## Chizkuni, Exodus

###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:1:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:1:1)

**וישמע יתרו** פרש״‎י שמע קריעת ים סוף דוגמא כי שמענו את אשר הוביש ה׳‎ את מי ים סוף. ולפי שיתרו ועמלק סמוכין זה לזה, כדכתיב ויאמר שאול אל הקיני סורו רדו מתוך עמלקי פן אוסיפך עמו, עכשו שמא ע״‎י פלטים שברחו ממלחמת עמלק שמע.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
וישמע יתרו, “Yitro heard;” according to Rashi, Yitro heard about the Israelites having crossed the sea of reeds and the Egyptians having drowned in it during their pursuit of them. Rashi’s explanation is supported by Joshua 2,10 where the spies of Joshua are told by Rachav forty years later that she and her people are still scared of the G-d Who had orchestrated that event. It is also supported by the fact that the Torah mentions Yitro and Amalek in one breath in Samuel I 15,6: ויאמר שאול אל הקיני סורו רדו מתוך עמלקי פן אוסיפך עמו. “Shaul said to the Kenite: “separate yourself from the Amalekite so that you do not become a victim when I wipe out the Amalekite.’” Yitro had seven different names in the Torah, one of which is “Kenite.” How did Yitro hear about all this now? Maybe someone had escaped from the battle with Amalek and he heard it from him.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:1:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:1:2)

**יתרו** פרש״‎י שבעה שמות היו לו. וא״‎ת אמאי לא קחשיב רכב שאף כן נקרא יתרו, כדכתיב מבני רכב חותן משה, אלא יש לומר דלא חשיב כאן רש״‎י אלא אותם שנכתבו בתורה אבל אותם דדברי קבלה לא חשיב.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
יתרו; “ according to Rashi he had seven names; Reuel, Yeter, Yitro, Chovav, Chever, Keyni, Petuel. If you were to ask why the name Rechev is not included in this list, seeing that in Jeremiah a descendant of his is referred to as from בית הרכבים (Jeremiah 35,2). Presumably, Rashi only referred to the names that are mentioned in the Torah itself.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:1:3
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:1:3)

**כהן מדין** גדול היה מדהשוה הכתוב ליבין חבר, דהיינו יתרו כדכתיב כי שלום בין יבין מלך חצור ובין בית חבר הקיני ש״‎מ גדול היה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
כהן מדין, the priest of Midian. He must have been of high rank as he is compared to Yavin, King of Chatzor, as an equal. (Compare Judges 4,17) There he is called Chever.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:1:4
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:1:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:1:4)

**חתן משה** פרש״‎י כאן היה יתרו מתכבד במשה כלומר כאן שנתגדל משה ונעשה שר היה יתרו מתכבד בו ולשעבר שעדיין לא נתגדל וגלה מארצו היה הוא תולה הגדולה בחמיו שהיה נשיא בעירו.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
חותן משה, “father-in-law” of Moses. Rashi comments that here Yitro honoured Moses by referring to himself not by his title, but by his relationship to Moses, his soninlaw, someone who after living as a refugee from Egypt with him had now become the head of a people numbering in the millions. Years earlier, when Moses was in the home of Yitro, Moses described his claim to fame as having Yitro the priest as his father-in-law. (Compare Exodus 4,18).


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:1:5
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:1:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:1:5)

**את כל אשר עשה אלהים למשה** שהצילו שלא הזיקו פרעה אע״‎פ שהיה מחויב למלכות ושגדלו לפני פרעה ולפני עבדיו.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
את כל אשר עשה אלוקים למשה, “all that G-d had done for Moses.” 1) That G-d had saved him from Pharaoh; 2) that he had become the leader of a great nation. 3) That he had achieved this stature in a place that previously sought to execute him.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:2:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:2:1)

**אשת משה** הוזכרה על שם אישה שהיה מלך.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
אשת משה, “Moses’ wife.” She is mentioned here by her name as her husband [by having become a king since the last time she had seen him, Ed.] had elevated her status.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:2:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:2:2)

**אחר שלוחיה** אלמלא מקרא זה לא היינו יודעים ששלחה משה אך היינו סבורים שהיתה עמו, דכתיב וירכיבם על החמור עכשיו בא ולמדך כאן כשנפגשו אהרן ומשה וישראל היו שרויים בצער ויתרו בריוח, שלחה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
אחר שלוחיה, after he had sent her home to her father’s house. If the Torah had not told us this at this point, we would not have known that Tzipporah and her children had never been in Egypt with Moses, i.e. had not participated in the Exodus. The last that we heard of her was that Moses had taken her and his children with him on the way to Egypt and that they had been riding on a donkey (Exodus 4,20). [She had performed the circumcision on her younger son, but nothing had been written about her returning to Egypt.] Now we learn that when Aaron and Moses met, the people of Israel suffered great deprivations while Yitro was living in luxury. She and her boys were therefore sent back to her father’s house.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:3:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:3:1)

