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Save "Yitro ~ Moshe and Yaakov"
Yitro ~ Moshe and Yaakov

~ Parashat Yitro is very important, in part, because we read the Aseret HaDibrot, the so-called Ten Commandments. But today I want to focus on the relationship between Moshe and his family. What do you imagine has happened? How do you understand that relationship? How does it compare to Yaakov's relationship with his family?

I'm going to read a description of one of the heroes of the Torah, and I want you to tell me whom I am referring to.

After growing up in a privileged and sheltered environment, the hero runs away from a more powerful member of his household, who has made clear his intention to kill him. The hero goes east and ends up by a well, where his future wife faces an obstacle in watering her sheep. He removes the obstacle and waters the sheep for her. Quickly the shepherdess’s father hears about this and takes in the hero, giving him his daughter as a wife and making him a shepherd over his flock. Eventually, after having children, he tells his father-in-law that he wants to return home. God speaks to the hero and he subsequently returns home to become leader of his clan. On the way back, he meets an otherworldly stranger who attacks him but ultimately relents. This is followed by a reunion with his older brother who markedly embraces him, in spite of the fact that the hero’s return spells a threat to the older brother’s position of leadership.

(R. Francis Nataf, Redeeming Relevance, Exodus, Chp. 3)

~ Moshe and Ya’akov share a intense personal exile. They are in foreign lands, marry into (ultimately) foreign families, work with property that doesn’t belong to them and live alongside unfamiliar cultural values. Remember, for instance, Lavan's explanation for marrying Leah to Yaakov first: this is what is done in OUR place - and Yaakov accepts it, underscoring his alien status. Exile, feeling alienated and lonely are all formative of those two Jewish leaders. But let's notice what is very different between them: their relationships with the wife or wives and children.

~ How frequently are Yaakov's wives mentioned?

~ What is the relationship between Yaakov and Leah and Rachel?

~ What happens when Yaakov feels he is about to die?

Note the difference between Moshe and Yaakov: Moshe dies without his children. And Tziporah's name appears only three times in the Torah, even though she's mentioned five times:

(כא) וַיּ֥וֹאֶל מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶת־הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיִּתֵּ֛ן אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֥ה בִתּ֖וֹ לְמֹשֶֽׁה׃
(21) Moses consented to stay with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah as wife.
(יח) וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ מֹשֶׁ֜ה וַיָּ֣שָׁב ׀ אֶל־יֶ֣תֶר חֹֽתְנ֗וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אֵ֣לְכָה נָּ֗א וְאָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ אֶל־אַחַ֣י אֲשֶׁר־בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְאֶרְאֶ֖ה הַעוֹדָ֣ם חַיִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִתְר֛וֹ לְמֹשֶׁ֖ה לֵ֥ךְ לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ (יט) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ בְּמִדְיָ֔ן לֵ֖ךְ שֻׁ֣ב מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּי־מֵ֙תוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (כ) וַיִּקַּ֨ח מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֗יו וַיַּרְכִּבֵם֙ עַֽל־הַחֲמֹ֔ר וַיָּ֖שָׁב אַ֣רְצָה מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־מַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹקִ֖ים בְּיָדֽוֹ׃
(18) Moses went back to his father-in-law Jether and said to him, “Let me go back to my kinsmen in Egypt and see how they are faring.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” (19) The LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who sought to kill you are dead.” (20) So Moses took his wife and sons, mounted them on an ass, and went back to the land of Egypt; and Moses took the rod of God with him.
(כה) וַתִּקַּ֨ח צִפֹּרָ֜ה צֹ֗ר וַתִּכְרֹת֙ אֶת־עָרְלַ֣ת בְּנָ֔הּ וַתַּגַּ֖ע לְרַגְלָ֑יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֧י חֲתַן־דָּמִ֛ים אַתָּ֖ה לִֽי׃
(25) So Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched his legs with it, saying, “You are truly a bridegroom of blood to me!”
(ב) וַיִּקַּ֗ח יִתְרוֹ֙ חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֖ה אֵ֣שֶׁת מֹשֶׁ֑ה אַחַ֖ר שִׁלּוּחֶֽיהָ׃
(2) So Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after she had been sent home,
(א) וַתְּדַבֵּ֨ר מִרְיָ֤ם וְאַהֲרֹן֙ בְּמֹשֶׁ֔ה עַל־אֹד֛וֹת הָאִשָּׁ֥ה הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקָ֑ח כִּֽי־אִשָּׁ֥ה כֻשִׁ֖ית לָקָֽח׃
(1) Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married: “He married a Cushite woman!”

