Written by Ari Faust from Jerusalem, Israel.
In this week’s Parasha, we join the Jewish Nation at the beginning of their journey through the desert as a newborn free Nation; they have just finally rid themselves of the nation which enslaved them for some two centuries – Egypt – and watched them drown to death in the Sea of Reeds, and miraculously emerged victorious in their war against the nation Amalek.
The Jewish Nation is now encamped in the Sinai Desert, and receives four special guests. As the Torah recounts:
“And Yitro, Moshe’s father-in-law, came to Moshe with his two sons and his wife in the desert where he was encamped, by the Mountain of God.” (Shmot 18:5)
Yitro, Tzipporah, Gershom and Eliezer – Moshe’s family from Midian – came to join the Jewish Nation in the desert at the foot of Mount Sinai. At first glance, one might think that the purpose of Yitro’s visit was to bring-back Moshe’s wife and sons to him; we know that when Moshe returned to Egypt to lead the Jewish Nation from there, he originally thought to bring his family with him, only he was discouraged by his brother Aharon and sent them back to Midian until the Jews would be ultimately freed from their bondage. However, when reading the verses at the start of our Parasha, we see that Yitro had another motivation to join the Jewish Nation in the desert:
“And Yitro, the priest of Midian, the father-in-law of Moshe, heard all of what HaShem did to Moshe and Israel His Nation, that He took-out Israel from Egypt.” (Ibid. verse 1)
Now, of what significance is it that Yitro heard? Even if we were to think that it is a technical detail – in order to know that Israel left Egypt and it is time to bring Moshe’s family – our sages point out that not only did Yitro hear that Israel left Egypt, but he also heard of the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, the Manna, the miraculous well that travelled with Israel through the desert and the victory over Amalek; why is it so important that Yitro heard all the great things that HaShem did to Israel? This teaches us that Yitro’s coming was not only inspired by Moshe and his family, but by the miracles the HaShem performed to Israel. As is versed by our sages {Gemara Zevachim 116a}:
“What did Yitro hear that caused him to come?”
Based on the continuation of the story of Yitro’s arrival, we see clearly that it was not merely to deliver Moshe’s family that brought Yitro to the desert, but it was his desire to join the Jewish Nation that ultimately brought him from his home to the foot of Mount Sinai:
Moshe receives word that Yitro was arriving with his wife and sons and proceeds to the edge of the camp to greet him (Aharon with his sons follow, and thus the entire Nation follows them to greet Yitro) and kisses him when he does. After asking of each other’s wellbeing, the enter deep into the camp of Israel, to Moshe’s tent, where Moshe tells of all the wondrous happenings that HaShem did to Paroh and the Egyptians, and of how HaShem saved them numerous times in the desert. Yitro is overjoyed to hear of all the good that HaShem did to Israel, and dedicates sacrifices to HaShem. {Ibid. verses 6-12} Yitro testifies that:
“Now I know that HaShem is greater than all gods…” {verse 11}
From these events our sages learn that Yitro did not come simply in order to deliver Moshe’s family, but he joined the Jewish Nation in the desert with the intention of staying; Yitro, the priest of Midian, converted and became part of the Am Yisrael!
What motivated Yitro’s conversion? What caused him to believe that “HaShem is greater than all gods”? Did he know all other gods?
Perhaps more fascinating, is that when one reads ahead in our Parasha we see that
upon establishing Israel’s judicial system, Moshe sends his father-in-law back to Midian {verse 27}. What caused Moshe’s inappropriate behavior here? How could he send-away his father-in-law, especially after Yitro had converted?! For the answer to this question we must turn ahead to the Book of Bamidbar. There we join the Jewish Nation as they prepare to journey from Sinai to the Land of Israel. Moshe asks Yitro to join them, but he refuses. Moshe insists but still Yitro chooses to return home to Midian {Bamidbar 10:29-36}.The Torah in Shmot, when telling us that Moshe sent Yitro away is eluding to the later story of Yitro’s refusal to join Am Yisrael in their journey to Israel {See Rashi Shmot 18:13 and Sforno on verse 27}. This is peculiar: Didn’t Yitro convert? Didn’t he believe that “HaShem is greater than all gods”? What caused Yitro to suddenly leave? Moreover, if Yitro chose to leave The Nation by his own will, why does the Torah make no mention of that here? On the contrary, based on the Torah in Shmot it seems like Yitro left because of Moshe!