**גר הייתי** הווה אני, דוגמת נתתי כסף, הרימותי ידי, ועתה הייתי לשני מחנות ועוד הרבה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
גר הייתי, “I had been a stranger, etc.” the word הייתי is not to be understood as being in the past tense, just as Genesis 23,13: נתתי or 14,22 הרימותי or 32,11 הייתי לשני מחנות are not to be understood as being in the past tense. There are many more such examples.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:4:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:4:1)

**ושם האחד אליעזר** אע״‎פ שהוא בן שני כתוב בו האחד. לפי ששמו נקרא על מאורע ראשון שאירע לו שעליו ברח ממצרים ונדמה לו כאילו הוא ראשון.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ושם האחד אליעזר, “and the name of the one was Eliezer.” Even though he was Moses’ second son, the Torah describes him as “the one;” the reason is that his name was due to an event involving him personally, seeing that it recalled that he had had to flee from Egypt. It therefore appeared to Moses as if this really was his first son.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:4:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:4:2)

**ויצלני מחרב פרעה** שאותו פרעה שבקש להרוג את משה מת. כדכתיב באותו פרק כי מתו כל האנשים המבקשים את נפשך. ד״‎א לכך אינו קורהו ראשון שהרי הוא לא היה מעניינו של ראשון כדאמרינן לעיל בפרשת שמות לפי שהראשון לא היה ספק בידו לעשות, וכשנולד זה שהיה להקב״‎ה נראה לו שהוא הראשון.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ויצילני מחרב פרעה, “He has saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.” The Pharaoh who sought to kill Moses had died some time earlier. G-d had told him this in Exodus 4,19. An alternate explanation: He did not call Eliezer his second son, as his birth had nothing to do with that of Gershom, as we explained on Exodus 4,26. The reason was that he had not been able to circumcise his first son due to the agreement with his father-in-law at the time he had married Tzipporah. [Compare what the author wrote on page 376. Ed.] From G-d’s point of view, Eliezer was Moses’ first son, as after having been circumcised he was Jewish. As such he belonged to G-d, seeing that we all are G-d’s firstborn.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:6:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:6:1)

**ויאמר** שלוחו של יתרו למשה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ויאמר, “he said:” the subject is Yitro’s messenger announcing his impending arrival in the camp of the Israelites.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:6:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:6:2)

**אני חתנך יתרו** וגו'. וא״‎ת יתרו שהיה עניו גדול כמו שמצינו שאמר למשה מדוע אתה יושב לבדך, אין ד״‎א שישלח לגדול כמשה דברים כאלו. אלא ענני כבוד היו מקיפים את ישראל והשלוחים נכנסים תוך הענן וקשר לו האגרת בחץ וזרקו פנימה. תנחומא.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
אני חותנך יתרו בא אליך וגו, “I, your father-in-law, Yitro have come to you;” seeing that we have heard from this man that he was extremely modest, when he criticized Moses for sitting down while the people waiting in line to have their problems solved by him had to stand, (verse 14), it appears totally out of character that he commenced a sentence by saying: “I, your father-in-law, etc.” We must realize that the clouds of G-d’s glory surrounded the camp of the Israelites making it impossible for outsiders to find them. This prevented Yitro’s messenger to get to his destination. He therefore attached a note to an arrow which he shot into the cloud explaining who he was and why he wanted to be admitted through the cloud. (Tanchuma)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:7:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:7:1)

**וישתחו וישק לו** פירש״‎י איני יודע מי השתחוה למי וכו'. וא״‎ת הרי גם יתרו נקרא איש דכתיב ויואל משה לשבת את האיש אלא טעמו מדכתיב והאיש משה עניו מאד ש״‎מ משה עניו מכל אדם.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
וישתחו וישק לו, “he prostrated himself and kissed him;” according to Rashi it is not clear who prostrated himself before whom; if we are to assume that the Torah also referred to Yitro by the honorary title of איש, seeing that we have read in Exodus 2,21: ויאל משה לשבת את האיש, Moses agreed to make his home with the man,” we would have to counter that the Torah refers to Moses as being extremely modest when writing: והאיש משה עניו מאד, “the man known as ‘Moses,’ was very modest and humble, more so than any other איש;” (Numbers 12,3) so that we are faced here with a dilemma; we must therefore assume that the reason that the Torah compliments Moses in Numbers 12,3 by adding these additional words, is to show that he, the king, prostrated himself before his father-in-law, and that he was even more modest than Yitro.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:7:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:7:2)

**האהלה** הידוע, שהוא אהלו של משה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
האהלה, “into the tent;” the prefix letter ה before this word shows that this tent was a tent well known as Moses’ tent.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:9:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:9:1)