~ The story of Yaakov's marriages are detailed, and that is also because we understand he has an attachment to Rachel from the get go, an attachment so deep that he mentions her several times after she dies, and he eventually forms an attachment to Leah at the end. He has an attachment to all his children, and exploring those relationships are a hefty part of studying Genesis. The children are described and talked about, even the ones we do not talk very often about, let's say, Asher or Zevulun. [Of course you can give all sorts of explanations, the Four Document Theory has several, but let's focus on the craft of the story itself today]

~ Moshe, on the other hand, has nothing like that. His sons are an afterthought almost, he does not even circumcise one of them - it falls to Tziporah to do that. And his relationship with Tziporah is based on something that no other relationship in the Torah is: distance.

~ Tziporah lives her name: she is rarely visible, and only speaks regarding the circumcision. There are those who believe she is speakign to Moshe, and those who believe she is speaking to the child. If the last case is true, never in the narrative we see her talking directly to Moshe.

~ Look closely to the opening scene of our portion:

(א) וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע יִתְר֨וֹ כֹהֵ֤ן מִדְיָן֙ חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה אֱלֹקִים֙ לְמֹשֶׁ֔ה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַמּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־הוֹצִ֧יא ה' אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ (ב) וַיִּקַּ֗ח יִתְרוֹ֙ חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֖ה אֵ֣שֶׁת מֹשֶׁ֑ה אַחַ֖ר שִׁלּוּחֶֽיהָ׃ (ג) וְאֵ֖ת שְׁנֵ֣י בָנֶ֑יהָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאֶחָד֙ גֵּֽרְשֹׁ֔ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר גֵּ֣ר הָיִ֔יתִי בְּאֶ֖רֶץ נָכְרִיָּֽה׃ (ד) וְשֵׁ֥ם הָאֶחָ֖ד אֱלִיעֶ֑זֶר כִּֽי־אֱלֹקֵ֤י אָבִי֙ בְּעֶזְרִ֔י וַיַּצִּלֵ֖נִי מֵחֶ֥רֶב פַּרְעֹֽה׃ (ה) וַיָּבֹ֞א יִתְר֨וֹ חֹתֵ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֛ה וּבָנָ֥יו וְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֗ר אֲשֶׁר־ה֛וּא חֹנֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם הַ֥ר הָאֱלֹקִֽים׃ (ו) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֲנִ֛י חֹתֶנְךָ֥ יִתְר֖וֹ בָּ֣א אֵלֶ֑יךָ וְאִ֨שְׁתְּךָ֔ וּשְׁנֵ֥י בָנֶ֖יהָ עִמָּֽהּ׃ (ז) וַיֵּצֵ֨א מֹשֶׁ֜ה לִקְרַ֣את חֹֽתְנ֗וֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ וַיִּשַּׁק־ל֔וֹ וַיִּשְׁאֲל֥וּ אִישׁ־לְרֵעֵ֖הוּ לְשָׁל֑וֹם וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ הָאֹֽהֱלָה׃ (ח) וַיְסַפֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ לְחֹ֣תְנ֔וֹ אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה ה' לְפַרְעֹ֣ה וּלְמִצְרַ֔יִם עַ֖ל אוֹדֹ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֵ֤ת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מְצָאָ֣תַם בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וַיַּצִּלֵ֖ם ה'׃

(1) Jethro priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the LORD had brought Israel out from Egypt. (2) So Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after she had been sent home, (3) and her two sons—of whom one was named Gershom, that is to say, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land”; (4) and the other was named Eliezer, meaning, “The God of my father was my help, and He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.” (5) Jethro, Moshe's father-in-law, brought his sons and his wife to Moshe in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God. (6) He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, with your wife and her two sons.” (7) Moses went out to meet his father-in-law; he bowed low and kissed him; each asked after the other’s welfare, and they went into the tent. (8) Moses then recounted to his father-in-law everything that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had befallen them on the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.

