֱלֹהִים וְיָֽכָלְתָּ עֲמֹד - (lit.) And God will command you and you will be able to stand - i.e., consult the Almighty. If He commands you to do this, you will be able to endure, but if He opposes your doing so, you will not be able to endure.   וְצִוְּךָ אֱלֹהִים וְיָֽכָלְתָּ עֲמֹד.  הִמָּלֵךְ בַּגְּבוּרָה, אִם מְצַוֶּה אוֹתְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, תּוּכַל עֲמֹד, וְאִם יְעַכֵּב עַל יָדְךָ לֹא תוּכַל לַעֲמֹד (מכילתא):
וְגַם כָּל־הָעָם הַזֶּה - (lit.) And all this people as well - i.e., Aaron, Nadav, Avihu, and the 70 elders, who are presently helping you.   וְגַם כָּל־הָעָם הַזֶּה.  אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְשִׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים הַנִּלְוִים עַתָּה עִמְּךָ (שם):