**ויחד יתרו** לשון שמחה כמו תחדהו בשמחה דתהלים והוא ממשקל וישב ממנו שבי, ויפת בסתר לבי. כאן פרש״‎י דאמרי אינשי גיורא עד עשרה דרי וכו׳‎ ואסמכוה אינשי אקרא גם דור עשירי לא יבא להם בקהל ה'. וי״‎מ מישמעאל בן נתניה שהיה דור עשירי לגר מצרי ונקם הוא נקמתם מישראל.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ויחד יתרו, “Yitro rejoiced;” we find this root meaning the same in Psalms 21,7: תחדהו בשמחה, “You gladdened him with the joy (of Your presence)” [A reference to the Messiah having been gladdened. Ed.] [I have not understood what follows concerning the comparison with Numbers 21,1 and Job 31,27. Ed.] Rashi on this verse brought the talmudic saying: “That is what people say (what the common proverb says): A proselyte even though his heathen descent dates from as far back as the tenth generation, do not speak slightingly of an Aramean (any non-Jew) in his presence (Sanhedrin 94a).” There are some (Hadar Zekenim) who say that this is because Ishmael son of Netanya that was a tenth generation descendant to an Egyptian convert, and he had made the Egyptians revenge on Israel.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:9:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:9:2)

**אשר הצילו מיד מצרים** שהיו ראויים להשתעבד עדיין בגזרת בין הבתרים.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
אשר הצילו מיד מצרים that he had delivered them from of the hand of Egypt; they could have kept them enslaved for a longer period according to one interpretation of the Covenant of the Pieces (Gen.15,13).


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:10:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:10:1)

**אשר הציל אתכם** משה ואהרן.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
אשר הציל אתכם, “Who has saved you;” the subjects are Moses and Aaron.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:11:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:11:1)

**כי בדבר אשר זדו עליהם** לעיל קאי **עתה ידעתי כי גדול ה'** כלומר כשהראה את גדולתו **בדבר אשר זדו** מצרים **עליהם** בתחלה, וכן הוא אומר כי ידעת כי הזידו עליהם.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
כי בדבר אשר זדו עליהם; Yitro explains what had prompted him to say that he now realises that the G-d of the Israelites is greater than any other deity. The reason is that when analysing the method by which G-d imposes penalties on the sinners, it becomes evident that the punishment matches the sin committed. The Egyptians’ crime had been that they drowned the Jewish babies; they had been punished by being drowned themselves. In Nechemya, chapter 9, where when a celebration of the Sukkot festival, after a Day of Atonement on which the people confessed their collective sin in Jerusalem is described in detail, the author also describes the greatness of G-d as being reflected in the manner in which punishment matches the sins committed. (verse 10)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:12:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:12:1)

**עלה וזבחים** על שמחת הטובה שעשה הקב״‎ה לישראל.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
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.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:12:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:12:2)

**ויבא אהרן וכל זקני ישראל.** אבל משה לא היה צריך לבא כי האהל שלו הוא ובאו שם כולם לכבוד יתרו חמיו.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
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.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:12:3
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:12:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:12:3)

**לפני האלהים** לפי הפשט לפני כמו מלפני כלומר ממה שהקריבו לפני הקב״‎ה והם השלמים.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
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.]


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:13:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:13:1)