~ Eliezer is only mentioned by name here. Gershom was mentioned before. Note how they are described: her sons. Moshe does not go to meet his family. He only goes to meet Yitro. It is as if the family really does not exist for Moshe: he has no attachment to them now - the boys were described as his before he goes to focus on his mission. Now, that he has his mission, they are described as "hers". Even if you say that they are described as "his" on verse 5, there are commentators that call our attention to the fact that "his" can refer back to Yitro, and that the text is being unclear on purpose.

~ The Torah does not tell us anything about the boys themselves, it is as if only their names and the explanations are relevant - the rest is not. They have done nothing so important to merit mentioning, but remember, other characters that did nothing still get to be mentioned, even if it is because of their status on the tribe.

~ Even the opening of our portion is surprising: we, readers or listeners, had no idea Moshe did not have his family with him. Because the last time they were mentioned, they were all going down to Egypt with him! And he also represents the first break in what was the default so far: the family stays mostly together up to now in the story.

~ There is an explanation that affirms that the Torah is not at all interested in Moshe's family simply because there are more Jews at this moment, and with Yaakov his family, as large as it was, is still the only "Jewish people" one had. That is certainly a possibility, but it does not explain the exile and alienation of Moshe, and why this is important in terms of receive Torah and passing it on.

~ In a way, Moshe's relationship with God is so intense as to blur the distinctions between human and divine, and this is complicated at best. How could Torah, a document about living life in this world, as humans, be given to someone above humanity? How could we expect it to be applicable to us, if it were some sort of document just for super-humans? Incidentally, this is what the angels in the midrash oppose: how can You, God, give Torah to this Moshe, who is born of a woman?

ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי בשעה שעלה משה למרום אמרו מלאכי השרת לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא רבונו של עולם מה לילוד אשה בינינו אמר להן לקבל תורה בא אמרו לפניו חמודה גנוזה שגנוזה לך תשע מאות ושבעים וארבעה דורות קודם שנברא העולם אתה מבקש ליתנה לבשר ודם מה אנוש כי תזכרנו ובן אדם כי תפקדנו ה׳ אדנינו מה אדיר שמך בכל הארץ אשר תנה הודך על השמים
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: When Moses ascended on High to receive the Torah, the ministering angels said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, what is one born of a woman doing here among us? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: He came to receive the Torah. The angels said before Him: The Torah is a hidden treasure that was concealed by you 974 generations before the creation of the world, and you seek to give it to flesh and blood? As it is stated: “The word which He commanded to a thousand generations” (Psalms 105:8). Since the Torah, the word of God, was given to the twenty-sixth generation after Adam, the first man, the remaining 974 generations must have preceded the creation of the world. “What is man that You are mindful of him and the son of man that You think of him?” (Psalms 8:5). Rather, “God our Lord, how glorious is Your name in all the earth that Your majesty is placed above the heavens” (Psalms 8:2). The rightful place of God’s majesty, the Torah, is in the heavens.

~ And I think it is telling that Moshe is seen as "ish", a man in a few times: the text is trying to remind us, and maybe Moshe himself, that he is a person.

(ג) וַיִּתֵּ֧ן ה' אֶת־חֵ֥ן הָעָ֖ם בְּעֵינֵ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם גַּ֣ם ׀ הָאִ֣ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֗ה גָּד֤וֹל מְאֹד֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּעֵינֵ֥י עַבְדֵֽי־פַרְעֹ֖ה וּבְעֵינֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃ (ס)
(3) The LORD disposed the Egyptians favorably toward the people. Moreover, Moses himself was much esteemed in the land of Egypt, among Pharaoh’s courtiers and among the people.
(א) וַיַּ֣רְא הָעָ֔ם כִּֽי־בֹשֵׁ֥שׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָרֶ֣דֶת מִן־הָהָ֑ר וַיִּקָּהֵ֨ל הָעָ֜ם עַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ ק֣וּם ׀ עֲשֵׂה־לָ֣נוּ אֱלֹקִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֵֽלְכוּ֙ לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ כִּי־זֶ֣ה ׀ מֹשֶׁ֣ה הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶֽעֱלָ֙נוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְנוּ מֶה־הָ֥יָה לֽוֹ׃
(1) When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, the people gathered against Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who shall go before us, for that man Moses, who brought us from the land of Egypt—we do not know what has happened to him.”
(כג) וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לִ֔י עֲשֵׂה־לָ֣נוּ אֱלֹקִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֵלְכ֖וּ לְפָנֵ֑ינוּ כִּי־זֶ֣ה ׀ מֹשֶׁ֣ה הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶֽעֱלָ֙נוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְנוּ מֶה־הָ֥יָה לֽוֹ׃
(23) They said to me, ‘Make us a god to lead us; for that man Moses, who brought us from the land of Egypt—we do not know what has happened to him.’
(ג) וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה ענו [עָנָ֣יו] מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ (ס)
(3) Now Moses was a very humble man, more so than any other man on earth.

