Chasidut su Esodo 18:11
עַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּֽי־גָד֥וֹל יְהוָ֖ה מִכָּל־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י בַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר זָד֖וּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃
Ora conosco ch’il Signore è più grande di tutti gli dèi. Sì, (lo riconosco) nella maniera ch’insolentirono contro di essi [e per cui poi furono sì esemplarmente puniti].
Kedushat Levi
Exodus 18,11. “now I know that Hashem is greater than any deity, by reason of His making the punishment fit the crime.” We have to try and understand what precisely Yitro meant with these words. When war is fought and one party is victorious, the victory may become manifest in a number of ways. In one type of war the victorious side merely killed a great number of the troops of the opposing armies without there being any changes in the boundaries between the two kingdoms that fought one another. In the eyes of the world the victor has not become mightier by reason of his victory. Both Kings remain on their respective thrones. In a second scenario, the victor may capture the opposing king and his armies, and annex the lands of his former opponent. This type of victory is, of course, more imposing and enhances the stature of the victor considerably.
When G’d wished to save the Israelites from the yoke of the Egyptians, He chose to defeat them by means of water, as Rashi explained in Sh’mot, G’d could have used fire in order to dry out the water. Had He done so He would not have demonstrated His superiority over water, [only fire’s superiority over water] as it would not have demonstrated how the waters first obeyed the command to split and provide passage for the Israelites, and, subsequently, how they reverted to their normal condition and in the process drowned the Egyptians. Not only did G’d thereby impress all those who saw it or heard about it, but He also made the point that the Egyptians who had considered the waters, i.e. the river Nile, as a kind of deity, and their special god as it provided them with their economic well being, that water had now become their undoing, much more so than when the waters turned into blood for a week.
When Yitro correctly realized that Hashem is more powerful than any other force in nature that has been deified, the word מכל is of special significance, i.e. that it is appended to the word כל instead of Yitro saying: מן כל. Had he said: מן כל האלוקים, “more than any other deity,” we would have understood this quantitatively, i.e. other deities are able to lift weights of 500kg, whereas G’d is able to lift weights of a ton. By saying: מכל האלוקים, Yitro made clear that he referred to G’d’s qualitative superiority, His being in a class by Himself. Being able to turn what the Egyptians had believed to be the source of their blessings, water, into the source of their destruction, demonstrated to one and all the nature of Hashem’s power.
When G’d wished to save the Israelites from the yoke of the Egyptians, He chose to defeat them by means of water, as Rashi explained in Sh’mot, G’d could have used fire in order to dry out the water. Had He done so He would not have demonstrated His superiority over water, [only fire’s superiority over water] as it would not have demonstrated how the waters first obeyed the command to split and provide passage for the Israelites, and, subsequently, how they reverted to their normal condition and in the process drowned the Egyptians. Not only did G’d thereby impress all those who saw it or heard about it, but He also made the point that the Egyptians who had considered the waters, i.e. the river Nile, as a kind of deity, and their special god as it provided them with their economic well being, that water had now become their undoing, much more so than when the waters turned into blood for a week.
When Yitro correctly realized that Hashem is more powerful than any other force in nature that has been deified, the word מכל is of special significance, i.e. that it is appended to the word כל instead of Yitro saying: מן כל. Had he said: מן כל האלוקים, “more than any other deity,” we would have understood this quantitatively, i.e. other deities are able to lift weights of 500kg, whereas G’d is able to lift weights of a ton. By saying: מכל האלוקים, Yitro made clear that he referred to G’d’s qualitative superiority, His being in a class by Himself. Being able to turn what the Egyptians had believed to be the source of their blessings, water, into the source of their destruction, demonstrated to one and all the nature of Hashem’s power.
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Kedushat Levi
We may understand the word אתם better when comparing with Exodus 14,4 “I have reinforced Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue you, etc.” You will note that during the entire song of thanksgiving after the drowning of the Egyptians, in spite of frequent repetitions of the many aspects of this miracle, Moses did not for a single time refer to the fact that the Israelites had been saved, although he extols the annihilation of Egypt’s armed might. This was in spite of the fact that the major aspect of the miracle was the saving of the Israelites who had been between a “rock and a hard place,” completely helpless before that miracle.
