Commento su Esodo 18:12

עלה — Translate this according to its usual meaning: a burnt-offering, which was burnt entire and completely.

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.

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.

ויקח יתרו… עולה וזבחים, Yitro took total offerings and meat offerings, etc. Yitro was clever in offering numerous peace offerings. He did this in order to be able to play host to many Jewish dignitaries. This is the reason it does not say: "he invited Aaron and the elders," but "Aaron and the elders came to eat with Moses' father-in-law before the Lord." They did not need to await an invitation because the quantity of Yitro's offerings spoke for itself. He certainly would not have allowed all this meat to go to waste as it would have been forbidden to do so. The elders honoured Yitro by joining him without a personal invitation being extended to them.

ויבא אהרן וכל זקני ישראל לאכול לחם עם חתם משה, in honour of the arrival of Yitro they all came to the meal. There was no need to mention that Moses also participated as the meal was served in his tent, he being the host.

ויקח יתרו חותן משה עולה וזבחים, “Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law purchased burnt offerings and meat offerings.” According to Nachmanides all this occurred before the people had come to Mount Sinai. It is also possible that what is reported here occurred long after the revelation, i.e. after Yitro had undergone a formal conversion and Moses had been on the Mountain several times.

ויקח יתרו חותן משה עולה וזבחים לאלו-הים, “Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law took burnt offering and meat offering for G’d.” This is the only time when we find the Torah mentioning the attribute אלו-הים in connection with sacrifices. Everyhwere else we have the attribute Hashem in connection with sacrificial offerings to G’d. Yitro had not yet become aware of that dimension of G’d; hence he had to address the attribute he was aware of. Moses tried to educate him in this respect when he told him in verse 8 about what Hashem had done to Pharaoh on account of the Jewish people. Yitro’s motivation in coming, significantly, referred to what אלו-הים had done for Moses (verse 1).

V. 12. Obgleich es nicht heißt לד׳, so bürgt doch die Teilnahme Aarons und der Ältesten dafür, dass die Opfer dem einen einzigen Gott geweiht waren. עולה וזבחים, ein Opfer der Hingebung und Opfer der Freude. — שלמים ,זבחים :לפני האלקי׳, bei welchen von dem zuerst Gott dargebrachten Tiere der größere Teil dem Darbringenden selbst wieder zum Genuss zurückkommt und dadurch die Wahrheit bestätigt wird, dass eine Gottes würdige Genussesfreude selbst Gottesdienst wird, laden den Opfernden gleichsam bei Gott zu Tische, משלחן גבוה קא זכו, und das Mahl wird im Angesichte Gottes eingenommen. Aaron; und die Ältesten waren zu Tische, Mosche — in dessen Zelte ja das Opfermahl war — wartete als Wirt den Gästen auf, wie die Weisen bemerken.

עולה וזבחים, ”burnt offerings and meat offerings” (the latter to be consumed by the owners of those animals and their guests). Both types of offerings were in the nature of thanksgiving offerings.

וזבחים AND SACRIFICES — i. e. peace-offerings.

AND AARON CAME, AND ALL THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL, TO EAT BREAD. That is, with Jethro in the day of his espousals,⁸⁰Song of Songs 3:11. [i.e., in the day of his entrance into the covenant with G-d], for he was then as a newly-circumcised child.

לאכול לחם עם חותן משה, to rejoice with him on his entry into the select circle of those who serve the only true G’d, the Creator of the universe. He joined the ranks of those who are described by David in Psalms 149 as ישמח ישראל בעושיו, “Israel rejoices in Him Who has proved to be its Creator.”

ויבוא אהרן וכל זקני ישראל לאכול לחם, “Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to have a meal, etc.” This was a meal in honour of Yitro’s conversion and circumcision. We know from Tzipporah (Exodus 4,26), that she considered the circumcision as an allegorical marriage between the newly circumcised Jew and his Creator.

עם חותן משה לפני האלו-הים, “with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of G’d.” The words: “in the presence of G’d,” mean “in front of the משכן, residence, of G’d.” Seeing that there was not yet a Tabernacle, the meaning is “in front of the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire which symbolised G’d’s residence on earth.” The meal described here was prepared in honour of Yitro’s conversion, circumcision, and ritual immersion. There can be no question that this festive meal, just like the meal Yitzchak had eaten prior to bestowing blessings, was designed to enhance the joy of the souls of the participants so that they would be granted Holy Spirit. We have explained on other occasions already that true spiritual joy is dependent on one’s body feeling well. When one’s physical powers are at their best such feelings transfer themselves also to the soul and enhance its ability to feel at its best. This has been documented in Kings II 3,15 by the prophet Elisha who demanded to be entertained by a musician in order to raise his spirit to the level of prophetic insights.

ויבא אהרן וכל זקני ישראל, “Aaron and all the elders of Israel came (to partake in the meal) Moses did not need to “come,” seeing the offerings were consumed in his tent. The other dignitaries came in honour of Yitro, Moses’ fatherinlaw.

ויבא אהרן וגו׳ AND AARON CAME, etc. — But where had Moses gone? Was it not he who had gone out to meet him and had been the cause of all the honour shown to him? But the explanation why he is not mentioned as having come to eat bread with Jethro is that he was standing by and waiting upon them (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:12:2).

לפני האלוקים. in front of the altar on which they offered these sacrifices. It is not clear if this was the altar Moses had built after the victory over Amalek (in the event Yitro had arrived before the revelation at Mount Sinai) or if it had been another altar whose erection had not been especially mentioned by the Torah. At any rate, the consuming of the offerings known as זבחים, “meat-offerings,” took place within view of the altar.

לפני האלוקים, “before G’d.” Nachmanides explains the word לפני in terms of location, i.e. that Moses’ personal tent was situated to the east of the Tabernacle.

לפני האלוקים, according to the plain meaning the word לפני means the same as מלפני, ‘to take part in what had been offered in the presence of the Lord,” i.e. the meat offerings. [The burnt offering was always completely burned up on the altar. Ed.]

לפני האלהים BEFORE GOD — From this statement that they were “before God” we may learn that one who takes part in (more lit., who has enjoyment from) a meal at which scholars sit may be regarded as though he has enjoyment from the splendour of the Shechina (Berakhot 64a; cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:12:3).