Chapter 18

אוישמע יתרו. מַה שְּׁמוּעָה שָׁמַע וּבָא? קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף וּמִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק:

1וישמע יתרו AND JETHRO HEARD — What was the particular report which he heard so that he came? — The division of the Red Sea and the war with Amalek (cf. (Mekhilta; Zevachim 116a).

ביתרו. 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 אֶחָד 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:

2יתרו JETHRO — He was called by seven names: Reuel, Jether, Jethro, Hobab, Heber, Keni and Putiel. He was called Jether (from יִתֵּר “to add”) because he added (it was through him that there was added) a section to the Torah; viz., that beginning at (21 ff.) “Moreover thou shalt provide”. Jethro — so was he called because when he became a proselyte and fulfilled the divine precepts one more letter was added to his name (יתר). Hobab — because he loved (חִבֵּב) the Torah (cf. Mekhilta). — Hobab is certainly identical with Jethro, as it is said, (Judges 4:11) “of the sons of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses” and therefore it is correct to say that Hobab is one of his names. But as to Reuel there are some who say that he is not identical with Jethro, but that he was Hobab’s (Jethro’s) father, as may be seen from Numbers 10:29. Then what, according to this view, would be the meaning of (Exodus 2:18) “And they came to Reuel, their father” (from which it would appear that Reuel and Jethro are the same)? It means their grandfather, for children call their grandfather: father. This is to be found in Sifrei Bamidbar 78 (on Numbers 10:29).

גחתן משה. כָּאן הָיָה יִתְרוֹ מִתְכַּבֵּד בְּמֹשֶׁה – אֲנִי חוֹתֵן הַמֶּלֶךְ, וּלְשֶׁעָבַר הָיָה מֹשֶׁה תוֹלֶה הַגְּדֻלָּה בְּחָמִיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיָּשָׁב אֶל יֶתֶר חוֹתְנוֹ" (שמות ד'):

3חתן משה MOSES’ FATHER-IN-LAW — Here Jethro prided himself on his relationship to Moses: I, the father-in-law of the king. Previously, however, Moses had made whatever greatness he had hinge upon his relationship to his father-in-law, the chieftain of Midian, as it is said, (Exodus 4:18) “And he returned to Jethro, his father-in-law” (Mekhilta).

דלמשה ולישראל. שָׁקוּל מֹשֶׁה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל (מכילתא):

4למשה ולישראל TO MOSES AND TO ISRAEL — Moses alone is of equal in importance to all Israel (Mekhilta).

האת כל אשר עשה. לָהֶם בִּירִידַת הַמָּן וּבַבְּאֵר וּבַעֲמָלֵק:

5את כל אשר עשה ALL THAT [GOD] HAD DONE for them through the falling of the Manna and through the well (cf. Rashi on Numbers 21:17) and by the defeat of Amalek.

וכי הוציא ה' וגו'. זוֹ גְּדוֹלָה עַל כֻּלָּם (שם):

6כי הוציא ה׳ וגו׳ THAT THE LORD HAD BROUGHT FORTH etc. — this was greater than all other things, and is therefore singled out for mention (cf. Mekhilta).

אאחר שלוחיה. כְּשֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה 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):

1אחר שלוחיה AFTER HIS HAVING SENT HER AWAY — When God said to him in Midian, (Exodus 4:19, 20) “Go, return to Egypt … and Moses took his wife and his sons etc…. and Aaron went forth towards him and met him at the Mount of God”, he (Aaron) said to him, “Who are these?” He answered him, “This is my wife whom I married in Midian and these are my children”. He, thereupon, asked him, “Whither are you taking them?” He replied, “To Egypt”. Where-upon he said to him, “We have cause to grieve over the former ones (the Israelites already there), and you propose to add to their number!” Moses therefore said to her, “Return to your father’s house” — she took her two sons and went away (Mekhilta).

אויצלני מחרב פרעה. כְּשֶׁגִּלּוּ דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם עַל דְּבַר הַמִּצְרִי וּבִקֵּשׁ לַהֲרֹג אֶת מֹשֶׁה נַעֲשָׂה צַוָּארוֹ כְּעַמּוּד שֶׁל שַׁיִשׁ (שם):

1ויצלני מחרב פרעה AND HE DELIVERED ME FROM THE SWORD OF PHARAOH — When Dathan and Abiram made the disclosure regarding the matter of the Egyptian whom Moses had killed and Pharaoh wished to slay Moses, his neck became as a column of marble so that the sword was powerless against him (Shemot Rabbah 1:31; cf. Rashi on Exodus 2:15).