The Talmud in Pessachim 118 is at pains to point out that the Israelites of that generation were very weak in their level of faith in G’d, so much so that they reasoned that just as they themselves had been able to climb out of the sea bed on one side, the Egyptians might have been able to do the same on the opposite side of the shore. Why would such a thought be justification to describe the Israelites as lacking in faith? Furthermore, what does the Talmud mean by the words: כשם שאנו עולים, “just as we climbed out, etc.?” How could they compare their situation to that of the Egyptians? Besides when had they posed a threat to the Egyptians? In order to understand this better we must remember that there are two different levels of faith. The first and highest level is called אמונה שלמה, “absolute unshakable faith.” It includes that one believes absolutely without reservation in the G’d of our forefathers, reveres Him and loves Him. The second level of “faith,” is not “self generated,” but is the result of experiencing mind-boggling events, such as the miracles the Israelites had experienced both in Egypt and in even greater measure at the sea of reeds. A look at what the Sifssey chachamim has to say on Rashi’s explanation of Yitro’s words in Exodus 18,11 עתה ידעתי כי גדול ה' מכל האלוקים, “now I know that Hashem is greater than any other deity.” Rashi had interpreted this line to mean that in the past Yitro had not left any religion untried until he had found it wanting. The Sifssey chachamim points out that Rashi had come to this conclusion from the apparent contradiction of the word עתה, ”now,” and the word ידעתי, “I was familiar with,” in the past tense. Yitro therefore meant that although in the past he had been familiar with every deity, by now he had convinced himself of Hashem’s absolute superiority.
However, the Egyptians, far from reacting positively to the performance of G’d’s miracles reacted negatively by becoming ever more obstinate. This is indicated clearly in Exodus 15,4 when Moses describes the choicest of the Egyptians’ captains being flung into the sea to drown. (15,4) The expression ובמבחר, “and from the choice(st)” instead of ומטוב “and from the best,” is a double entendre, and hints at the choice the Egyptians had made to rather drown than acknowledge the superiority of Hashem. Watching G’d perform miracles had left open the choice for them to do teshuvah even though G’d had performed one or two acts designed to give them confidence that they could defeat the Israelites and their G’d. The same miracles which had brought the Jewish people closer to G’d, had the opposite effect on the Egyptians, confirming them in the belief that their deity Baal Tzefon had proved superior to the Jewish G’d.
The Talmud in Pessachim 118 is at pains to point out that the Israelites of that generation were very weak in their level of faith in G’d, so much so that they reasoned that just as they themselves had been able to climb out of the sea bed on one side, the Egyptians might have been able to do the same on the opposite side of the shore. Why would such a thought be justification to describe the Israelites as lacking in faith? Furthermore, what does the Talmud mean by the words: כשם שאנו עולים, “just as we climbed out, etc.?” How could they compare their situation to that of the Egyptians? Besides when had they posed a threat to the Egyptians? In order to understand this better we must remember that there are two different levels of faith. The first and highest level is called אמונה שלמה, “absolute unshakable faith.” It includes that one believes absolutely without reservation in the G’d of our forefathers, reveres Him and loves Him. The second level of “faith,” is not “self generated,” but is the result of experiencing mind-boggling events, such as the miracles the Israelites had experienced both in Egypt and in even greater measure at the sea of reeds. A look at what the Sifssey chachamim has to say on Rashi’s explanation of Yitro’s words in Exodus 18,11 עתה ידעתי כי גדול ה' מכל האלוקים, “now I know that Hashem is greater than any other deity.” Rashi had interpreted this line to mean that in the past Yitro had not left any religion untried until he had found it wanting. The Sifssey chachamim points out that Rashi had come to this conclusion from the apparent contradiction of the word עתה, ”now,” and the word ידעתי, “I was familiar with,” in the past tense. Yitro therefore meant that although in the past he had been familiar with every deity, by now he had convinced himself of Hashem’s absolute superiority.
