Yisro – Page 4 – Peninim on the Torah

וישמע יתרו...כי הוציא ד' את ישראל ממצרים

And Yisro heard…that Hashem had taken Yisrael out of Egypt. (18:1)

Originally, Moshe Rabbeinu had taken his entire family with him to Egypt. Aharon HaKohen urged him to send them back to Midyan. His contention was very practical: The Jews in Egypt were already suffering; why should Moshe add to their number? Now, after hearing about all of the miracles, Yisro realized that the time had come for the family to be reunited. Chazal (Midrash Rabbah, Shemos 4:4) relate Moshe’s response to his brother’s admonishment. He said, “Tomorrow (in the near future), they (Klal Yisrael) will leave Egypt and stand at the foot of Har Sinai, where they will hear Hashem…

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זכור את יום השבת לקדשו ... לא תענה ברעך עד שקר

Roberto Szerer In Yisro, 5778

Remember the Shabbos day to sanctify it … You shall not bear false witness against your fellow.

The Midrash Rabbah (47:6) teaches that the Aseres HaDibros, Ten Commandments, were written side by side, five on each tablet. Thus, the injunction to observe Shabbos Kodesh stands opposite/next to the prohibition against false testimony. A Jew who observes Shabbos attests that the world was created by Hashem’s utterance. When one bears false testimony, he corrupts his speech, which leaves him unable to testify that Hashem created the world. (He created it, then He rested on the Seventh Day. Shabbos attests to this verity.) Truth is the force that keeps the world alive, while falsehood is destructive. One who prevaricates…

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כבד את אביך ואת אמך למען יאריכון ימיך

Roberto Szerer In Yisro, 5778

Honor your father and mother, so that your days will be lengthened.

The Aseres HaDibros, Ten Commandments, were inscribed on two tablets. Hence, the name: Luchos. The Ten Commandments are divided equally with: five devoted to mitzvos bein adam laMakom, between man and G-d; and five devoted to mitzvos bein adam lachaveiro, between man and his fellow man. Interestingly, the mitzvah of kibud av v’eim, honoring one’s father and mother, is listed on the tablet dedicated to bein adam laMakom. Chazal (Kiddushin 30b) teach that, when one properly honors his parents, it is considered as if he has honored Hashem. This is probably due to the fact that they “partner” with Hashem…

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תקע בשופר... ושא נס לקבץ ...וקבצנו יחד

Roberto Szerer In Yisro, 5778

Teka b’shofar…v’sa neis l’kabeitz… v’kabtzeinu yachad

Sound the shofar…and raise a banner to gather…and gather us together. This prayer includes three expressions that imply ingathering: sound the shofar for our freedom; raise a banner to gather in our exiles; gather us together from the four corners of the earth. Ten tribes were exiled prior to the tribes of Yehudah and Binyamin. We refer to them as the Ten Lost Tribes. These Ten Tribes were split in their exile, with some exiled somewhere in “the dark mountains,” and the rest going even further to a place that was “beyond the Sambatyon River.” The Gaon, zl, m’Vilna explains…

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כה תאמר לבית יעקב ותגיד לבני ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5777

So shall you say to Bais Yaakov and relate to Bnei Yisrael. (19:3)

Chazal (Mechilta) teaches that amirah/somar/say implies a mild form of speech, while hagadah/sagid/speak/relate, implies firmness or even harshness of speech. When Moshe Rabbeinu spoke with the women (Bais Yaakov), he expressed the commandments in a manner that was compatible with their compassionate, maternal nature. When speaking with the men (Bnei Yisrael), the tone changed, because the mitzvos had to be transmitted to them with firmness. While this may be true, it is surprising that pasuk 6 concludes with the following words, “These are the words that you shall speak (tidaber) to Bnei Yisrael.” Rashi adds – lo pachos v’lo yoseir…

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כה תאמר לבית יעקב ותגיד לבני ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5777

So shall you say to Bais Yaakov. (19:3)

Moshe Rabbeinu was commanded to give precedence to the women when he delivered Hashem’s mandate to the nation. Rabbeinu Bachya explains that a “good” woman has the power to inspire her son to study Torah with zest and vigor. She creates the excitement, the passion, the inherent joy. This is why I used the word “good” to describe what every Jewish mother should be. It is only if she personally feels a strong affinity for Torah that she can imbue her son (and daughter) with such emotion. The love of Torah should resonate with her son, thus encouraging a long,…