אאל המדבר. 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):

1אל המדבר INTO THE DESERT — Indeed we know that they were in the wilderness, and it appears unnecessary to state that Jethro came to Moses there. But by stressing this Scripture is speaking in praise of Jethro: that he was living amidst all the splendour that the world could provide, and nevertheless his heart prompted him to go forth into the desert, a waste place (Mekhilta), to hearken to the words of the Torah.

אויאמר אל משה. עַ"יְ שָׁלִיחַ (שם):

1ויאמר אל משה AND HE SAID UNTO MOSES through a messenger (Mekhilta).

באני חתנך יתרו וגו'. אִם אֵין אַתָּה יוֹצֵא בְגִינִי, צֵא בְגִין אִשְׁתְּךָ, וְאִם אֵין אַתָּה יוֹצֵא בְגִין אִשְׁתְּךָ, צֵא בְגִין שְׁנֵי בָנֶיהָ (שם):

2אני חתנך יתרו וגו I, THY FATHER-IN-LAW, JETHRO etc. — If you will not come out for my own sake, come out for the sake of your wife; and if you will not come out for your wife’s sake, come out for the sake of your two sons (Mekhilta).

אויצא משה. כָּבוֹד גָּדוֹל נִתְכַּבֵּד יִתְרוֹ בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצָא מֹשֶׁה, יָצָא אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא, וּמִי הוּא שֶׁרָאָה אֶת אֵלּוּ יוֹצְאִין וְלֹא יֵצֵא? (תנחומא):

1ויצא משה AND MOSES WENT OUT — Great honour, indeed, did Jethro receive at that moment, for as soon as Moses went out to Jethro, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu went out, and who was it that saw these go out and would not himself go out? (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayigash 7)

בוישתחו וישק לו. אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מִי הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה לְמִי, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ, מִי הַקָּרוּי "אִישׁ" – מֹשֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהָאִישׁ מֹשֶׁה" (במדבר י"ב):

2וישתחו וישק לו AND HE PROSTRATED HIMSELF AND KISSED HIM — From the wording of this statement I do not know who prostrated himself to whom! But when it states in the next words: איש לרעהו, “a man to his fellow”, it becomes quite evident; for which of the two is called by the appellation איש, “man”? — This was Moses, as it is said, (Numbers 12:3) “And the man, Moses”. (Thus it was the man (איש) Moses, who bowed down to his fellow (Mekhilta).

אויספר משה לחתנו. לִמְשֹׁךְ אֶת לִבּוֹ לְקָרְבוֹ לַתּוֹרָה (מכילתא):

1ויספר משה לחתנו AND MOSES RELATED TO HIS FATHER-IN-LAW [ALL THAT THE LORD HAD DONE] — in order to allure his heart that he might attach him to the Torah (Mekhilta).

באת כל התלאה. שֶׁעַל הַיָּם וְשֶׁל עֲמָלֵק:

2את כל התלאה ALL THE TRAVAIL that they had experienced at the Red Sea, and that caused by Amalek (Mekhilta).

גהתלאה. לָמֶ"ד אָלֶ"ף מִן הַיְסוֹד שֶׁל תֵּבָה, וְהַתָּי"ו הוּא תִּקּוּן וִיסוֹד הַנּוֹפֵל מִמֶּנּוּ לִפְרָקִים; וְכֵן תְּרוּמָה, תְּנוּפָה, תְּקוּמָה, תְּנוּאָה:

3התלאה — The ל and א are part of the primary form of the word and the ת is a formative letter and a part of the primary form of the noun which sometimes is omitted from it. Similar examples are תרומה and תנופה and תקומה and תנואה.

אויחד יתרו. וַיִּשְׂמַח יִתְרוֹ, זֶהוּ פְּשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִ"אַ נַעֲשָׂה בְשָׂרוֹ חִדּוּדִין חִדּוּדִין, מֵצֵר עַל אִבּוּד מִצְרַיִם, הַינוּ דְּאָמְרֵי אִינָשֵׁי "גִּיּוֹרָא עַד עֲשָׂרָה דָּרֵי לָא תְבַזֵּי אֲרַמָּאָה בְּאַפֵּיהּ":

1ויחד יתרו AND JETHRO REJOICED — This is its literal meaning. A Midrashic comment is: his flesh became full of prickles (חדודין — his flesh crept with horror) — he felt grieved at the destruction of Egypt. That is what people say (what the common proverb says): A proselyte even though his heathen descent dates from as far back as the tenth generation, do not speak slightingly of an Aramean (any non-Jew) in his presence (Sanhedrin 94a).