However, the Egyptians, far from reacting positively to the performance of G’d’s miracles reacted negatively by becoming ever more obstinate. This is indicated clearly in Exodus 15,4 when Moses describes the choicest of the Egyptians’ captains being flung into the sea to drown. (15,4) The expression ובמבחר, “and from the choice(st)” instead of ומטוב “and from the best,” is a double entendre, and hints at the choice the Egyptians had made to rather drown than acknowledge the superiority of Hashem. Watching G’d perform miracles had left open the choice for them to do teshuvah even though G’d had performed one or two acts designed to give them confidence that they could defeat the Israelites and their G’d. The same miracles which had brought the Jewish people closer to G’d, had the opposite effect on the Egyptians, confirming them in the belief that their deity Baal Tzefon had proved superior to the Jewish G’d.
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Kedushat Levi
The sages in Rosh Hashanah 12 alluded to this when they stated that “the Jewish people are in the habit of counting Biblical calendar dates as based on the view of Rabbi Eliezer when speaking of the deluge, (solar year), whereas they do so according to the view of Rabbi Joshua when counting the seasons the seasons of the year.” (lunar “year”). The Talmud adds that the astronomers of the gentile nations also count the deluge according to the opinion held by Rabbi Joshua. [The whole statement is extremely puzzling, our author contributing a novel interpretation by understanding it as relating to the mystical dimension of life on earth. Ed.]
Our author raises the question that seeing that the astronomers of the gentile nations adopt an opinion that is contrary to halachah, how can they be described as “sages of gentile nations?” We have a rule that anyone contradicting what is written in the Torah or recorded as wisdom by King Solomon is an absolute fool.
We need to explain above statement allegorically. We have already explained in connection with a statement in the Talmud Pessachim 118 that when Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yossi, (a sage of the fifth generation of the sages that belonged to the Mishnaic period) fell ill Rabbi Yehudah (hanassi?) sent to him asking him to tell them one or two Torah insights of his father that he had not previously revealed. He responded by offering an interpretation of a difficult passage in psalms 117,1 where the psalmist appears to invite the nations of the world to praise G’d, saying: הללו את ה' כל גויים שבחוהו כל האומים, “praise the Lord all you nations; extol Him all you peoples!” Seeing that the next verse describes the miracles G’d has performed on behalf of the Jewish people, what reason would the gentiles have to praise G’d for this? He answered that if the gentiles are required to praise the Lord for having been witnesses to miracles performed for the Israelites, how much more so must the Israelites be duty bound to praise Him on account of this! How much loving kindness have we experienced at the hands of G’d without having thanked Him adequately! Thereupon Rabbi asked for another pearl of wisdom that Rabbi Yossi had not yet revealed. He told them that at the time when the messiah would come, the gentiles would welcome him with gifts. It seems clear that the words שבחוהו, “praise Him,” in the psalm are not meant as acknowledgement of what G’d had done for the gentiles, but for what He had done for His people, the Israelites. It is the overriding duty of all of G’d’s creatures, including the beasts in the field to praise the Creator in accordance with the manner in which they are capable of doing this. This includes even the flora that appear tied to the place in which they grow, and which do not even enjoy the ability to move freely on G’d’s earth. How much more so must the more advanced forms of life on earth praise their Creator, seeing that they are able to enjoy so much more of the world they have been born into?
We may take a cue from the words of Rashi on Shabbat 50, “whatever G’d created, He created for the greater glory of His name.” When Jews are killed for the sanctification of the Lord’s name (having had the opportunity to save themselves by denying Judaism, as happened frequently during the crusades) they do so joyfully.
It is therefore not difficult to comprehend that the psalmist reminds the gentiles of their duty to praise the Lord as He has given them an opportunity to carry out His will. Miracles which G’d performed for the Israelites frequently were at the expense of the gentiles who had oppressed them. The psalmist warns these gentiles that they are obligated to praise the Lord for having been privileged to experience His greatness even while they perish in the process. The fact that they had been chosen to be G’d’s means of showing His might to the Israelites is something they have to acknowledge, not grudgingly, but joyfully. The fact that they deliberately try to blind themselves to such recognition, stamps them as utter fools. The perennial problem with fools is that they do not wish to be enlightened, believing that they are wise.