~ I think Moshe needed to get married simply because he needed to be reminded of being human, since we know that he is going to become more than human through his prolonged contact with God. Marriage is an important part of human life and a person who does not know it from the inside cannot properly lead other people in living their lives.

~ Also, on a very basic level, a person has to grow into his or her calling. One develops as one lives. The Moshe who married Tzipporah was not the same Moshe who would later separate from her.

(כח) וַֽיְהִי־שָׁ֣ם עִם־ה' אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יוֹם֙ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים לַ֔יְלָה לֶ֚חֶם לֹ֣א אָכַ֔ל וּמַ֖יִם לֹ֣א שָׁתָ֑ה וַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֗ת אֵ֚ת דִּבְרֵ֣י הַבְּרִ֔ית עֲשֶׂ֖רֶת הַדְּבָרִֽים׃ (כט) וַיְהִ֗י בְּרֶ֤דֶת מֹשֶׁה֙ מֵהַ֣ר סִינַ֔י וּשְׁנֵ֨י לֻחֹ֤ת הָֽעֵדֻת֙ בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּרִדְתּ֖וֹ מִן־הָהָ֑ר וּמֹשֶׁ֣ה לֹֽא־יָדַ֗ע כִּ֥י קָרַ֛ן ע֥וֹר פָּנָ֖יו בְּדַבְּר֥וֹ אִתּֽוֹ׃ (ל) וַיַּ֨רְא אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְכָל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה קָרַ֖ן ע֣וֹר פָּנָ֑יו וַיִּֽירְא֖וּ מִגֶּ֥שֶׁת אֵלָֽיו׃ (לא) וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֲלֵהֶם֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיָּשֻׁ֧בוּ אֵלָ֛יו אַהֲרֹ֥ן וְכָל־הַנְּשִׂאִ֖ים בָּעֵדָ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֲלֵהֶֽם׃ (לב) וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֥ן נִגְּשׁ֖וּ כָּל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיְצַוֵּ֕ם אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר ה' אִתּ֖וֹ בְּהַ֥ר סִינָֽי׃ (לג) וַיְכַ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֔ה מִדַּבֵּ֖ר אִתָּ֑ם וַיִּתֵּ֥ן עַל־פָּנָ֖יו מַסְוֶֽה׃ (לד) וּבְבֹ֨א מֹשֶׁ֜ה לִפְנֵ֤י ה' לְדַבֵּ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ יָסִ֥יר אֶת־הַמַּסְוֶ֖ה עַד־צֵאת֑וֹ וְיָצָ֗א וְדִבֶּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְצֻוֶּֽה׃ (לה) וְרָא֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה כִּ֣י קָרַ֔ן ע֖וֹר פְּנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְהֵשִׁ֨יב מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶת־הַמַּסְוֶה֙ עַל־פָּנָ֔יו עַד־בֹּא֖וֹ לְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃ (ס)
(28) And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he ate no bread and drank no water; and he wrote down on the tablets the terms of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. (29) So Moses came down from Mount Sinai. And as Moses came down from the mountain bearing the two tablets of the Pact, Moses was not aware that the skin of his face was radiant, since he had spoken with Him. (30) Aaron and all the Israelites saw that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant; and they shrank from coming near him. (31) But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the chieftains in the assembly returned to him, and Moses spoke to them. (32) Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he instructed them concerning all that the LORD had imparted to him on Mount Sinai. (33) And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. (34) Whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would leave the veil off until he came out; and when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, (35) the Israelites would see how radiant the skin of Moses’ face was. Moses would then put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with Him.

~ Going back to Yaakov, his calling is not that - he is at best a prototype of Moshe, someone who builds the necessary basic blocks, but does not give the complete moral foundation of Jewish behavior. While Yaakov's alienation is partial, and he indeed finds connection in the family he creates, Moshe's alienation needs to be total. Apparently, even keeping a marriage and a connection to children is counterproductive to what Moshe needs to become and do. The question is why.