בעל כל הטובה. 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):

2על כל הטובה FOR ALL THE GOODNESS — the goodness in giving the Manna and the well and the Torah — and he rejoiced above all these (more especially), אשר הצילו מיד מצרים THAT HE HAD DELIVERED THEM OUT OF THE HAND OF EGYPT — Until now no slave had ever been able to escape from Egypt because that land was closely shut in on all sides, but these had gone forth six hundred thousand in number (cf. Mekhilta).

אאשר הציל אתכם מיד מצרים. אֻמָּה קָשָׁה:

1אשר הציל אתכם מיד מצרים WHO HATH DELIVERED YOU OUT OF THE HAND OF EGYPT, a hard people,

בומיד פרעה. מֶלֶךְ קָשֶׁה:

2ומיד פרעה AND OUT OF THE HAND OF PHARAOH, a hard monarch.

גמתחת יד מצרים. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ – לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי וּמָרוּת; הַיָּד שֶׁהָיוּ מַכְבִּידִים עֲלֵיהֶם הִיא הָעֲבוֹדָה:

3מתחת יד מצרים — Translate this as the Targum does: from beneath the authority of Egypt, taking יד as an expression of domination and authority; “the hand” spoken of here is the hand which they imposed heavily upon them — referring to the hard bondage.

אעתה ידעתי. מַכִּירוֹ הָיִיתִי לְשֶׁעָבַר וְעַכְשָׁו בְּיוֹתֵר:

1עתה ידעתי NOW I KNOW — I indeed knew Him formerly, but now I know Him even more (cf. Mekhilta).

במכל האלהים. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה מַכִּיר בְּכָל עֲ"זָ שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁלֹּא הִנִּיחַ עֲ"זָ שֶׁלֹּא עֲבָדָהּ (מכילתא):

2מכל האלהים [GREATER] THAN ALL THE GODS — This tells us that he had a full knowledge of every idol in the world — that he left no idol unworshipped by him (Mekhilta).

גכי בדבר אשר זדו עליהם. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ – בַּמַּיִם דִּמּוּ לְאַבְּדָם וְהֵם נֶאֶבְדוּ בַּמַּיִם:

3כי בדבר אשר זדו עליהם — Understand this as the Targum does for by that very thing with which the Egyptians thought to judge Israel were they themselves judged — they had thought to destroy them by water and they were themselves destroyed by water (cf. Mekhilta).

דאשר זדו. אֲשֶׁר הִרְשִׁיעוּ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דְּרָשׁוּהוּ לְשׁוֹן וַיָּזֶד יַעֲקֹב נָזִיד, בַּקְּדֵרָה אֲשֶׁר בִּשְּׁלוּ בָּהּ נִתְבַּשְּׁלוּ (סוטה י"א):

4אשר זדו means in which they had shown themselves wicked. Our Rabbis, however, explained it in the same sense as the root which we find in (Genesis 25:29) “And Jacob was boiling (ויזד) pottage (נזיד) (lit., something boiled)” — in the pot wherein they had boiled, therein were they themselves boiled (Sotah 11a).

אעלה. כְּמַשְׁמָעָהּ, שֶׁהִיא כֻּלָּהּ כָּלִיל:

1עלה — Translate this according to its usual meaning: a burnt-offering, which was burnt entire and completely.

בוזבחים. שְׁלָמִים:

2וזבחים AND SACRIFICES — i. e. peace-offerings.

גויבא אהרן וגו'. וּמֹשֶׁה הֵיכָן הָלַךְ? וַהֲלֹא הוּא שֶׁיָּצָא לִקְרָאתוֹ וְגָרַם לוֹ אֶת כָּל הַכָּבוֹד? אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה עוֹמֵד וּמְשַׁמֵּשׁ לִפְנֵיהֶם (מכילתא):

3ויבא אהרן וגו׳ AND AARON CAME, etc. — But where had Moses gone? Was it not he who had gone out to meet him and had been the cause of all the honour shown to him? But the explanation why he is not mentioned as having come to eat bread with Jethro is that he was standing by and waiting upon them (Mekhilta).

