CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE WEEKLY SEDRAH - PARSHAS YISRO 5770 - BS"D
1) Ch. 18, v. 3: "V'es shnei VO'NEHOH" - Why are the children called HER children and not Moshe's?
2) Ch. 18, v. 11: "Atoh yodati ...... ki vadovor asher zodu a'leihem" - Yisro makes it sound like he in particular was privy to the diabolical schemes that were "cooked" up against the bnei Yisroel. Weren't Paroh's cruel edicts common knowledge?
3) Ch. 18, v. 12: "Va'yovo Aharon" - Rashi (Mechilta) asks, "Where did Moshe go during this meal at which Yisro, Aharon, and the elders of the bnei Yisroel were present?" He answers that Moshe was also present, but he was the waiter. Was there no one else available?
4) Ch. 19, v. 8: "Va'yaanu chol ho'om yachdov va'yomru kole asher di'ber Hashem NAA'SEH" - How could each person say that WE will do? Without conferring with each other, each individual can only speak for himself.
5) Ch. 20, v. 2: "Onochi" - The Rambam at the beginning of his Yad Hachazoko, hilchos Yesodei haTorah 1:1, says that this mitzvoh is that one should KNOW, "she'yeida," that there is Hashem. In his Sefer Hamitzvos he says that the mitzvoh is to BELIEVE, "b'he'emnosoh Elokus." Which is it?
ANSWERS:
#1
The Zohar answers that since she brought them up, the Torah relates them to her. In verse five where it says "u'VONOV," - and HIS children, according to the Zohar this refers to Yisro's sons, as mentioned above. Possibly according to the common explanation that it refers to Moshe's sons, they are now called HIS sons because they are now being brought to him, allowing him to give his input into their upbringing.
#2
Yisro was one of only three people who were called by Paroh to a special cabinet meeting to deal with the "Jewish problem" (gemara Sotoh 11a, Sanhedrin 93a, 106a, and M.R. Shmos 1:12).
#3
Moshe's eagerness to serve his father-in-law can be understood in the light of the words of the M.R. Shmos 4:2 and Medrash Tanchuma parshas Shmos #16. They say that if one gives another an opening, an opportunity, the recipient owes his life to his benefactor and is required to bestow more honour upon him than he is responsible to his own father and mother. These medrashim go on to say that we find that Yisro gave Moshe the opportunity to marry and have children by giving him his daughter Tziporoh in marriage, and Moshe therefore did not leave Midyon without first asking Yisro permission, even though he had the all important assignment given by Hashem to bring the bnei Yisroel out of Egypt. This could explain why he personally wanted to wait on Yisro at this meal.
#4
The Chidushei HoRi"m answers that if someone offered a gift of precious gems to a number of people and asked if they were willing to receive the gifts, it is understandable that they would all respond "WE accept," since it is obvious to each of them that everyone else would also surely want to accept such a tremendous gift. The same was true of accepting the Torah.
#5
I heard in the name of Rabbi Chaim Brisker that as far as one's study can bring him to understand Hashem, he fulfills the mitzvoh with understanding. Beyond that point the mitzvoh is to believe.
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