Let us analyze Yitro’s personality; let us become familiar with the priest of Midian, Moshe’s father-in-law. Perhaps by understanding his personality we will understand what motivates his inclusion and departure from Am Yisrael.
Let us begin by Yitro’s name. Our sages point out that Yitro is called by seven different names throughout the Tanach. The one (or two) by which he is most commonly known is “Yeter”, or “Yitro” (his name was originally “Yeter” but when he converted, a letter – “Vav” – was added to his name). What is the meaning of this name? “… Because an extra portion was added to the Torah thanks to him.” The Hebrew word “Yoter” or “Yeter” means additional or excess. Since after Yitro’s arrival he taught Moshe to establish a judicial system (in the continuation of our Parasha) and there is a large, “extra” section of the Torah dealing with this story, he is called “Yeter” (“Yitro”) since the portions regarding the judicial system are attributed to him. Let us understand this statement further in depth: According to our holy tradition, a person’s name reflects his soul, his personality traits. Yitro’s personality was to be unsatisfied with the norm presented to him, he constantly strived for perfection. Yitro conceived the idea of a judicial system because the system that had existed – of Moshe judging The Nation from the morning until the night – was unsatisfactory and would ultimately lead to destruction {Ibid. verse 13, 18}; Yitro sought to improve the situation that was in front of him. It is not by chance that an extra portion was added to the Torah because of Yitro, it is because of Yitro’s personality – his trait of constantly striving to improve the present – that the portion of the judicial system was added to the Torah.
This trait influenced Yitro on the theological level as well:
Our sages point out in the Midrash that in order for Yitro to have known that indeed “HaShem is greater than all gods” he must have known every form of idolatry that existed; moreover, he did not stop at knowing the pagan deities, but there was no form of idolatry that Yitro did not worship.
Yitro was a man who was on a pursuit to improve the world. This pursuit found him searching for the truth – in all facets of life, including GOD. Throughout Yitro’s life he was on a quest to find the One, True God and the true way to serve Him. Finally, when HaShem redeemed Am Yisrael from their Egyptian exile, his quest was complete – “… HaShem is greater than all gods.”
Yitro was not the first person in History to set-out on a quest to find GOD, and he is certainly not the last. The Rambam describes how Avraham first came to discover HaShem:
“Once Avraham was weaned, he, as a child, began contemplating and thinking day and night, and wondered how a sphere could follow a fixed path without being directed. If so, who directed it? Surely it would be impossible for it to rotate on its own! Avraham did not have a mentor, but was immersed amongst the stupid idolaters of Ur Kasdim, where everyone, including his mother and father, served idols, as did he. In his heart, however, he continued to contemplate, until he realized the way of truth and understood the ways of righteousness from nature, and knew that there is a GOD who directs the spheres, created the world, and besides Whom there is none other … Avraham was forty years old when he recognized his Creator. Once he achieved this, he began to reason with the inhabitants of Ur Casdim and to argue with them, saying that by serving idols they were not following the way of truth … Since people were listening to him, the king, Nimrod, sought to kill him, but a miracle was performed for Avraham, and he went to Haran, where he got up and proclaimed to the whole world that there is just One GOD in the world, Whom it is fitting to worship. He went and gathered people together from cities and kingdoms, until he reached the Land of Canaan, where he continued his proclamations, as it is written, ‘…and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting GOD’…” {Hilchot Avodah Zarah 1:3}
It is fascinating how Yitro resembles Avraham in his quest for GOD. Avraham felt there was something lacking in mankind at his time, and was a pioneer in his quest to find the truth. Yitro, too, found himself on a quest to find the One, True GOD and how to serve him – Yitro found the GOD of Avraham, the GOD of Israel.