**ויהי ממחרת** לפי הפשט ממחרת יום הסעודה כי ביום הסעודה היה טרוד לכבוד חותנו ולא היה לו פנאי לישב בדין עד למחרתו. כאן פירש״‎י מהו ממחרת למחרת רדתו מן ההר. וא״‎ת היאך ישב לשפוט את העם באותו זמן שהרי לקמן פרש״‎י ויקהל משה למחרת יום הכפורים כשירד משה מן ההר ומיד התחילו במלאכה וגמרו בכ״‎ה בכסלו של אותה שנה, אלא י״‎ל מה שכתב **וישב משה לשפט את העם** לא לכל ישראל קאי אלא לאותם שלא נתעסקו במלאכה קאי. וכן תפרש בסוף פרשת תשא שפרש״‎י לאחר רדתו מן ההר והיה לומד תורה לאותם שלא נתעסקו במלאכה. ומה שפרש״‎י כאן ואין הפרשה כתובה על הסדר שלא נאמרה עד שנה שניה היינו לשנות עולם שמתחילים מתשרי כמו שפירש למעלה בפרשת בא, וכן הפי': ואין הפרשה - מויהי ממחרת - כתובה על הסדר שהרי לא נאמרה - עד ממחרת יוה״‎כ - שהיה בשנה השניה שהרי נאמר כאן וישלח משה את חותנו. ומצינו במסע הדגלים - שהיה בשנה שניה - שאמר לו משה נוסעים אנחנו אל נא תעזוב אותנו, ובאותו פרק שלחו כדכתיב ויאמר אליו לא אלך ואם זו קודם מתן תורה - כלומר אם פרשת ויהי ממחרת נאמרה קודם מתן תורה ובשנה שנייה במסע הדגלים חזר ואמר לו משה נוסעים אנחנו, תשובה לדבר - מששלחו והלך היכן מצינו שחזר ואמר לו משה נוסעים אנחנו. ומה שכתוב לב יודע מרת נפשו ובשמחתו לא יתערב זר, שדרשוהו רבותינו שלא רצה הקב״‎ה שישתתף יתרו עם ישראל בשמחת קבלת התורה לפי שלא היה עמהם בצרת השעבוד מכל מקום לא שלחו משה באותו הפרק לארצו, אלא על פי הדבור נסתלק ונתרחק מעל ישראל עד שקבלו התורה ואחר כך חזר לו אצל ישראל ללמוד תורה והיה שם עד שנה שנייה במסע דגלים ואז אמר לו משה נוסעים אנחנו וגו׳‎ והיינו דכתיב כאן וילך לו אל ארצו, מכלל ששלחו פעם אחרת ולא הלך לו אל ארצו.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ויהי ממחרת, “it was on the morrow;” according to the plain meaning of the text the day referred to is the day following the meal just described. The previous day had been spent in honouring Yitro so that Moses did not have time to sit and judge the people’s complaints. Rashi’s explanation of the word ממחרת commences with the words that it was the day after the Day of Atonement when Moses had returned from Mount Sinai for the thirdtime. [This would have been way after the sin of the golden calf. Ed.] You might ask how it was possible for Moses to sit in judgment of the people at such a time, when all their sins had just been forgiven, and especially in view of the fact that the Torah testifies that immediately after Moses’ return on that occasion Moses assembled the people (Exodus 35,1) and after briefly explaining that the building of the Tabernacle which was to commence forthwith did not override the work prohibitions of the Sabbath, and that that work was completed already on the 25th day of Kislev of the same year (second year after the Exodus), we must understand the line describing Moses as sitting judging the people, does not refer to all the people who had problems lining up at that time, [after Moses for over 120 days had not spent a single full day in the camp since his ascent to Sinai to receive the first set of the Tablets. Ed]. He dealt only with the problems of the individuals who were not busy with donating for the Tabernacle or helping Betzalel in its construction. Rashi himself, in his commentary on Exodus 34,2932, comments that after descending from the Mountain, Moses sat down to teach Torah to all those not preoccupied with the building of the Tabernacle. Rashi in his commentary on our verse here writes: “this paragraph has not been written (or inserted) in the chronological order of events, seeing that the words: ויהי ממחרת, seeing that Moses did not part with Yitro who returned home until the second year of the Israelites wanderings as we know from Numbers 10,29, something even admitted by the scholars who claim that Yitro had arrived at the camp of the Jewish people already before the revelation at Mount Sinai.” If the lines in Number 10,29 referred to an event before the revelation, why did the Torah not record that Yitro did not even stay for that event? Moreover, when we read in Judges 4,11, that the descendants of Yitro at that time had lived near Kedesh near the shores of the sea of Galilee, how come that their even leaving their homeland Midian was not mentioned anywhere? (part of Rashi on our verse) Our author continues: Yitro, in Numbers definitely declined Moses’ offer of becoming part of the Jewish people, when he said: “I will not go (with you).” (Numbers 10,30) If this statement were to apply to a point in time before the revelation, i.e. that our paragraph describes events before the revelation, what was the point of Moses being quoted as debating Yitro’s remaining with the Israelites at a time at least a year later?We have a verse in Proverbs 14,10: לב יודע מרת נפשו ובשמחתו לא יתערב זר, “the heart knows of its soul’s bitterness; a stranger does not share its joy.” Our sages in an early version of Midrash Tanchuma, interpreted this verse to mean that G-d did not want that Yitro should share the joy of the Jewish people at the time of the revelation at Mount Sinai, as this was reserved for the people who had endured the hardships of slavery at the hands of the Egyptians. At any rate, Moses did not bid farewell to Yitro at the time discussed here. If he had come to the Jewish camp prior to the revelation, then he had had to temporarily withdraw during these days before rejoining the Israelites for almost another year. As soon as he returned from his temporary absence he observed Moses teaching the Torah, and he questioned the fact that the people had to stand, and that Moses had not appointed any delegates at all. When we read in verse 27 of our chapter that Moses bade his fatherinlaw farewell, and the Torah adds that he returned to his homeland, it is clear that he had bid him farewell once before when Yitro had not yet returned to his homeland.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:13:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:13:2)