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ואשא אתכם על כנפי נשרים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5777

And (how) I carried you on wings of eagles. (19:4)

It is nothing short of amazing to observe how someone who had been introduced to Torah late in his life is able to grasp its profundities and, in almost no time, to grow in Torah to the point that it is almost difficult to believe that he had not been learning all of his life. How does this occur? Horav Simchah Wasserman, zl, attributes this transformation to being carried “on the wings of eagles.” Hashem sees a Jew who is sincere about his learning, who wants to grow in Torah, and He raises him up, so to speak, on the…

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משה ידבר והאלקים יעננו בקול

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5777

Moshe would speak, and G-d would respond to him with a voice. (19:19)

The pasuk refers to the Giving of the Aseres HaDibros, Ten Commandments. The people heard the first two Dibros from Hashem. The next eight were transmitted by Hashem to Moshe Rabbeinu, who would then repeat them to Klal Yisrael. Millions of people were gathered there. How could Moshe’s voice possibly extend to everyone? How could such a multitude hear his voice? Rashi explains that Moshe spoke and, in order to make it possible for his voice to be heard, Hashem responded by granting him a (loud) voice. Hashem magnified Moshe’s voice. The Yalkut Shimoni (Shmuel 162) asks: We are taught…

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ברוך ד' אשר הציל אתכם מיד מצרים ומיד פרעה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5776

Blessed is Hashem Who has rescued you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of Pharaoh. (18:10)

The Talmud Sanhedrin 94a makes a striking statement: “It was taught in the name of Rabbi Papyas, g’nai hu l’Moshe, it is a shame for Moshe and the 600,000 Jews that they had never uttered, Baruch (Hashem), until Yisro came and said, Baruch Hashem asher hitzil eschem.’” This is a strong statement which begs elucidation. Clearly, Klal Yisrael had praised Hashem when they sang the Shirah amid great joy, praising Hashem for the spectacular miracles and wonders which He had wrought. They did not say the words, “Baruch Hashem.” Does that warrant that their inaction be termed a g’nai, shame?…

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והודעת להם את הדרך ילכו בה ואת המעשה אשר יעשון

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Yisro, 5776

You shall make known to them the path in which they should go and the deeds that they should do. (18:20)

Haderech yeilchu bah, “The path in which they should go.” Yeilchu, “they should go,” is a reference to visiting the sick. By virtue of simply “going” to visit someone who is ill, even if he does nothing, the individual has already fulfilled the mitzvah. What is it about simply visiting that provides mitzvah fulfillment? Obviously, the optimum mitzvah is spending time, talking. Calming the patient– encouraging and engendering hope — is what the patient needs, but the mitzvah at its basic is fulfilled merely with a visit. Perhaps by understanding the immediate consequences of illness we can better comprehend why…

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וישמע יתרו...כי הוציא ד' את ישראל ממצרים

And Yisro heard…that Hashem had taken Yisrael out of Egypt. (18:1)

זכור את יום השבת לקדשו ... לא תענה ברעך עד שקר

Remember the Shabbos day to sanctify it … You shall not bear false witness against your fellow.

כבד את אביך ואת אמך למען יאריכון ימיך

Honor your father and mother, so that your days will be lengthened.

תקע בשופר... ושא נס לקבץ ...וקבצנו יחד

Teka b’shofar…v’sa neis l’kabeitz… v’kabtzeinu yachad

כה תאמר לבית יעקב ותגיד לבני ישראל

So shall you say to Bais Yaakov and relate to Bnei Yisrael. (19:3)

כה תאמר לבית יעקב ותגיד לבני ישראל

So shall you say to Bais Yaakov. (19:3)

ואשא אתכם על כנפי נשרים

And (how) I carried you on wings of eagles. (19:4)

משה ידבר והאלקים יעננו בקול

Moshe would speak, and G-d would respond to him with a voice. (19:19)

ברוך ד' אשר הציל אתכם מיד מצרים ומיד פרעה

Blessed is Hashem Who has rescued you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of Pharaoh. (18:10)

והודעת להם את הדרך ילכו בה ואת המעשה אשר יעשון

You shall make known to them the path in which they should go and the deeds that they should do. (18:20)

YEARS

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