דלפני האלהים. מִכָּאן שֶׁהַנֶּהֱנֶה מִסְּעוּדָה שֶׁתַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים מְסֻבִּין בָּהּ, כְּאִלּוּ נֶהֱנֶה מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה (ברכות ס"ד):

4לפני האלהים BEFORE GOD — From this statement that they were “before God” we may learn that one who takes part in (more lit., who has enjoyment from) a meal at which scholars sit may be regarded as though he has enjoyment from the splendour of the Shechina (Berakhot 64a; cf. Mekhilta).

אויהי ממחרת. 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 אִ"אֶ 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 בְּיֹהַ"כּ; 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'):

1ויהי ממחרת AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE MORROW — This was really the day after the Day of Atonement: so have we learnt in Siphré (Mekhilta). Since the Day of Atonement is not mentioned anywhere in this section that deals with the Giving of the Law what is the force of ממחרת? i. e. in relation to what particular day in the history of the Law-giving is the term ממחרת, “on the morrow”, used? It means the morrow after he (Moses) descended from the Mount Sinai, and you must admit that it is impossible to say that this was any other day but the morrow after the Day of Atonement because, before the giving of the Torah, one could not say, (v. 16) “and I do make them know the statutes [of God and His laws]” (which are part of the Torah), and from the day when the Torah was given until the Day of Atonement Moses did not sit down to judge the people, since immediately after the Torah was given he ascended the mountain and descended only on the seventeenth of Tammuz when he broke the tablets in pieces. On the next day he again ascended the mountain early in the morning and stayed there eighty days, descending on the Day of Atonement (cf. Tanchuma כי תשא, Rashi on 33:11, Deuteronomy 9:18 and 10:1). Consequently this section is not written (placed) in its chronological order, for this paragraph commencing with ויהי ממחרת and ending with “Moses let his father-in-law go and he (Jethro) went his way into his own land” was not said before the second year after the Exodus. For even according to the view of one who says that Jethro came to Moses before the giving of the Torah (Avodah Zarah 24a) his dismissal into his own land did not take place until the second year, for it is stated here (v. 27) “Moses let his father-in-law go”, and we find in the account of Israel’s journey through the wilderness beneath their banners (which according to Numbers 10:11 began in the second year) that Moses said to him, (Numbers 10:29, 31) “We are journeying etc…. Forsake us not, I pray thee”. Now if this incident happened before the giving of the Torah (including Jethro’s departure) where do we find it related that he returned after he had let him go and he had taken departure? And if you object that there (in the section in Numbers which Rashi has quoted as evidence that Jethro’s departure took place in the second year) it does not mention Jethro at all but Hobab, and that the latter was not Jethro but the son of Jethro, then I reply that Hobab is identical with Jethro and not his son, because it is written, (Judges 4:11) “of the sons of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses”.

בוישב משה וגו' ויעמד העם. יוֹשֵׁב כְּמֶלֶךְ וְכֻלָּן עוֹמְדִים, וְהֻקְשָׁה הַדָּבָר לְיִתְרוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מְזַלְזֵל בִּכְבוֹדָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוֹכִיחוֹ עַל כָּךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (פסוק יד) מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה יוֹשֵׁב לְבַדֶּךָ וְכֻלָּם נִצָּבִים:

2וישב משה וגו׳ ויעמד העם MOSES SAT … AND THE PEOPLE STOOD He was sitting like a king and they all stood, and the thing was distasteful to Jethro in that he made light of the respect due to Israel. He therefore reproved him for this, as it is said (v. 14) “Why sittest thou only” — and they all stand! (Mekhilta)

גמן הבקר עד 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 לְהַקָּבָּ"ה בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וְגוֹ' (שבת י'):

3מן הבקר עד הערב FROM MORNING UNTO EVENING — Is it really possible to say so — that Moses sat the whole day long? But the explanation is that any judge who gives a rightful decision as truth demands it, even though he spends but one hour on it, Scripture accounts it to him as though he had occupied himself with the Torah the whole day long, and as though he became co-partner with the Holy One, blessed be He, in the work of the Creation of which it is stated, “It was evening and it was morning” (cf. Mekhilta; Shabbat 10a).