**וישב משה לשפט** לשון עכבה, כמו ותשבו בקדש.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
וישב משה לשפוט, Moses sat down in order to hand down judgments or rulings; whenever we encounter the term וישב, it refers to someone who sat down in the expectation that he would remain seated for a longer period. An example of this is found in Deuteronomy 1,46, where it meant that the Israelites stayed in Kadesh about 19 years.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:13:3
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:13:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:13:3)

**לשפט את העם** יש מפרשים מן ערב רב שהיו תובעים מהם את שלל קרוביהם, אבל אינו מיושב על הסדר.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
לשפוט את העם, “to judge the people.” Some commentators believe that the word: העם refers to the mixed multitude, the fellow travelers whom Moses had accepted as converts, and who, as a result, had demanded from him that they receive a share of the loot of their fellow Jews who had taken these from their former relatives In Egypt. (Compare Torah shleymah by Rabbi M. Kasher in his notes on item 95)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:13:4
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:13:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:13:4)

**מן הבקר עד הערב** יכול כל היום דן אם כן אימתי התלמידים יושבים ללמוד תורה תלמוד לומר **מן הבקר** ולא כל הבקר ולא כל היום ושערו חכמים עד שש שעות ברייתא דרבי אליעזר.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
מן הבקר עד הערב, “from the morning till the evening.” Is it conceivable that Moses spent the entire day judging? We therefore have to pay closer attention to the precise wording. The words: מן הבקר, mean: from after the morning, not the entire morning. Similarly, the words: עד הערב, “until evening,” are meant to exclude the period called evening. If it were to be understood literally, when would the students have time to study Torah? Therefore the word מן here as well as elsewhere, is meant as a limitation, not the whole morning but part of the morning hours. Similarly, when the word appears in connection with היום, it does not refer to the whole day but to part of the day. Our sages suggested that what was meant is the first six hours. (Based on the Baraitha of Rabbi Eliezer.)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:14:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:14:1)

**אשר הוא עשה לעם** שאלו טורדים את אלו ועומדים ומצפים כל היום מתי יבואו לדין לפניו.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
אשר הוא עושה לעם, “what he was doing to the people.” They were making one another impatient. On the one hand, the common people were forced to stand in line most of the day waiting for their turn. On the other hand, Moses was becoming more and more weary having to deal with so many disputes.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:14:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:14:2)

**מדוע אתה יושב לבדך** לא הוכיחו על שהיה יושב והם עומדים, שהרי הדין כך הוא הדיין יושב ובעלי הדין עומדים כדכתיב ועמדו שני האנשים אשר להם הריב, גם לא היה ליתרו להוכיח איש גדול כמשה שהרי אהרן שהיה גדול ממשה שלש שנים אמר לו בי אדוני, אלא ה״‎ק מה דעתך לעשות שאתה יושב ודן לבדך, היה לך לחבר עמך הרבה חכמים להיות דנים עמך להקל מעליך ולא תשב בדין אתה לבדך, ומשה חשב בלבו ששאל לו יתרו למה היו עומדין עליו ועל זה השיבו כי יבא אלי העם וגו'.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
?מדוע אתה יושב לבדך, “why are only you seated?” Yitro did not criticize Moses for sitting and the people having to stand; he meant that if Moses would delegate some of his tasks there would not be such long queues. The Torah itself expects the litigants to be standing, as we know form Deuteronomy 19,17: 'ועמדו שני האנשים אשר להם הריב לפני ה, “and the two men who have a dispute are to stand in the presence of the judges;”Besides, it would not have been appropriate for Yitro to chastise a great man like Moses, someone who was even addressed as “my master” by his own brother Aaron who was three years his senior. (Compare Numbers 12,11) The verse in front of us has to be understood as follows: “what made you decide to shoulder the entire burden of judging all the people’s problems all by yourself, without assistance from anyone? You would do well to appoint junior judges that can share the burden with you, so that you would only have to deal with the litigations that these juniors could not find a proper solution for. All this will result in your burden being decreased so that you do not break down under it prematurely. Moses had first misunderstood his father-in-law as being critical that he alone remained seated throughout these proceedings. This is why he had replied that the people had come to him; (verse 15)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:14:3
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:14:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:14:3)

**מן בקר עד ערב.** אעפ״‎י שאתה יושב בדין כל היום כולו אין אתה לבדך יכול להספיק לדון את כולם.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
מן בקר עד ערב, from morning till evening. Yitro meant that “even if you were to sit here from morning till evening you could still not cope with such a load.”


