Commentaire sur L’Exode 18:23

וצוך 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 d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:23).

על מקומו יבא בשלום, seeing that the knowledge of the law will be widespread in so many lower courts, every litigant will know that the judgment he received was true and impartial. They will therefore not continue to constantly appeal such judgments.

אם את הדבר הזה תעשה וצוך השם, "if you will do this thing and the Lord will command you, etc." Why did Yitro add the rider about G'd commanding Moses to accept his suggestion? If Yitro wanted for Moses to consult with G'd about the matter, he had already done so in verse 19 when he said: "I will give you an advice and G'd will be with you." Why did he have to repeat himself? Perhaps Yitro was afraid of Moses arguing that after all was said and done he would forfeit the opportunity to perform the commandments of teaching the people G'd's commandments and that it was not the way of the righteous to look for ways to ease their burdens even if they would tire from shouldering them. After all, man was born in order to carry burdens (Job 5,7). In order to forestall such an argument, Yitro said: "and if the Lord will command you." Yitro was not unaware of the physical strength required to be a prophet. We have a description of how Daniel found himself physically weak in the presence of an angel (Daniel 10,8). Imagine how much weaker he would have been had he faced G'd as Moses did on an almost daily basis. Our sages in Nedarim 38 state that the spirit of prophecy rests only on people who are physically superior, of heroic dimensions. Moses had refined his body so that he did not experience weakness even when he had a gruelling day of sitting in judgment. Nonetheless he was only a human being with all that this implies. Yitro told him therefore that he should forego this particular commandment which was capable of fulfilment by others in order to be able to fulfil his task as a prophet in the best manner possible. When Yitro said: "if you do this thing and G'd commands you, you will be able to endure," he meant that if Moses accepted his advice he would be able to endure as a prophet, i.e. when G'd would communicate with him and teach him other commandments because you have husbanded your strength. When Yitro said ויכלת עמוד, you will be able to stand, he meant that Moses would retain sufficient strength to receive G'd's communications while remaining standing on his feet. We have proof that this is what occurred in Exodus 34,2 where G'd tells Moses: "stand with Me there on top of the Mountain," and in Deut. 5,28 where G'd invited Moses: "stand here with Me." Yitro was afraid that unless Moses reduced his present workload this would undermine his physical ability to carry out his prophetic duties to the full.

וצוך אלוקים, when G’d will command the answer you are to give to the judges.

If He will command you to do so. . . [The verse literally means: “Hashem will command you, and you will be able to survive.” Thus] Rashi explains that it [should be understood] as if it said: “If Hashem commands you, then you will be able to survive.” For how could it mean, “Hashem will command you”? How did Yisro know that Hashem will command Moshe to do as he proposed?

(Ibid. 23) "If you would do this thing, etc.": Go and take counsel with the Omnipotent. "and G d command you, you will be able to bear up." If He consents to you, you will be able to bear up. If not, you will not be able to bear up. "and also all of this people, etc.": Aaron, Nadav and Avihu and the seventy elders of Israel "shall come to their place in peace.

V. 23. Da es nicht אל מקומו, sondern על מקומו יבא בשלום heißt, so ist damit wohl nicht ein bloßes friedliches Nachhausekommen, sondern ein "auf die ihm gebührende Stelle und Stellung kommen" ausgedrückt. Das ist ja ganz eigentlich Frucht der Tätigkeit des Richters, dass sie jeden und jedes auf den ihm gebührenden Standpunkt verweist, bringt und darauf sicher stellt. Darum heißt er ja שפת ,שפד) שופט): Ordner!

על מקומו, “to his tent.”

וגם כל העם הזה AND ALL THIS PEOPLE ALSO — Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and the seventy elders who are now associated with you (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:23).

ויכלת לעמוד, with the help of your assistants.

And the seventy elders. . . [How does Rashi know this? An answer is:] Because it cannot mean the litigants. For in the desert, there were no farmers or craftsmen who would miss work by [standing and] waiting. Although the Torah seemingly says that Moshe was judging alone, our Sages interpret “You, and also this people” (v. 18) to mean that Moshe was accompanied by the elders even before Yisro’s advice. (Re”m) [An alternative answer:] גם comes to include Aharon and the elders, and כל comes to include Nadav and Avihu, who were not yet elders. Rashi did not want to mention Chur here, since one Midrash says he had already died, so there is no point in mentioning him. (Maharshal)

יבוא בשלום, they will immediately be able to go home, as they did not have to line up at a single point [in a camp the size of which was over 12 by 12 kilometers. Ed.]

וגם כל העם הזה, the ones standing in line before you from morning to evening, יבא בשלום, will each be able to go home in short order.