Musar sobre Exodo 18:11

The name אלוקים, on the other hand, symbolises nature, i.e. the laws of nature. We have repeatedly mentioned that the Hebrew word for nature, הטבע, has the same numerical value as the word א-להים. According to the Zohar, that name represents a קו, line, the rule of law and order, i.e. justice. The characteristics of all living creatures were determined by G–d invoking His attribute אלוקים.[In the words of the Ari Zal: "After G–d had created the הרשימו, the "place" for a universe, He created all that was to fill that "place." This was accomplished by means of a קו, sort of a pipeline. The light G–d created entered and dissipated within the "place" designated for the universe by means of the קו. Ed.] The fact that the Ineffable Four-lettered Name is a "higher" attribute than that of אלוקים is documented in Exodus 18,11: כי גדול י-ה-ו-ה מכל הא-לקים, when Yitro acknowledges the superiority of that attribute of G–d over all others. All other attributes (names) of G–d are derived from the Ineffable Name.

We find that all Moses' warnings to Pharaoh were uttered in the name of that name of G–d, i.e. כי גדול השם מכל האלוקים. I have explained all this in my commentary there (compare Exodus 7,17--8,6,---8,18-9,13/14, etc). The essential element in this description of G–d was that it reflected the היה-הוה-יהיה, the eternal nature of G–d, the Source of all existence and the One without whom no existence endures. He alone is the One who supervises everything that goes on in His universe. He is totally free to do as He pleases.

Yitro's words "עתה ידעתי" "now I know," (Exodus 18,11) reflect this new-found knowledge of Yitro (Cain). Cain had murdered because he did not believe that G–d is a judge, that there is justice in the world, and that there is life after death. The Targum Yonathan says that the word "עתה" represents Yitro's new found insight, and that this is the reason that this portion about the installing of a broadly based system of judges was added at Exodus 18,21. (I have not been able to find this in the Targum Yonathan. Ed) The reason Yitro had entrusted (given) his flock to Moses (Exodus 3,1) was that it was symbolic of the sheep he had stolen from his brother Abel in his previous incarnation, the latter having been a shepherd (Genesis 4,2). Moses had not wanted to accept this flock, believing it to be rightfully Yitro's. The Rabbis do not like someone tending the property of an idol worshipper, since the chances are that such property may have been acquired as payment for services rendered to idols. The Torah therefore stresses צאן יתרו, that the flock was not derived from such sources.