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:16:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:16:1)

**את חקי האלהים ואת תורתיו** שנתן לנו כבר כדכתיב שם שם לו חק ומשפט.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
את חוקי האלוקים ואת תורותיו, “G-d’s statutes and His teachings.” Moses refers to the statutes and teachings that G-d had already taught him prior to the revelation at Mount Sinai, and his ascending that Mountain to receive the whole Torah. Those teachings had been referred to when the people had been encamped around Marah when the bitter waters had been turned into sweet waters (Exodus 15,25)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:17:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:17:1)

**לא טוב הדבר, לא טוב** בעיני **הדבר אשר אתה עושה** .

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
לא טוב הדבר, “the matter is not right;” in my eyes what you are doing now is not good;


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:18:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:18:1)

**נבל תבל** לשון ערבוב כמו ונבלה שם שפתם. בענין זה תתבלבל אתה והם, זה צועק שמעני אדוני וזה כמו כן. ואין אתה יודע למי תענה שאין אתה יודע מה הם אומרים ולא הם מה שאתה אומר.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
נבול תבול, “you will definitely become worn out;” the word is similar to ערבוב, “being confused.” Compare Genesis 11,7 Where G-d confused man’s languages. Yitro felt that both Moses and the litigants would become confused. One would shout that he wanted to be heard next and another litigant would also shout. As a result, Moses himself would become confused since he would be unable to hear each person correctly. And they would also be unable to hear what you say.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:18:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:18:2)

**גם אתה** פרש״‎י לרבות אהרן וחור ושבעים זקנים. וא״‎ת הרי בפרשת תשא גבי ויבן מזבח לפניו פרש״‎י ויבן מזבוח ראה חור שהרגו אותו, והמעשה היה בי״‎ז בתמוז ובפרשה זו לא נאמרה אלא לאחר יוה״‎כ שלאחריו כמו שפרש״‎י כאן, אלא ה״‎ק נבל תבל גם אתה לרבות אהרן וחור ושבעים זקנים, כלומר אפילו אם חור קיים עמך ועם אהרן ועם שבעים זקנים לא תהיו יכולין לצאת ידיכם בענין זה. ודוגמא זו אמר ה׳‎ לירמיהו הנביא, אם יעמוד משה ושמואל לפני וגו׳‎ וכבר נפטרו, אף כאן נפטר חור אעפי״‎כ הזכירו אבל לקמן לא הזכירו גבי כל העם הזה שפרש״‎י אהרן נדב ואביהוא ושבעים מזקני ישראל הנלוים עתה עמך. גם העם הזה שלא יוכלו לסבול הטורח שיעמדו כל היום להמתין על דינם.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
גם אתה, “you also.” Rashi understands the word גם as including Aaron and Chur, and the seventy elders. If you were to point out that in Exodus 32,5, on the words: ויבן מזבח לפניו, “he built an altar in front of it (the golden calf),” Rashi comments that Aaron, having seen that Chur (his nephew) had been killed by the mob when he tried to interfere with their worshipping the golden calf, decided to instead build an altar and declare the following day a holiday in honour of G-d. The events related there occurred on the 17th of Tammuz in the first year of the people’s wanderings. Yitro meant that even if Aaron, Chur and the seventy elders were to assist Moses, this would not nearly be enough for governing such a large nation. We find an example of such thinking in Jeremiah 15,1, where G-d tells the prophet that even if Moses personally as well as the prophet Samuel were to intercede on behalf the people of the Kingdom of Yehudah at that time, their merits would not suffice to make Him change His mind concerning the impending doom of that kingdom. G-d mentioned Moses and Samuel who had already long ago passed on, The events recorded in the paragraph that we are dealing with here occurred the day after the Day of Atonement on the eleventh day of Tishrey, over 80 days after Chur had been killed. Nonetheless, Rashi saw fit to mention him as an example of a worthy assistant of Moses. However, in verse 23 in our chapter, Chur is not mentioned by Rashi. When Rashi understands the words: וכל העם הזה (and all this people) as applicable to Aaron, his two older sons, and the seventy elders, no mention is made of Chur. וכל העם הזה, they will also not be able to endure the long wait all day long to have their litigation dealt with.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:19:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:19:1)

**היה אתה לעם** מנה עצמך לצורך העם וע״‎י כך שתהיה פנוי, והזהרתה אתהם את החוקים וגו'.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
היה אתה לעם מול האלוקים, “be you for the nation an intermediary between them and G-d;” Yitro meant that Moses appoint himself as intermediary due his constantly being prepared through ritual purity and readiness to warn them against trespassing any of G-d’s laws.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:21:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:21:1)

**אנשי חיל** שיש בהם כח וגבורה לסבול הטורח ולא יפחדו מהם.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
אנשי חיל, “men who are mentally able to through the strength of their personalities to endure the people demand and not be cowed by their threats."