~ On one plane we can understand that it is the bonds that we have with people that gives us identity and meaning. But we know that there is a darker side to these bonds, meaning, we care more about our people than other people. We tend to see things through our group's eyes, and this might prevent us from seeing things from other people's perspectives. It is impossible, if we are honest, to uphold two different narratives if one of them is the narrative of our group. But Moshe does, and the midrash has him as the basic force behind the inclusion of the erev rav in the Jewish people.

(ו) לֶךְ רֵד כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ, הָעָם אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָא עַמְּךָ, אָמַר משֶׁה רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם מִנַּיִן הֵם עַמִּי, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַמְּךָ הֵם, שֶׁעַד שֶׁהָיוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ (שמות ז, ד): וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶת צִבְאֹתַי אֶת עַמִּי, אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ שֶׁלֹא לְעָרֵב בָּהֶם עֵרֶב רָב, אַתָּה שֶׁהָיִיתָ עָנָו וְכָשֵׁר אָמַרְתָּ לִי לְעוֹלָם מְקַבְּלִים הַשָּׁבִים, וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה הֵם עֲתִידִין לַעֲשׂוֹת, אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ, לָאו, וְעָשִׂיתִי רְצוֹנְךָ, וְהֵם הֵם שֶׁעָשׂוּ אֶת הָעֵגֶל, שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹבְדִים עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְהֵם עָשׂוּ אוֹתוֹ וְגָרְמוּ לְעַמִּי לַחֲטֹא. רְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב אֵלֶּה אֱלֹקֵינוּ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא (שמות לב, ד): אֵלֶּה אֱלֹקֶיךָ, שֶׁהַגֵּרִים שֶׁעָלוּ עִם משֶׁה הֵם עֲשָׂאוּהוּ וְאָמְרוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֵלֶה אֱלֹקֶיךָ, לְכָךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר לְמשֶׁה: לֶךְ רֵד כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ.

"Go down because your people has sinned" - it is not written here "the people", rather "your people". Moshe said to the Holy One: "why are they my people?" The Holy One responded: "they are your people because even while they were in Egypt I told you "I will bring My people out by order" (Shemot 7:4) and I said to you not to have the mixed multitude with them, but you, who are humble and kasher, said to Me: "we always receive those who return!" and I told you I knew what was going to happen, that they were idolaters and would do the Golden Calf, but still I did what you asked, and here, they made the people sin. ...

~ After the mixed multitude is identified as the group who worshiped the golden calf, Moshe is castigated for his lack of proper judgment. Still, the midrash approves of Moshe’s motivation to the point that it tells us that God accepted his argument. In doing so, the midrash reiterates the monumental significance of his stance – a stance born of exile and alienation.

~ Moshe needs to be above those connections so he will be a leader to all. He is supposed to be a universal leader, and identify equally with people from his family and not his family, with his tribe and people not of his tribe - how many of us even recall that Moshe is a Levite, but not a Cohen? - with Jews and non-Jews. That is why the midrash has Moshe bringing the erev rav, the mixed multitude.

~ And we can defend the need for MOshe to be who he is, and how he is. Because his source, and Torah's source are the same: Torah is not exclusively a Jewish text. We are supposed to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, we are supposed to bring light to the nations.