However, there will come a time, when G’d will open the eyes of the blind and all of them [those who have survived the cataclysmic events occurring first, Ed.] will turn into servants of the Lord.
At the time of the Exodus, when G’d performed miracles that enabled the Israelites to be redeemed, He revealed His power to the Egyptians at the same time, of course. However, the latter, almost until their last breath did not acknowledge that it was G’d Who was fighting them when the waves of the sea of reeds came crashing over them. (Exodus 14,25)
The Jews have not always been better, so that Isaiah 2,5 tells us that the time will come when –after the gentiles have already acknowledged all this in Isaiah 2,3 – they too will experienced the “light” of the Lord. In psalms 118 David foresees all this already hundreds of years before the prophet Isaiah.
Let us revert to the passage in the Talmud Rosh Hashanah 12, and the strange statement referring to the astronomers of the gentiles as “sages.” Traditionally, the month of Tishrey symbolizes that G’d’s attribute of Justice, sits in judgment of His creatures on the first day of that month. The month of Nissan, however symbolizes the attribute of Mercy, loving kindness, as it is the month during which the Jewish people, who had a minimum of merits to their credit, were redeemed after hundreds of years of persecution. When looked at from the perspective of the gentiles, the month of Nissan symbolizes the attribute of Justice, as during that month G’d brought retribution on the leading nation of the gentiles, reducing a world power, Egypt, to becoming a “banana republic,” practically overnight. The effect of this was so overwhelming that Rahab from Jericho, who harbored Joshua’s spies, was still in awe of that event. (Joshua 2,9-11).
Rabbi Eliezer correctly realized that for the gentiles what we perceive as unmitigated disaster, actually is the catalyst that brings them to recognize G’d in the end, by seeing in the month of Tishrey also a harbinger of the attribute of Mercy, seeing it is the gentiles’ last opportunity to change their ways and survive as servants of G’d.
The Talmud introduces a reference to the period during which the deluge occurred, i.e. in Marcheshvan, although neither Rabbi Joshua nor Rabbi Eliezer had made reference to that event at all. When the “sages” of the gentile nations are described as taking their cue from the deluge as being in accord with Rabbi Joshua, even when referring to the deluge, what the Talmud means is that these “gentile sages” recognized that the disasters that had struck them was also an outpouring of G’d’s love, as this enabled the survivors to recognize G’d as a G’d of love after all. [According to the Talmud there the gentile sages recognized what Yitro recognized later also, (Exodus 18,11) i.e. that when G’d brings on retribution He makes the punishment fit the crime. Ed.]
Our author raises the question that seeing that the astronomers of the gentile nations adopt an opinion that is contrary to halachah, how can they be described as “sages of gentile nations?” We have a rule that anyone contradicting what is written in the Torah or recorded as wisdom by King Solomon is an absolute fool.
We need to explain above statement allegorically. We have already explained in connection with a statement in the Talmud Pessachim 118 that when Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yossi, (a sage of the fifth generation of the sages that belonged to the Mishnaic period) fell ill Rabbi Yehudah (hanassi?) sent to him asking him to tell them one or two Torah insights of his father that he had not previously revealed. He responded by offering an interpretation of a difficult passage in psalms 117,1 where the psalmist appears to invite the nations of the world to praise G’d, saying: הללו את ה' כל גויים שבחוהו כל האומים, “praise the Lord all you nations; extol Him all you peoples!” Seeing that the next verse describes the miracles G’d has performed on behalf of the Jewish people, what reason would the gentiles have to praise G’d for this? He answered that if the gentiles are required to praise the Lord for having been witnesses to miracles performed for the Israelites, how much more so must the Israelites be duty bound to praise Him on account of this! How much loving kindness have we experienced at the hands of G’d without having thanked Him adequately! Thereupon Rabbi asked for another pearl of wisdom that Rabbi Yossi had not yet revealed. He told them that at the time when the messiah would come, the gentiles would welcome him with gifts. It seems clear that the words שבחוהו, “praise Him,” in the psalm are not meant as acknowledgement of what G’d had done for the gentiles, but for what He had done for His people, the Israelites. It is the overriding duty of all of G’d’s creatures, including the beasts in the field to praise the Creator in accordance with the manner in which they are capable of doing this. This includes even the flora that appear tied to the place in which they grow, and which do not even enjoy the ability to move freely on G’d’s earth. How much more so must the more advanced forms of life on earth praise their Creator, seeing that they are able to enjoy so much more of the world they have been born into?
