Weekly Torah Lesson
Parasha: Yitro – Jethro
Torah: Shemot 18:1 – 20:26
The beginning of this week’s parsha gives us an excellent example of what later is codified as “The Fifth Commandment”. Let’s see how Moshe “honors” his father in law, Yitro.
1 When Yitro, the priest of Midian, Moshe’s father in law, heard of all that Elohim had done for Moshe, and for Israel his people, and that Avinu had brought Israel out of Mitzryim; 2 Then Yitro, Moshe’s father in law, took Zipporah, Moshe’s wife, after he had sent her back, 3 And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land: 4 And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the Elohim of my father, said he, was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Paro: 5 And Yitro, Moshe’s father in law, came with his sons and his wife to Moshe into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of Elohim: 6 And he said to Moshe, I your father in law Yitro am come to you, and your wife, and her two sons with her. (Shemot 18:1-6)
Yitro had to send a message to Moshe because it is doubtful that he would be allowed to enter the camp without Moshe’s approval.
7 And Moshe went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; (Shemot 18:7a)
Moshe went out to meet Yitro. He could have just given him permission to enter the camp but he treated him with love and respect. Obeisance is used to describe the way that Moshe treated Yitro. It is sometimes used to describe an act of worship.
and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. 8 And Moshe told his father in law all that Avinu had done to Paro and to the Mitzryimians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come on them by the way, and how Avinu delivered them. (Shemot 18:7b-8)
Moshe brought Yitro into his tent and shared his past experiences with him.
9 And Yitro rejoiced for all the goodness which Avinu had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Mitzryimians. 10 And Yitro said, Blessed be Avinu, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Mitzryimians, and out of the hand of Paro, who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Mitzryimians. (Shemot 18:9-10)
Notice that Yitro used the expression, “Baruch Avinu”! An interesting observation: who would one typically expect to say “Baruch Hashem?” Jews, right? Yet only three people in the Torah use the phrase as we do: Noach (Gen. 9:26), Eliezer (Gen. 24:27) and Yitro in our parsha (Ex. 18:10)
In most cases it is used to call another person “blessed by Avinu” rather than to praise Avinu Himself. Even so, the people uttering the words in those instances, including Lavan speaking of Eliezer and Avimelech speaking of Yitzchak seemed to be using the phrase in recognition of Avinu’s treatment of that particular person instead of using the phrase as the direct recognition of Avinu as the originator of their good fortune.
The only listed person who is considered to be part of the “family tree” is Noach. The rest were “outside observers”.
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