Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 18

1Jethro, the former ruler of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for His people Israel, that God had brought Israel out of Egypt.   אוַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע יִתְר֨וֹ כֹהֵ֤ן מִדְיָן֙ חֹתֵ֣ן משֶׁ֔ה אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְמשֶׁ֔ה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַמּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־הוֹצִ֧יא יְהוָֹ֛ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ - Jethro…heard. What news did he hear that motivated him to come? That of the splitting of the Sea of Reeds and the war with Amalek.   וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ.  מַה שְּׁמוּעָה שָׁמַע וּבָא? קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף וּמִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק:
יִתְרוֹ - Jethro. He was called by seven different names: Re’u’el, Jether, Jethro, Chovav, Chever, Keini, and Puti’el. Jether (יֶתֶר) – because he added (יִתֵּר) a section to the Torah: “You must discern…”; 1 Jethro (יִתְרוֹ) – for when he became a convert and observed the commandments, a letter ו was added to his previous name; Chovav (חוֹבָב) – because he held the Torah dear (חִבֵּב), and Chovav is Jethro, for it says: “from the descendants of Chovav, father-in-law of Moses.” 2 But some say that Re’u’el was really the father of Jethro, and that which it says: “They came to Re’u’el, their father” 3 is to be understood in terms of the fact that small children also call their grandfather “father.” So is it stated in Sifrei. 4   יִתְרוֹ.  שֶׁבַע שֵׁמוֹת נִקְרְאוּ לוֹ: רְעוּאֵל, יֶתֶר, יִתְרוֹ, חוֹבָב, חֶבֶר, קֵינִי, פּוּטִיאֵל; יֶתֶר, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁיִּתֵּר פָּרָשָׁה אַחַת בַּתּוֹרָה "וְאַתָּה תֶחֱזֶה"; יִתְרוֹ, לִכְשֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּר וְקִיֵּם הַמִּצְווֹת, הוֹסִיפוֹ לוֹ אוֹת אַחַת עַל שְׁמוֹ; חוֹבָב, שֶׁחִבֵּב אֶת הַתּוֹרָה; חוֹבָב הוּא יִתְרוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "מִבְּנֵי חוֹבָב חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה" (שופטים ד'), וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים רְעוּאֵל אָבִיו שֶׁל יִתְרוֹ, וּמַהוּ אוֹמֵר "וַתָּבֹאנָה אֶל רְעוּאֵל אֲבִיהֶן"? שֶׁהַתִּינוֹקוֹת קוֹרִין לַאֲבִי אֲבִיהֶן אַבָּא. בְּסִפְרֵי:
חֹתֵן משֶׁה - Moses’ father-in-law. This expression indicates that Jethro took pride in Moses, saying: “I am the father-in-law of the king,” whereas previously Moses had ascribed his greatness to his father-in-law, as it says: “he returned to Jether his father-in-law.” 5   חֹתֵן משֶׁה.  כָּאן הָיָה יִתְרוֹ מִתְכַּבֵּד בְּמֹשֶׁה – אֲנִי חוֹתֵן הַמֶּלֶךְ, וּלְשֶׁעָבַר הָיָה מֹשֶׁה תוֹלֶה הַגְּדֻלָּה בְּחָמִיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיָּשָׁב אֶל יֶתֶר חוֹתְנוֹ" (שמות ד'):
לְמשֶׁה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל - For Moses and for Israel. Moses is thus considered of equal stature to all Israel combined.   לְמשֶׁה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל.  שָׁקוּל מֹשֶׁה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל (מכילתא):
אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה - All that [God] had done - for them by having the manna fall, by providing water through the well, and by repulsing Amalek.   אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה.  לָהֶם בִּירִידַת הַמָּן וּבַבְּאֵר וּבַעֲמָלֵק:
כִּֽי־הוֹצִיא ה' וגו' - That God had brought [Israel] out [of Egypt]. This was greater than all the other favors.   כִּֽי־הוֹצִיא ה' וגו'.  זוֹ גְּדוֹלָה עַל כֻּלָּם (שם):