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:21:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:21:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:21:2)

**יראי אלהים** שאין להם יראה מאדם אלא מהקב״‎ה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
יראי אלוקים, men who only fear G-d, and not their fellow human beings.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:21:3
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:21:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:21:3)

**שנאי בצע** פרש״‎י ששונאים את ממונם בדין כההיא דאמרינן כל דיינא דמפקין מיניה ממונא בדינא לאו דיינא הוא. שונאים ממונם בדין, כיצד אחד מהבעלי דינין מגזמו אם אתה מחייבני הריני שורף גדישך ושורף כרמך ואעפ״‎כ שונא הוא ממונו בדין ואינו מחשיבו ואינו נמנע מלחייבו ודן הדין לאמתו היינו ששונאים ממונם בדין, אבל אם חייב את הזכאי בשביל גזומו של בעל הדין, חבירו של זה הזכאי יוציא ממנו ממונו בדין נמצא דלאו דיינא הוא שהרי לא דן דין אמת לאמיתו כההוא דאמרינן כל דיינא דמפקין וכו׳‎ והכי תנינא דן את הדין זכה את החייב, חייב את הזכאי מה שעשה עשוי וישלם מביתו, שהרי לא דן את הדין לאמתו. **שנאי בצע** שונאים את ממונם בדין וכ״‎ש ששונאים ממון חבריהם ומואסין בו לקבלו לשוחד.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
שונאי בצע, men who despise to make money only through being successful in litigation. Rashi bases himself on the saying in the Talmud in Baba Batra folio 58; “any judge from whom one extracts money only by means of legal proceedings, is not fit to be a judge.”What is the correct interpretation of the expression: “they hate money gained through litigation?” Example: one of the litigants threatens the judge that if he is not found justified in his claim against his fellow man, that litigant will burn the judge’s house down, or threats of a similar nature. If such a judge is undeterred by such threats, he truly fits the definition of people whom Yitro called שונאי בצע. If, however he indicts the innocent and convicts the guilty, out of fear of the threats that had been made against him, the opposite party of the one who had won in the litigation is considered as having won judgment only by dint of legal proceedings but not by dint of having been found righteous in his claim.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:21:4
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:21:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:21:4)

**שרי אלפים** פרש״‎י הם היו שש מאות שרים לשש מאות אלף וכו', וא״‎ת א״‎כ נמצא דייני ישראל שבעה רבוא ושמונה אלפים ושש מאות שרים, בצרי להו שיעורא, ע״‎כ צריך לפרש דכל הני שרים היו יתרים על הששים רבוא של ישראל ולא נמנו, וי״‎מ דכל הני שרים אפשר דהוו זקנים יתירים על ששים שנה דאמרינן בפרק יש נוחלין דלא נמנו פחותים מבן עשרים ויתרים מבן ששים. ד״‎א השרים היו מן המנין שר האלף מאלפי ישראל, המאה ממאה שלו, וכן כולם.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
שרי אלפים, “chiefs in charge of thousands; according to Rashi, there would be 600 such “chiefs.” There would be six thousand chiefs” of hundreds and 60000 chiefs of ten Israelites each, so that there would be a total of 78600 “judges.” If so we have to assume that these were in addition to the 600000 ordinary Israelites, and who had not been included in the census. [There are numerous problems with this count. See Tossaphot Baba Batra 121, Ed.] Some commentators suggest that there is no problem at all as all these “judges” were over the age of 60, and thus would not have been included in the census at any rate. The Talmud stated explicitly that males under 20 years of age and over 60 years of age were never included in any census. A third opinion holds that each group of “chiefs” was included in the census of his particular category, i.e. the chiefs of thousands in the count of each one thousand Israelites, etc.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:22:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:22:1)

**ושפטו את העם בכל עת** על ידי שיהיו פנויים שאין להם לדבר עם השכינה כמוך ואין שאר צרכי צבור מוטלים עליהם כמו עליך.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ושפטו את העם בכל עת, “they would be ready to sit in judgment of the people at any time.” The reason they would always be available, said Yitro, was that they did not have to take time out to speak with G-d as Moses often was in the habit of doing.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:22:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:22:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:22:2)

**והקל מעליך**י״‎מ שהוא לשון צווי והקל המשא מעליך.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
והקל מעליך, “thus you can make it easier for yourself;” according to some commentators this phrase can be understood not only as advice or prediction, but as tantamount to a command.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:23:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:23:1)

**על מקומו** ביתו ואהלו.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
על מקומו, “to his tent.”


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:23:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:23:2)

**יבא בשלום** שלא יצטרכו לבא עדיך כי שכניהם יהיו להם דיינים.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
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.]