אכי יבא. כְּמוֹ כִּי בָא, לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה:

1כי יבא — This is the same as כי בא because the people comes”, the imperfect tense expressing continuous action.

בלדרש אלהים. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "לְמִתְבַּע אֻלְפַּן" – לִשְׁאֹל תַּלְמוּד מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה:

2לדרש אלהים TO ENQUIRE OF GOD — Understand this as the Targum does: למתבע אלפן, to seek instruction from the mouth of the Almighty.

אכי יהיה להם דבר בא. מִי שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ הַדָּבָר – בָּא אֵלַי:

1כי יהיה להם דבר בא WHEN THEY HAVE A MATTER THEY COME (lit., “he comes”) — “He”, viz., who has the matter comes to me.

אויאמר חתן משה. דֶּרֶךְ כָּבוֹד קוֹרְאוֹ הַכָּתוּב חוֹתְנוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ:

1ויאמר חתן משה AND MOSES’ FATHER-IN-LAW SAID — By way of honour Scripture describes him as the father-in-law of the king.

אנבל תבל. 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:

1נבל תבל — Explain this as the Targum does: thou will certainly become weary. Its meaning expresses the idea of withering, old French flestre, just as. (Jeremiah 8:13) “and the leaf is withered (נבל)”; (Isaiah 34:4) “as withereth (כנבל) the leaf from off the vine” — the meaning being that it becomes shrivelled through the heat and through the frost, and so its strength diminishes and it becomes, as it were, weary, and falls from off the vine (מגפן)‎.

בגם אתה. לְרַבּוֹת אַהֲרֹן וְחוּר וְשִׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים:

2גם אתה THOU ALSO — The word גם “also” was added in order to include Aaron and Hur and the seventy elders (cf. Mekhilta).

גכי כבד ממך. כָּבְדּוֹ רַב יוֹתֵר מִכֹּחֲךָ:

3כי כבד ממך FOR [THIS THING] IS TOO HEAVY FOR THEE — its weight is far more than thy strength can bear.

אאיעצך ויהי אלהים עמך. בָּעֵצָה; אָמַר לוֹ צֵא הִמָּלֵךְ בַּגְּבוּרָה (מכילתא):

1איעצך ויהי אלהים עמך I WILL GIVE THEE COUNSEL BUT LET GOD BE WITH THEE in considering this counsel. This is really what he said to him: Go and consult with the Almighty as regards the counsel I give you (Mekhilta).

בהיה אתה לעם מול האלהים. שָׁלִיחַ וּמֵלִיץ בֵּינוֹתָם לַמָּקוֹם וְשׁוֹאֵל מִשְׁפָּטִים מֵאִתּוֹ:

2היה אתה לעם מול האלהים BE THOU FOR THE PEOPLE TO GOD-WARD — be thou the agent and intermediary between them and the Omnipresent, and be thou the one who enquires of Him regarding the judgments.

גאת הדברים. דִּבְרֵי רִיבוֹתָם:

3את הדברים [AND THOU SHALT BRING] THE MATTERS — i. e. the matters of their strife.

אואתה תחזה. בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁעָלֶיךָ:

1ואתה תחזה MOREOVER THOU SHALT PROVIDE through the Holy Spirit that is upon thee (Mekhilta),

באנשי חיל. עֲשִׁירִים, שֶׁאֵין צְרִיכִין לְהַחֲנִיף וּלְהַכִּיר פָּנִים (שם):

2אנשי חיל MEN OF ABILITY (but חיל may mean “wealth” and in this sense the words would mean) — rich men who will not need to flatter or to show favour (cf. Mekhilta).

גאנשי אמת. אֵלּוּ בַּעֲלֵי הַבְטָחָה, שֶׁהֵם כְּדַאי לִסְמֹךְ עַל דִּבְרֵיהֶם, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי כֵן יִהְיוּ דִבְרֵיהֶם נִשְׁמָעִין:

3אנשי אמת MEN OF TRUTH — These are people commanding confidence (Mekhilta); who are deserving that one should rely upon their words — appoint these as judges because on account of this their words will be listened to.

דשנאי בצע. שֶׁשּׂוֹנְאִין אֶת מָמוֹנָם בַּדִּין, כְּהַהִיא דְּאָמְרִינָן: כָּל דַיָּנָא דְּמַפְּקִין מָמוֹנָא מִינֵּיהּ בְּדִינָא לָאו דַּיָּנָא הוּא (בבא בתרא נ"ח):

4שנאי בצע HATING LUCRE — men who hate (pay no regard to) their property when it is to be made the matter of a law-suit (Mekhilta), in accordance with what we say: Any judge from whom one has to wring the money he owes only by means of a law-suit is no fitting judge (Bava Batra 58b).