2So Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife, Zipporah, after she had been sent away,   בוַיִּקַּ֗ח יִתְרוֹ֙ חֹתֵ֣ן משֶׁ֔ה אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֖ה אֵ֣שֶׁת משֶׁ֑ה אַחַ֖ר שִׁלּוּחֶֽיהָ:
אַחַר שִׁלּוּחֶֽיהָ - After she had been sent away. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him in Midian: “Go back to Egypt,” 6 “Moses took his wife and sons…,” 7 and Aaron came out to meet him “and met him at the mountain of God.” 8 Aaron then asked him, “Who are these people?” Moses replied, “This is my wife whom I married in Midian, and these are my sons.” Aaron then asked him, “And where are you bringing them?” Moses replied, “To Egypt.” Aaron said to him, “We are already so aggrieved over the first ones, those of our people already in Egypt, and now you want to add to their number?” So Moses said to his wife, “Go back to your father’s house,” and she took her two sons and departed.   אַחַר שִׁלּוּחֶֽיהָ.  כְּשֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמִדְיָן לֵךְ שֻׁב מִצְרָיִם וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָיו וְגוֹ' וְיָצָא אַהֲרֹן לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ בְּהַר הָאֱלֹהִים (שמות ד'), אָמַר לוֹ מִי הֵם הַלָּלוּ? אָמַר לוֹ זוֹ הִיא אִשְׁתִּי שֶׁנָּשָׂאתִי בְּמִדְיָן וְאֵלּוּ בָנַי, אָמַר לוֹ וְהֵיכָן אַתָּה מוֹלִיכָן? אָמַר לוֹ לְמִצְרַיִם, אָמַר לוֹ עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים אָנוּ מִצְטַעֲרִים וְאַתָּה בָא לְהוֹסִיף עֲלֵיהֶם אָמַר לָהּ לְכִי לְבֵית אָבִיךְ, נָטְלָה שְׁנֵי בָנֶיהָ וְהָלְכָה לָהּ (מכילתא):
3and her two sons. The name of the older one was Gershom [“a stranger there”], because Moses had said, “I have been a stranger in an alien land.”   גוְאֵ֖ת שְׁנֵ֣י בָנֶ֑יהָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאֶחָד֙ גֵּֽרְשֹׁ֔ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר גֵּ֣ר הָיִ֔יתִי בְּאֶ֖רֶץ נָכְרִיָּֽה:
4The name of the younger one was Eliezer [“my God is an aid”], because Moses had said, “the God of my father came to my aid, and He rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword.”   דוְשֵׁ֥ם הָֽאֶחָ֖ד אֱלִיעֶ֑זֶר כִּֽי־אֱלֹהֵ֤י אָבִי֙ בְּעֶזְרִ֔י וַיַּצִּלֵ֖נִי מֵחֶ֥רֶב פַּרְעֹֽה:
וַיַּצִּלֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹֽה - And He rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword. When Dathan and Aviram informed on Moses regarding the Egyptian he killed and Pharaoh sought to kill Moses, Moses’ neck miraculously became as hard as a pillar of marble.   וַיַּצִּלֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹֽה.  כְּשֶׁגִּלּוּ דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם עַל דְּבַר הַמִּצְרִי וּבִקֵּשׁ לַהֲרֹג אֶת מֹשֶׁה נַעֲשָׂה צַוָּארוֹ כְּעַמּוּד שֶׁל שַׁיִשׁ (שם):
5Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came to Moses, together with his sons and wife, into the desert where Moses was encamped, to the Mountain of God.   הוַיָּבֹ֞א יִתְר֨וֹ חֹתֵ֥ן משֶׁ֛ה וּבָנָ֥יו וְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֕ר אֲשֶׁר־ה֛וּא חֹנֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם הַ֥ר הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים:
אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּר - Into the desert. We already know that they were in the desert, so why is it mentioned here? The answer is that Scripture wishes to state Jethro’s praise: he had been enjoying abundant worldly honor, yet he was inspired to abandon it and go out into the desert, a desolate place, in order to hear the words of the Torah.   אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּר.  אַף אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁבַּמִּדְבָּר הָיוּ אֶלָּא בְּשִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל יִתְרוֹ דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב, שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בִּכְבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם וּנְדָבוֹ לִבּוֹ לָצֵאת אֶל הַמִּדְבָּר, מְקוֹם תֹּהוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה (שם):
6He sent word to Moses: “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am on my way to you, together with your wife, with her two sons.”   ווַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה אֲנִ֛י חֹֽתֶנְךָ֥ יִתְר֖וֹ בָּ֣א אֵלֶ֑יךָ וְאִ֨שְׁתְּךָ֔ וּשְׁנֵ֥י בָנֶ֖יהָ עִמָּֽהּ:
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־משֶׁה - (lit.) He said to Moses - through a messenger.   וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־משֶׁה.  עַל יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ (שם):
אֲנִי חֹֽתֶנְךָ יִתְרוֹ וגו' - I, your father-in-law Jethro…. i.e., if you will not go out to greet me for my sake, then go out for your wife’s sake, and if you will not go out for your wife’s sake, go out for the sake of her two sons.   אֲנִי חֹֽתֶנְךָ יִתְרוֹ וגו'.  אִם אֵין אַתָּה יוֹצֵא בְגִינִי, צֵא בְגִין אִשְׁתְּךָ, וְאִם אֵין אַתָּה יוֹצֵא בְגִין אִשְׁתְּךָ, צֵא בְגִין שְׁנֵי בָנֶיהָ (שם):
7Moses went out to greet his father-in-law. He prostrated himself and kissed him, they inquired after each other’s welfare, and they entered the tent.   זוַיֵּצֵ֨א משֶׁ֜ה לִקְרַ֣את חֹֽתְנ֗וֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּ֙ וַיִּשַּׁק־ל֔וֹ וַיִּשְׁאֲל֥וּ אִֽישׁ־לְרֵעֵ֖הוּ לְשָׁל֑וֹם וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ הָאֹֽהֱלָה:
וַיֵּצֵא משֶׁה - Moses went out. Jethro was accorded great honor at that moment, for once Moses went out to greet him, Aaron, Nadav, and Avihu also went out; and who could see these people going out and not himself go out?   וַיֵּצֵא משֶׁה.  כָּבוֹד גָּדוֹל נִתְכַּבֵּד יִתְרוֹ בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצָא מֹשֶׁה, יָצָא אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא, וּמִי הוּא שֶׁרָאָה אֶת אֵלּוּ יוֹצְאִין וְלֹא יֵצֵא? (תנחומא):
וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ וַיִּשַּׁק־לוֹ - He prostrated himself and kissed him. From these words alone, I do not know who prostrated himself to whom, but it is clear once the verse says אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ (lit.) “one man to his fellow”: Who elsewhere is called אִישׁ “a man”? This is Moses, as it says וְהָאִישׁ מֹשֶׁה “Now, this man Moses.” 9   וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ וַיִּשַּׁק־לוֹ.  אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מִי הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה לְמִי, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ, מִי הַקָּרוּי "אִישׁ" – מֹשֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהָאִישׁ מֹשֶׁה" (במדבר י"ב):
8Moses told his father-in-law everything that God had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for the sake of Israel, as well as all the travail that had befallen them on the way, and how God had rescued them.   חוַיְסַפֵּ֤ר משֶׁה֙ לְחֹ֣תְנ֔וֹ אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה יְהוָֹה֙ לְפַרְעֹ֣ה וּלְמִצְרַ֔יִם עַ֖ל אוֹדֹ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֵ֤ת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מְצָאָ֣תַם בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וַיַּצִּלֵ֖ם יְהוָֹֽה:
וַיְסַפֵּר משֶׁה לְחֹתְנוֹ - Moses told his father-in-law - in order to draw his heart to bring him close to the way of the Torah.   וַיְסַפֵּר משֶׁה לְחֹתְנוֹ.  לִמְשֹׁךְ אֶת לִבּוֹ לְקָרְבוֹ לַתּוֹרָה (מכילתא):
אֵת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָה - All the travail - that they had experienced at the Sea of Reeds and at the attack of Amalek.   אֵת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָה.  שֶׁעַל הַיָּם וְשֶׁל עֲמָלֵק:
הַתְּלָאָה - The travail. The ל and א belong to the root of the word, but the ת is an auxiliary letter, an integral part of the noun form that is sometimes absent. Nouns of a similar form are תְּרוּמָה, תְּנוּפָה, תְּקוּמָה, and תְּנוּאָה.   הַתְּלָאָה.  לָמֶ"ד אָלֶ"ף מִן הַיְסוֹד שֶׁל תֵּבָה, וְהַתָּי"ו הוּא תִּקּוּן וִיסוֹד הַנּוֹפֵל מִמֶּנּוּ לִפְרָקִים; וְכֵן תְּרוּמָה, תְּנוּפָה, תְּקוּמָה, תְּנוּאָה:
9Jethro rejoiced over all the good that God had done for Israel, that God had saved them from the hands of the Egyptians.   טוַיִּ֣חַדְּ יִתְר֔וֹ עַ֚ל כָּל־הַטּוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה יְהוָֹ֖ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִצִּיל֖וֹ מִיַּ֥ד מִצְרָֽיִם:
וַיִּחַדְּ יִתְרוֹ - means “Jethro rejoiced”; this is its straightforward meaning. But its Midrashic explanation is: His flesh became full of goose pimples (חִדּוּדִין חִדּוּדִין) because he was distressed over the downfall of the Egyptians. This is an example of the proverb that people say: Regarding a descendant of a convert – up to ten generations – do not shame a non-Jew in his presence.   וַיִּחַדְּ יִתְרוֹ.  וַיִּשְׂמַח יִתְרוֹ, זֶהוּ פְּשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה נַעֲשָׂה בְשָׂרוֹ חִדּוּדִין חִדּוּדִין, מֵצֵר עַל אִבּוּד מִצְרַיִם, הַינוּ דְּאָמְרֵי אִינָשֵׁי "גִּיּוֹרָא עַד עֲשָׂרָה דָּרֵי לָא תְבַזֵּי אֲרַמָּאָה בְּאַפֵּיהּ":
עַל כָּל־הַטּוֹבָה - Over all the good - i.e., the favor of providing the manna and the well, and giving (parts of) the Torah; but most of all – “that He had saved them from the hands of the Egyptians,” for that land was so securely shut that no slave had ever been able to escape from Egypt until now, but here 600,000 successfully left.   עַל כָּל־הַטּוֹבָה.  טוֹבַת הַמָּן וְהַבְּאֵר וְהַתּוֹרָה, וְעַל כֻּלָּן אשר הצילו מיד מצרים; עַד עַכְשָׁו לֹא הָיָה עֶבֶד יָכוֹל לִבְרֹחַ מִמִּצְרַיִם, שֶׁהָיְתָה הָאָרֶץ מְסֻגֶּרֶת, וְאֵלּוּ יָצְאוּ שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא (מכילתא):
10Jethro said, “Praised be God who rescued you from the hands of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who liberated the people from the authority of the Egyptians.   יוַיֹּ֘אמֶר֘ יִתְרוֹ֒ בָּר֣וּךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִצִּ֥יל אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִיַּ֥ד מִצְרַ֖יִם וּמִיַּ֣ד פַּרְעֹ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִצִּיל֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת יַד־מִצְרָֽיִם:
אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם - Who rescued you from the hands of the Egyptians - a difficult people   אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם.  אֻמָּה קָשָׁה:
וּמִיַּד פַּרְעֹה - And from the hand of Pharaoh. a difficult king.   וּמִיַּד פַּרְעֹה.  מֶלֶךְ קָשֶׁה:
מִתַּחַת יַד־מִצְרַיִם - The meaning of יַד is as Onkelos translates it: מַרְוַת, denoting subjugation and authority, i.e., “the hand” the Egyptians imposed heavily upon them, i.e., the servitude.   מִתַּחַת יַד־מִצְרַיִם.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ – לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי וּמָרוּת; הַיָּד שֶׁהָיוּ מַכְבִּידִים עֲלֵיהֶם הִיא הָעֲבוֹדָה:
11Now I know that God is greater than all the deities, for He foiled a nation’s intent by turning the very scheme that they plotted against others, against themselves!”   יאעַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּֽי־גָד֥וֹל יְהוָֹ֖ה מִכָּל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י בַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר זָד֖וּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם:
עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי - Now I know - i.e., I already recognized Him previously, but now I recognize Him even more.   עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי.  מַכִּירוֹ הָיִיתִי לְשֶׁעָבַר וְעַכְשָׁו בְּיוֹתֵר:
מִכָּל־הָֽאֱלֹהִים - Than all the deities. This teaches us that Jethro was acquainted with all forms of idolatry in the world, for there was no deity he had not worshiped.   מִכָּל־הָֽאֱלֹהִים.  מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה מַכִּיר בְּכָל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁלֹּא הִנִּיחַ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלֹּא עֲבָדָהּ (מכילתא):
כִּֽי־בַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “For the very thing the Egyptians plotted to use against Israel He used against them”; they had planned to destroy Israel by water, so they were destroyed by water.   כִּֽי־בַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ – בַּמַּיִם דִּמּוּ לְאַבְּדָם וְהֵם נֶאֶבְדוּ בַּמַּיִם:
אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ - means literally “that they acted wickedly.” But our rabbis 10 expounded this phrase as an expression similar to וַיָּזֶד יַעֲקֹב נָזִיד “Jacob was cooking a stew” 11 – i.e., in the pot in which they had cooked they were themselves cooked.   אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ.  אֲשֶׁר הִרְשִׁיעוּ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דְּרָשׁוּהוּ לְשׁוֹן וַיָּזֶד יַעֲקֹב נָזִיד, בַּקְּדֵרָה אֲשֶׁר בִּשְּׁלוּ בָּהּ נִתְבַּשְּׁלוּ (סוטה י"א):
12Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, offered up an ascent-offering and peace-offerings to God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.   יבוַיִּקַּ֞ח יִתְר֨וֹ חֹתֵ֥ן משֶׁ֛ה עֹלָ֥ה וּזְבָחִ֖ים לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ים וַיָּבֹ֨א אַֽהֲרֹ֜ן וְכֹ֣ל | זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֶֽאֱכָל־לֶ֛חֶם עִם־חֹתֵ֥ן משֶׁ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים:
עֹלָה - Ascent-offering – Translate this literally, that it completely ascends in flames   עֹלָה.  כְּמַשְׁמָעָהּ, שֶׁהִיא כֻּלָּהּ כָּלִיל:
וּזְבָחִים - (lit.) And sacrifices. These were peace-offerings.   וּזְבָחִים.  שְׁלָמִים:
וַיָּבֹא אַֽהֲרֹן וגו' - And Aaron…came…. But where had Moses gone? Was it not he who had gone out to greet Jethro and had caused that all this honor be given to him? The answer is that he was standing and serving them.   וַיָּבֹא אַֽהֲרֹן וגו'.  וּמֹשֶׁה הֵיכָן הָלַךְ? וַהֲלֹא הוּא שֶׁיָּצָא לִקְרָאתוֹ וְגָרַם לוֹ אֶת כָּל הַכָּבוֹד? אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה עוֹמֵד וּמְשַׁמֵּשׁ לִפְנֵיהֶם (מכילתא):
לִפְנֵי הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים - In the presence of God. From here we learn that when one partakes of a meal where scholars are present, it is as if he enjoys the radiance of the Divine Presence.   לִפְנֵי הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים.  מִכָּאן שֶׁהַנֶּהֱנֶה מִסְּעוּדָה שֶׁתַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים מְסֻבִּין בָּהּ, כְּאִלּוּ נֶהֱנֶה מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה (ברכות ס"ד):