Comentario sobre Exodo 18:12
וַיִּקַּ֞ח יִתְר֨וֹ חֹתֵ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֛ה עֹלָ֥ה וּזְבָחִ֖ים לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ים וַיָּבֹ֨א אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְכֹ֣ל ׀ זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֶאֱכָל־לֶ֛חֶם עִם־חֹתֵ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃
Y tomó Jethro, suegro de Moisés, holocaustos y sacrificios para Dios: y vino Aarón y todos los ancianos de Israel á comer pan con el suegro de Moisés delante de Dios.
Rashi on Exodus
עלה — Translate this according to its usual meaning: a burnt-offering, which was burnt entire and completely.
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Ramban on Exodus
AND JETHRO, MOSES’ FATHER-IN-LAW, TOOK A BURNT-OFFERING AND SACRIFICES FOR G-D. All this took place before they came to Mount Sinai.78See above at the beginning of this Seder, where Ramban develops at length his explanation that Jethro, having arrived at the mount of G-d, sent a messenger to Moses in Rephidim, informing him of his arrival. Moses thereupon went out to meet him and brought him to Rephidim, where this feast took place. It was thus before Israel’s arrival at Mount Sinai that all this took place. It is also possible to explain that Scripture arranged the entire narrative of Jethro [in one section] even though this particular event occurred after he had stayed with the Israelites a long time and, in the meantime, became converted through circumcision, immersion, and the sprinkling of the blood of a sacrifice, according to the law.79Kerithoth 9a. When the Sanctuary or Tabernacle was in existence, a proselyte entered into the covenant with G-d by means of circumcision, immersion, and the sprinkling of the blood of a sacrifice. Since the destruction of the Sanctuary, only circumcision and immersion are required. These three things were all present at the Giving of the Torah. Circumcision was performed already in Egypt, as is evidenced by the verse, and no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof, i.e., of the Passover-offering (above, 12:48). Immersion is mentioned further (19:10), and so is the bringing of a sacrifice (24:5). At the time of the Sanctuary, immersion and a sacrifice were required of a female proselyte. Nowadays, immersion alone is the prerequisite to her entrance into the covenant. See Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchoth Isueri Biah, Chapter 13, for further eludication of these principles. See also Ramban further, 19:10.
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Sforno on Exodus
עולה וזבחים לאלוקים. This was intended as a symbol of Yitro’s acceptance of the yoke of Heaven. A similar symbolic acceptance is found in Kings II 5,17 when the general Naaman undertakes never again to offer such sacrifices as עולה וזבחים to any deities other than the G’d in heaven.
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