(ג) וּמֹשֶׁ֥ה עָלָ֖ה אֶל־הָאֱלֹקִ֑ים וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֵלָ֤יו ה' מִן־הָהָ֣ר לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֤ה תֹאמַר֙ לְבֵ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְתַגֵּ֖יד לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ד) אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתִי לְמִצְרָ֑יִם וָאֶשָּׂ֤א אֶתְכֶם֙ עַל־כַּנְפֵ֣י נְשָׁרִ֔ים וָאָבִ֥א אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי׃ (ה) וְעַתָּ֗ה אִם־שָׁמ֤וֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ בְּקֹלִ֔י וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֑י וִהְיִ֨יתֶם לִ֤י סְגֻלָּה֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים כִּי־לִ֖י כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ו) וְאַתֶּ֧ם תִּהְיוּ־לִ֛י מַמְלֶ֥כֶת כֹּהֲנִ֖ים וְג֣וֹי קָד֑וֹשׁ אֵ֚לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּ֖ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ז) וַיָּבֹ֣א מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיִּקְרָ֖א לְזִקְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וַיָּ֣שֶׂם לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם אֵ֚ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖הוּ ה'׃
(3) and Moses went up to God. The LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob and declare to the children of Israel: (4) ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Me. (5) Now then, if you will obey Me faithfully and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples. Indeed, all the earth is Mine, (6) but you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel.” (7) Moses came and summoned the elders of the people and put before them all that the LORD had commanded him.
(ה) כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר הָאֵ֣ל ׀ ה' בּוֹרֵ֤א הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְנ֣וֹטֵיהֶ֔ם רֹקַ֥ע הָאָ֖רֶץ וְצֶאֱצָאֶ֑יהָ נֹתֵ֤ן נְשָׁמָה֙ לָעָ֣ם עָלֶ֔יהָ וְר֖וּחַ לַהֹלְכִ֥ים בָּֽהּ׃ (ו) אֲנִ֧י ה' קְרָאתִ֥יךָֽ בְצֶ֖דֶק וְאַחְזֵ֣ק בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְאֶצָּרְךָ֗ וְאֶתֶּנְךָ֛ לִבְרִ֥ית עָ֖ם לְא֥וֹר גּוֹיִֽם׃ (ז) לִפְקֹ֖חַ עֵינַ֣יִם עִוְר֑וֹת לְהוֹצִ֤יא מִמַּסְגֵּר֙ אַסִּ֔יר מִבֵּ֥ית כֶּ֖לֶא יֹ֥שְׁבֵי חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
(5) Thus said God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and what it brings forth, Who gave breath to the people upon it And life to those who walk thereon: (6) I the LORD, in My grace, have summoned you, And I have grasped you by the hand. I created you, and appointed you A covenant people, a light of nations— (7) Opening eyes deprived of light, Rescuing prisoners from confinement, From the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

~ Torah has this dual identity: it speaks about one people, but addresses all peoples. Our responsibility is to spread the ideas of acceptance and tolerance in the world. Even as the Torah brings specific laws for us, its ethical and spiritual vision is for all humans. This is why I have insisted many times: the Torah opens with the affirmation that we are all children of God. All of us. And that is why we need to receive Torah through someone who is above the particulars of a people, someone who can criticize our people objectively.

~ This is also why the portion that has the revelation is named after Yitro, a non-Jew. This is also significant.

~ And this is why both Yaakov and Moshe need to feel alienated and experience exile before they lead the people, in its different levels of development. Yaakov needs to realize that for the family to survive Egypt he himself needs to have a history of exile, loss, resilience and survival. Moshe needs to be able to identify with those who suffer, and remind us that even though we do not suffer ourselves, we need to empathize with those who suffer, whether they are Jewish or not. More than any other nation, we are called to be transnational as well. We are called to learn how to walk the balancing act of keeping our identity while defending those oppressed who do not share our identity.

~ We have, historically, maintained our own identity in exile, learning as we go to accept a few cultural trappings of our societies, and even leading those societies, without forgetting our uniqueness.

The Jew is called to emulate Moshe and somehow try to hear the national narratives of others – to be above his own culture while he lives within it. In the post-nationalist world of today, the Jewish take on nationalism is extremely useful. For in truth, contemporary post-nationalism is only one side of today’s equation. Although increasingly permeable national borders result in their taking on less importance, nationalism is still not entirely a thing of the past. Nor is it likely (or even desirable) that it will completely disappear in the foreseeable future. The problem raised by the vestiges of nationalism in an increasingly multicultural global community is how to simultaneously cling to the meaning given by one’s own particular identity and still be able to work with others who don’t share it. Hence, the unique Jewish model just explained could make a singular contribution. Properly understood, Jewish duality represents the notion of a people comfortable with its own tradition yet sufficiently alienated from it to listen to competing narratives. Such a paradigm allows for the grounding influence of one’s own culture while leaving room for other visions of the good.

~ It is only those who are confident in their identity and their knowledge of their tradition that can see the other as non-threatening. May we dedicate ourselves to Torah and mitzvot, and good deeds, in the upcoming week as a form of strengthening our connections to our people, our families and all of our communities, Jewish and non-Jewish.

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