What lies behind this pursuit that drives Avraham and Yitro? What is the root of the impulse that inspires all of us to pursue something higher? We all have moments when we search for answers to some of the greatest questions there are: What are we doing here? How did we get here? What is our purpose? These questions are an expression of our relentless effort to establish a relationship with GOD. Man is created in the “image of GOD”, he has a Divine Soul inside him; man seeks to realize his connection with his soul – with GOD.
This quest is described by means of a parable by the Medieval Jewish thinker, poet and sage, R’ Yehudah HaLevi in his tour de force, The Kuzari. R’ Yehudah HaLevi begins his book – which has been acclaimed as perhaps the most central one on Jewish Thought and Belief – and describes how he was approached with questions regarding the Jewish faith, and decided to base his answers on those given to the King of Kuzar by the Jewish sage:
“I was asked to state what arguments and replies I could bring to bear against the attacks of philosophers and followers of other religions, and also against [Jewish] sectarians who attacked the rest of Israel. This reminded me of something I had once heard concerning the arguments of a Jewish sage who sojourned with the King of the Kuzars. The latter, as we know from historical records, became a convert to Judaism about four hundred years ago.
To him came a dream, and it appeared as if an angel addressed him, saying: ‘Your intentions are desirable in the eyes of the Creator, but your actions are not.’ Yet he was so zealous in the performance of the Kuzar religion, that he devoted himself with a perfect heart to the service of the temple and sacrifices. Notwithstanding this devotion, the angel came again at night and repeated: ‘Your intentions are desirable in the eyes of the Creator, but your actions are not.’ This caused him to ponder over the different beliefs and religions, and finally become a convert to Judaism together with many other Kuzars. As I found among the arguments of the Jewish sage, many which appealed to me, and were in harmony with my own opinions, I resolved to write them down exactly as they had been spoken.”
The King, in pursuit to find the desirable “intention” and desirable “action”, approaches the Philosopher (based on Aristotelian philosophy), the Christian and the Muslim – all major theological approaches – and finds each one is unsatisfactory; none of these approaches could satisfy his dream. Finally he goes to the Jews:
“Indeed, I see myself compelled to ask the Jews, because they are the relic of the Children of Israel. For I see that they constitute in themselves the evidence for the Divine Law on earth.”
What is the significance of the king’s dream and his story? This is certainly not a simple children’s story; what is R’ Yehudah HaLevi teaching us?
Our sages teach us that a dream is one-sixtieth of prophecy {Gemara Berachot 57b}. What is the comparison? Prophecy is when HaShem reveals Himself to man, so too, dreams are HaShem’s way of communicating with man. It is assumed that the average man dreams between three to seven dreams every night and most of the time does not remember them – it is not these dreams that we are discussing, but what drives man to action, and to pursue high echelons of existence. A dream is a person’s highest ideal which is ingrained in the nature of his soul by HaShem, such it is compared to prophecy.
The king’s dream is not a singular experience which only occurred to the king of Kuzar, it is the dream of all of mankind to improve. Ingrained in the soul of all of mankind is the inclination to desire a lifestyle that serves its highest purpose – where every action is purposeful and meaningful. Every person at some point in their life stops and wonders “What am I doing here?” “How did this world come into existence?” “What is my purpose?” “What is my potential?” In the root of these questions is one underlying cry: Unless my actions are desirable to GOD, they are ultimately purposeless; what are the actions that are desirable to GOD?
This phenomenon, this “dream” is described by Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook:
“The inclination for the Divine Idea is found, whether openly or covertly, directly or indirectly, in the hearts of all of mankind in all its many branches, families and nations.” {Orot, page 102}
The “Divine Idea” is the pure, true belief in the Creator with the realization of His Will in all facets of a physical lifestyle. All of mankind yearns nostalgically to achieve this ideal.
