A Blessing from Without

 

R. Yaakov Bieler

Parashat Yitro, 5766

 

Although the general impression one gets from the account in Parshat Yitro of Moshe’s father-in-law’s visit to the Jewish encampment is that Yitro’s major contribution to Jewish life in the desert was the Midianite priest’s advice regarding how to create a practical and efficient judicial system that would serve the multitudes that were now autonomously living together in the desert (Shemot 18:13-26), in effect recommendations governing relationships between man and man, Yitro also personally models an important ritualistic principle regarding how man is to relate to God. On two different occasions in subsequent Jewish Biblical history, after the sins of the Golden Calf (Shemot 32:12) and the Spies (BaMidbar 14:15-6), Moshe articulates the fear that should God Destroy the Jews in the desert due to their iniquities, a very negative impression among non-Jewish nations regarding apparent limitations inherent within God’s Power and Omnipotence would result. Yitro’s remarks upon hearing what God Did to save the Jews, constitute the opposite end of the spectrum, where God’s Miraculous Interventions in order to free the Jewish people impresses Yitro, an important representative of the non-Jewish world,[1] most profoundly.

 

Shemot 18:8-12

And Moshe recounted all that HaShem Did to Pharoah and Egypt on behalf of Israel, of the difficulties that beset them on the road and how HaShem Saved them.

And Yitro rejoiced over the good that HaShem Did on behalf of Israel, that He Saved them from the hand of Egypt.

And Yitro said: Blessed is HaShem, Who Saved you from the hand of Egypt and Pharoah, that He Saved the people from being subjugated by the hand of Egypt.

Now I know that God is Greater than all the deities as a result of the matter that they plotted against them.

And Yitro, the father-in-law of Moshe, took whole burnt offerings and sacrifices to God, and Yitro and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moshe’s father-in-law before God.

 

On the one hand, the Talmud and Midrash not only generally approve of Yitro’s blessing and its positive effects,[2] but also learn aspects of binding Jewish law from Yitro’s response to Moshe’s reprise of recent events, despite the fact that Yitro at this point does not appear to consider himself Jewish![3]

 

Berachot 54a

Mishna: A person who sees a place where miracles have been performed on behalf of the Jewish people, should say: Blessed…Who

Did miracles for our ancestors in this place.

Gemora: From where are these words (i.e., this “Halacha”) derived? Said R. Yochanan: The verse states, (Shemot 18:10) “Blessed is HaShem, Who Saved you…”

 

Mechilta, Parshat Bo, #12

(Shemot 12:27) “And you will say, ‘It is the Pascal sacrifice…’”—this is to teach that whomever hears about these miracles that God Did for Israel in Egypt, is required to praise, as it is said, (Shemot 18:8) “And Moshe recounted (to his father-in-law)…”; (18:9) “And Yitro rejoiced…”; (18:10) “And Yitro said: Blessed is HaShem…”.[4]

 

She’iltot, Parshat VaYishlach

What is the source whereby the Jewish people are obligated to give thanks and praise before God at a time that a miracle is performed on their behalf?...

And when a day comes corresponding to a time when a miracle was done on behalf of the Jews, like Chanuka and Purim, one is obligated to recite the blessing: Blessed…Who Performed miracles for our forefathers at this time. On Chanuka this blessing is recited in association with lighting a wick; on Purim in association with the reading of the Megilla. As it is said, (Shemot 18:10) “And Yitro said: Blessed is HaShem…”

 

The Rabbinic sources would appear to be operating under the assumption that the principle of “Kal VeChomer” (reasoning from a lesser case to a stronger, more obvious one) should be applied in this instance. If a non-Jew is moved to praise and thank HaShem as a result of what He Did for the Jews, all the more so should Jews themselves engage in similar praises and thanksgiving.

 

According to one approach in ChaZaL, not only is it both ironic and inspiring that such laws are derived from the utterance of a non-Jew, but the fact that Jews had not themselves engaged in reciting such a blessing prior to Yitro’s spontaneous outburst, is considered to reflect poorly upon them.

 

Mechilta on Shemot 18:10; Sanhedrin 94a

Said R. Piphus: This verse is indicating a shortcoming on the part of Israel. Behold there were there 600,000 people, and not a single one rose up to bless God, until Yitro came and blessed God, as it is said, (Shemot 18:10) “And Yitro said: Blessed is HaShem…”

 

One commentator takes some of the “edginess” out of the R. Piphus’ remark, and portrays Yitro as a type of “Shliach Tzibbur” (lit. a representative of the congregation; someone who leads prayers on the behalf of others) who rather than “showing up” the Jews,[5] was in fact assisting/instructing them in what was incumbent upon them to do themselves.

 

Siftai Kohen (commentary on Mechilta; cited by R. Kasher, Tora Shleima, Parshat Yitro, p. 18, fn. 62.)

“Blessed is HaShem”—he (Yitro) blessed “Birchat HaGomel”[6]^,[7] (the Thanksgiving Blessing). Just as the scholars have said (Berachot 54b), that if one was obligated to recite this blessing,[8] and another comes along and says, “Blessed is He Who has Bestowed upon you all goodness”, and the person obligated in the blessing, says, “Amen”, he has fulfilled his obligation. Applying this principle with regard to Yitro’s actions, the Jewish people (following the Exodus) were obligated to recite this blessing, and Yitro came along and made the blessing… in order to fulfill on their behalf their obligation.

 

Another commentator approaches this tradition as not so much disparaging the Jews’ non-reaction, but rather highlighting Yitro’s extraordinary personal spirituality as manifested by this blessing.