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:25:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:25:1)

**ויבחר משה אנשי חיל** כגון אלו היה יכול משה להכיר עשירים, אבל מדת הלב כגון יראי אלוקים אנשי אמת שונאי בצע אין בשר ודם יכול לראות רק לפי אומד הדעת, לפיכך לא הזכירם כאן וגם במשנה תורה לא הזכיר משה, רק חכמים ונבונים וידועים לפי שכ״‎כ יש ביד אדם להכיר בחברו אם הוא חכם אם לאו אבל ירא שמים אינו יכול להכיר.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ויבחר משה אנשי חיל, “Moses selected capable men;” the meaning of the words אנשי חיל, is that he selected men whose qualities corresponded to the criteria stipulated by his father-in-law, Yitro in verse 21. Moses at least knew beyond doubt who were the wealthy men among the Israelites, and who could therefore be more or less immune to the temptation of bribes. As far as the invisible virtues were concerned that his father-in-law had stipulated as criteria for making someone suitable to be a judge, he had to rely on his intuition and G-d’s help. This is why they were not mentioned here[, as Moses’ judgment was not based on evidence acceptable in a court of law]. Even forty years later when Moses recalls the episode, he speaks only about characteristics which are visible, i.e. possessing insight, displaying wisdom and possessing knowledge, i.e חכמים נבונים, ידועים because these are characteristics that humans can recognize in their neighbors (Compare Deuteronomy 1,13). No one, on the other hand, can be sure if his fellow man truly is a G-d fearing person.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:26:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:26:1)

**[יביאון, ישפוטו** לשון הווה].


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 18:27:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 18:27:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/18:27:1)

**וישלח משה** לשון לויה, כמו ואברהם הולך עמם לשלחם. י״‎מ כל הפרשה מוישמע יתרו עד וילך לו אל ארצו לאחר מתן תורה, וכן הפי׳‎ ויבא יתרו בעשרה בתשרי שבו ירד משה מן ההר ויצא משה לקראת חותנו, באותו יום עצמו ויספר משה לחותנו וגו׳‎ על הסדר עד ויבא אהרן וכל זקני ישראל, באותו יום עצמו שירד מן ההר היה, ויהי ממחרת יום הסעודה שבו ירד משה מן ההר ללמד תורה לישראל כמו שפרש״‎י בסוף פר׳‎ תשא וישב משה לשפוט את העם וגו׳‎ על הסדר עד ויעש כל אשר אמר, היינו דכתיב בפרשת דברים לא אוכל אנכי לבדי שאת אתכם וגו׳‎ עד ואתן אותם ראשים עליכם שרי אלפים ושרי חמשים ושרי עשרות. י״‎מ יתרו עמד שם עם ישראל עד שנה שניה שאמר לו משה לכה אתנו וגו'. ואגב גררא דיציאת מצרים דעסיק בה נקטה לפרשת יתרו הכא משום דאף היא קא מתחלא ועסקא ביציאת מצרים וע״‎י שהיא גומרת והולכת בעניני התורה ודינין כדי לחברנה לפרשת מתן תורה הפסיק הענין של יתרו בכך, ונקיט ליה למסקנא דמילתיה דיתרו דהיינו וישלח משה לחותנו וגו', ולפי שטה זו צ״‎ל גרשום ואליעזר לא עמדו על הר סיני ואעפ״‎י שאין ראיה לדבר זכר לדבר שלא הוזכרו מכאן ואליך בשום מקום בתורה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
וישלח, “he accompanied him, (when Yitro left for home;)” This is what he had learned from Avraham, who after royally hosting the angels saw them off by accompanying them some distance as reported in Genesis.ואברהם הולך עמם לשלחם :18,16Some commentators believe that the entire episode reported from the beginning of chapter 18, took place after the revelation of G-d at Mount Sinai when the people received the second set of the Tablets, Moses having smashed the first set. Moses had descended from the Mountain with that set on the tenth day of Tishrey, and the verse beginning with the words: ויהי ממחרת, “it was on the following day, etc.” would have been the 11th day of that month. (18,13) What had been reported prior to this, i.e. Yitro’ arrival, being welcomed, and offering sacrifices all took place still on the tenth, after Moses had arrived and placed the Tablets in the ark which had been prepared for it. This corresponds to the way Rashi explains all this at the end of Parshat ki tissa, (Exodus 33,11 and 34,29. Compare Rashi on Deuteronomy 1,9 on the whole subject and the apparent contradictions there.) Whether Yitro had arrived at the camp of the Israelites prior to the revelation or subsequently, there is unanimity amongst the sages that he did not return to his homeland before the second year in the month of lyar when the people made ready to proceed to the Holy Land, having been encamped around Mount Sinai for almost an entire year. If the line reporting Moses accompanying Yitro on his departure occurred in the chronological sequence reported by the Torah, then both he, Tzipporah, Moses’ wife, and his two sons would have belonged to the only generation that ever experienced such a revelation. If the Torah did not report events in their chronological sequence, we have to make peace with the fact that Tzipporah and her sons did not experience this event. [Yitro’s experiencing it or not is of secondary significance in the opinion of this editor. Ed.] The fact that neither of Moses’ sons are ever mentioned again by name in the Torah lends some support to the opinion that they had not stood at Mount Sinai.