“Propelled by the inclination to the divine idea, the intense longing of the human spirit in general to base itself on the Divine Idea and find there its refuge, the inner attraction to the light and serenity, the loftiness and strength of the Divine Idea – the spirit of man contorts itself to find its goal by various means, by visions opposed to one another, by a confusion of shadows of death and sparks of brightness, until the living expression of the divine idea comes harmoniously clothed in the national style – in Israel.” {Ibid. page 104}
Mankind journeys through life searching to fulfill his “dream” and undergoes a series of attempts in order to do so. Ultimately, he finds the One, True GOD and the true servitude of Him, in Israel.
Now we can understand Yitro and his quest for GOD on Earth – and his ultimate assertion that “HaShem is greater than all gods” – in a new light. Yitro’s quest is that of all mankind to find eternal purpose in all facets of human life. Ultimately, mankind’s quest will conclude when they find the One, True GOD of Avraham – in Israel.
What remains to be understood is Yitro’s mysterious departure. Why would a man, whose entire life had been devoted to finding GOD, go home only a few months after finally finding Him?
Our sages entertain this question and explain that:
“Yitro thought that proselytes receive a portion in the Land of Israel, now that he saw that that he receives no portion, he decided to leave.”
This is peculiar: Yitro was a man of great respect in Midian, and chose to give up everything in his pursuit of GOD until he ultimately decided to leave his home to journey to the desert to join Israel. It is uncharacteristic of Yitro to suddenly abandon his dream for selfish, monetary pursuits; how could he just “decide to leave”? It must be that when he discovered that a convert has no portion in the Land of Israel he began to feel impartially towards Israel, and he left in order to continue to pursue his “dream” to find GOD.
In order to understand Yitro’s behavior we must understand what he found in Israel that brought him to believe that indeed HaShem is the One, True GOD. Once we understand this we can understand the centrality of the Land of Israel in his theological pursuit, and what brought him to leave.
The quest for GOD is not only a theoretical one or a philosophical one, it is a quest to find a relationship with GOD. Man does not only search for answers to theological questions but answers to practical ones as well; man is not only looking for the “desirable intentions” but also for the “desirable actions”. Man’s quest is for GOD on Earth – GOD who inspires every facet of life. In order to achieve this, man must realize GOD’s Will in all his actions down to every last detail such as eating, sleeping, tying his shoes and even in marital relations. But not only in that, man must also realize GOD’s Will in the nationalistic facets of life as well, in politics, in economy, in defenses and all other things dealing with running a state. In order to realize this, man must be part of a State or Kingdom and must have a specific geographic location which itself is specifically desirable in the eyes of the Creator as well.
In Israel Yitro found a faith which sought to journey to and settle a specific body of land, the Land of Israel, and establish a Kingdom there; the purpose of Mitzvot were not to attain abstract spirituality but to realize GOD on earth – in all facets of life. However, when he found out that he would not receive inheritance in the Land he thought that there was a possibility for a Jew to be Jewish without striving to realize GOD’s Will in the national pursuits. Thus Yitro thought that Israel was not the true way of serving GOD, and decided to leave in order to continue in his quest.
While on one hand, the message Yitro taught, and the determination with which he taught it is chillingly true: A religion that does not have nationality as part of its system of ideals is a religion that cannot ultimate realize GOD’s Will, and thus is not fulfill the “dream” of realizing GOD in all facets of human life. At the same time, however, Yitro erred slightly, and the answer to his claim is that although a convert receives no inheritance in the Land of Israel, just like a woman, this does not exempt him from the nationalistic pursuits that are the most central ideals of the Torah, and he is obligated to perform them by fulfilling the Mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel – which is independent of inheritance of the Land.
We all share Yitro’s dream; we all search for meaning and purpose in our lives. This inclination to search for purpose is naturally ingrained in our soul and will only be satisfied when all facets of our lifestyle indeed have purpose. This is our quest, the relentless quest for GOD – on Earth, and ultimately our “dream” is realized – in Israel. “HaShem is greater than all gods.”
Shabbat Shalom