We may take a cue from the words of Rashi on Shabbat 50, “whatever G’d created, He created for the greater glory of His name.” When Jews are killed for the sanctification of the Lord’s name (having had the opportunity to save themselves by denying Judaism, as happened frequently during the crusades) they do so joyfully.
It is therefore not difficult to comprehend that the psalmist reminds the gentiles of their duty to praise the Lord as He has given them an opportunity to carry out His will. Miracles which G’d performed for the Israelites frequently were at the expense of the gentiles who had oppressed them. The psalmist warns these gentiles that they are obligated to praise the Lord for having been privileged to experience His greatness even while they perish in the process. The fact that they had been chosen to be G’d’s means of showing His might to the Israelites is something they have to acknowledge, not grudgingly, but joyfully. The fact that they deliberately try to blind themselves to such recognition, stamps them as utter fools. The perennial problem with fools is that they do not wish to be enlightened, believing that they are wise.
However, there will come a time, when G’d will open the eyes of the blind and all of them [those who have survived the cataclysmic events occurring first, Ed.] will turn into servants of the Lord.
At the time of the Exodus, when G’d performed miracles that enabled the Israelites to be redeemed, He revealed His power to the Egyptians at the same time, of course. However, the latter, almost until their last breath did not acknowledge that it was G’d Who was fighting them when the waves of the sea of reeds came crashing over them. (Exodus 14,25)
The Jews have not always been better, so that Isaiah 2,5 tells us that the time will come when –after the gentiles have already acknowledged all this in Isaiah 2,3 – they too will experienced the “light” of the Lord. In psalms 118 David foresees all this already hundreds of years before the prophet Isaiah.
Let us revert to the passage in the Talmud Rosh Hashanah 12, and the strange statement referring to the astronomers of the gentiles as “sages.” Traditionally, the month of Tishrey symbolizes that G’d’s attribute of Justice, sits in judgment of His creatures on the first day of that month. The month of Nissan, however symbolizes the attribute of Mercy, loving kindness, as it is the month during which the Jewish people, who had a minimum of merits to their credit, were redeemed after hundreds of years of persecution. When looked at from the perspective of the gentiles, the month of Nissan symbolizes the attribute of Justice, as during that month G’d brought retribution on the leading nation of the gentiles, reducing a world power, Egypt, to becoming a “banana republic,” practically overnight. The effect of this was so overwhelming that Rahab from Jericho, who harbored Joshua’s spies, was still in awe of that event. (Joshua 2,9-11).
Rabbi Eliezer correctly realized that for the gentiles what we perceive as unmitigated disaster, actually is the catalyst that brings them to recognize G’d in the end, by seeing in the month of Tishrey also a harbinger of the attribute of Mercy, seeing it is the gentiles’ last opportunity to change their ways and survive as servants of G’d.
The Talmud introduces a reference to the period during which the deluge occurred, i.e. in Marcheshvan, although neither Rabbi Joshua nor Rabbi Eliezer had made reference to that event at all. When the “sages” of the gentile nations are described as taking their cue from the deluge as being in accord with Rabbi Joshua, even when referring to the deluge, what the Talmud means is that these “gentile sages” recognized that the disasters that had struck them was also an outpouring of G’d’s love, as this enabled the survivors to recognize G’d as a G’d of love after all. [According to the Talmud there the gentile sages recognized what Yitro recognized later also, (Exodus 18,11) i.e. that when G’d brings on retribution He makes the punishment fit the crime. Ed.]
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