השרי אלפים. הֵם הָיוּ שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׂרִים לְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף:

5שרי אלפים OFFICERS OF THOUSANDS — there were six hundred such officers for the six hundred thousand men of Israel.

ושרי מאות. שֵׁשׁ אֲלָפִים הָיוּ:

6שרי מאות OFFICERS OF HUNDREDS — there were six thousand of them.

זשרי חמשים. י"ב אֶלֶף:

7שרי חמשים OFFICERS OF FIFTIES — twelve thousand.

חשרי עשרת. שִׁשִּׁים אֶלֶף:

8שרי עשרת OFFICERS OF TENS — sixty thousand (Mekhilta, Sanhedrin 18a).

אושפטו. וִידוּנוּן, לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי:

1ושפטו — Onkelos translates this by וידונון AND LET THEM JUDGE (not “and they judged”, as in v. 26) — the word expresses a command.

בוהקל מעליך. דָּבָר זֶה לְהָקֵל מֵעָלֶיךָ: והקל. כְּמוֹ "וְהַכְבֵּד אֶת לִבּוֹ" (שמות ח'), "וְהַכּוֹת אֶת מוֹאָב" (מלכים ב ג'), לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה:

2והקל מעליך lit., AND TO LIGHTEN the burden FROM OFF YOU — this thing will serve to lighten it from off you. והקל — the grammatical form is similar to (Exodus 8:11) ”and to harden (והכבד) his heart”; (2 Kings 3:24) “and to smite (והכות) Moab” — both of which words are infinitives expressing present time.

אוצוך אלהים ויכלת עמד. הִמָּלֵךְ בַּגְּבוּרָה, אִם מְצַוֶּה אוֹתְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, תּוּכַל עֲמֹד, וְאִם יְעַכֵּב עַל יָדְךָ לֹא תוּכַל לַעֲמֹד (מכילתא):

1וצוך אלהים ויכלת עמד This implies: Consult the Almighty; if He commands thee to do this, thou wilt be able to stand, and if He prevents thee thou wilt be unable to stand (Mekhilta).

בוגם כל העם הזה. אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְשִׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים הַנִּלְוִים עַתָּה עִמְּךָ (שם):

2וגם כל העם הזה AND ALL THIS PEOPLE ALSO — Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and the seventy elders who are now associated with you (Mekhilta).

אושפטו. וְדָיְנִין יָת עַמָּא:

1ושפטו — Onkelos translates by ודינין ית עמא “and they were judging the people” (cf. Rashi on v. 22).

ביביאון. מָיְתִין:

2יביאון — Onkelos translates this by מיתין (participle) “they were bringing” (or “they always brought”).

גישפוטו הם. כְּמוֹ יִשְׁפְּטוּ, וְכֵן "לֹא תַעֲבוּרִי" (רות ב'), כְּמוֹ לֹא תַעַבְרִי, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ דָּיְנִין אִינּוּן; מִקְרָאוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים הֵם לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי, לְכָךְ מְתֻרְגָּמִין וִידוּנוּן, יַיְתוּן, יְדוּנוּן, וּמִקְרָאוֹת הַלָּלוּ לְשׁוֹן עֲשִׂיָּה:

3יִשְׁפּוּטוּ הֵם — This is the same as יִשְׁפְּטוּ; similar is (Ruth 2:8) לֹא תַעֲבוּרִי which is the same as לֹא תַעַבְרִי. Its translation in the Targum is דינין אינון “they were judging”. The above verses (i. e. the verbs in v. 22) express the command and consequently they are translated by וידונון and ייתון and ידונון, “and let them judge”, and “let them bring”, and “let them judge”; but these verses express the doing of what was commanded (they state that the command was actually carried out).

אוילך לו אל ארצו. לְגַיֵּר בְּנֵי מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ (מכילתא):

1וילך לו אל ארצו AND HE WENT HIS WAY INTO HIS OWN LAND, for the purpose of making proselytes of the members of his family (Mekhilta).

Sefaria: Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934 · Public domain · sefaria.org

Sefaria: Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934 · Public domain · sefaria.org