 

Ketav Sopher on Shemot 18:10

…And it is surprising (to claim that Yitro’s actions put the Jews to shame) since they recited the entire Song (Shemot 15:1-19). What is so special about the word “Baruch” (that because Yitro used that specific term, he is praised while the Jews are disparaged for not having used it)? And commentators have been perplexed by this.

And it seems to me, that behold, it is written (18:9) “VaYichad Yitro”, and RaShI interprets,[9] “His skin broke out in goosebumps because of the fall of Egypt.” [10]Nevertheless he rejoiced in God’s Saving of His People Israel, even while at the same time his heart ached over the destruction of Egypt. But he understood that God would not Perpetrate injustice in judgment, and whatever He Does, it is for a good purpose. Therefore (in spite of his emotional sympathies for Egypt) he rejoiced regarding this apparently bad thing that happened to Egypt and praised HaShem for it. Consequently, Yitro profoundly exemplified the attribute that ChaZaL have taught, (Berachot 54a; 60b) “Just as one blesses regarding good things, so too must one bless regarding the bad,” and this is interpreted to include the ideal of accepting such things in “joy” (i.e., understanding the “bigger picture” to lend perspective to the immediate tragedy that one is undergoing). This is what Yitro did. After Moshe told him, Yitro’s flesh developed goosebumps; but still in all he girded himself and recited, “Blessed is HaShem…” This is what we have not seen until this point among Israel, i.e., someone who is able to bless on the evil as he blesses on the good, for they (the Jews) focused exclusively upon the Divine Goodness that they encountered during the course of the plagues and the splitting of the Sea. However, with respect to the servitude in Egypt and the other troubles that befell them they never recited blessings. This is the intent of ChaZaL, (not that the Jews never blessed but rather) that their inability to bless situations that appeared to them to be evil was to the discredit of the Jews since until this point they had been unable to recite “Baruch” in the manner that Yitro does in Shemot 18.

 

Furthermore, one can say that although Yitro was not party to the troubles and enslavement endured by the Jews, nevertheless he rejoiced over their salvation and thanked HaShem for Saving his friends. This is the demand of the Commandment (VaYikra 19:18) “…And you will love your neighbor as yourself…” to feel part of his pain and to rejoice when he rejoices. The Jews however sang praises over the saving of themselves and their salvation. Each person was concerned with his own redemption, as opposed to the redemption of his fellow. And this is what is a bad reflection on the Jews, in that they did not sing praises in the same manner as did Yitro.

 

However, it would be inappropriate in my opinion to focus upon the uniqueness of Yitro’s spirituality as an individual, regardless of his religious beliefs, and not include a consideration of his “otherness” and “outsider” status vis-à-vis the Jewish people. NeTzIV notes that Yitro is not the first such individual to bless God once something momentous takes place.

 

HaEmek Davar on Shemot 18:10

All of Israel did not engage in blessing until the end of the redemption, i.e., the splitting of the Sea of Reeds. Then they recited the “Song” and that is equivalent to a blessing. But Yitro said a blessing in the standard form (therefore the verb “to bless” is used with respect to his action, in contrast to “to sing” which describes what the Jews did). That is the simple meaning, in my opinion. (Consequently, the simple meaning, according to NeTzIV would maintain “blessing” and “singing” are synonyms describing essentially the same type of action.)

However Sanhedrin 94a as well as Mechilta state: This verse (Shemot 18:10) is indicating a shortcoming on the part of Moshe and Israel (in as much as Yitro uttered a blessing and the Jews did not)…

And the understanding of this matter is that they (the Jews) did not learn from Eliezer, the servant of Avraham who also stated, “Blessed is HaShem…”

 

(Beraishit 24:27

And he [Eliezer] said:[11] Blessed is Hashem, the God of my master Avraham, Who has not Abandoned His Compassion and His Truth from my master. I was on the road and HaShem Guided me to the house of the brethren of my master.)

 

It was already explained there (Beraishit 24:27)[12] that the essential connotation of “Baruch” is (a request that there be) “additional/intensive influence” (in the future), since “Hekdesh” (that which is dedicated to a holy purpose) requires “Beracha” (lit. blessing; in order to assure future repetitions of such phenomena), as is stated in Bava Metzia 114a, since it is written (Devarim 8:10) “…And you will eat and be satiated and bless the Lord your God for the good land that He is Giving to you.”[13]  

 

However the association between blessings and holy things is exclusive to that which happens regularly and is in accordance with the laws of Nature and HaShem’s general Oversight of the universe[14] (i.e., the blessing expresses the wish that the laws of nature that have produced the favorable result that catalyzed this particular blessing, should continue to do so going forward). This is not the case with respect to overt miracles, where there cannot be a request for “additional/intensive influence” (i.e., we do not feel that it is in our best interests, nor is it a reasonable request that the laws of Nature be continually suspended. This would appear to be an application of the principle: “Ain Somchin Al HaNes” [one is not to rely on the occurrence of overt miracles]. Hidden rather than overt miracles are thereby advanced as the preferred format for Divine Intervention in human affairs)… It was for this reason that they (the Jewish people) did not utter a blessing (following the plagues and the splitting of the Sea, all overt miracles).

And then came Yitro and said a blessing (upon hearing about what transpired during the Exodus), but with the connotation of offering praise to the Holy One, Blessed be He (with respect to that which has already happened, rather than a prayer that these miraculous occurrences should continue in the future). Consequently this is what Berachot 54a means when it asks, “From where do we derive the principle that we are to bless for a miracle? From Yitro”, (i.e., who was the first to innovate that while it may be inappropriate to pray for future overt miracles, there is nothing wrong with blessing HaShem for the wonders that He has Wrought in the past).

 

NeTzIV astutely draws attention to these two “outsiders”, Eliezer and Yitro, who, by virtue of each of their examples, establish theological precedents regarding how one is to respond to fortuitous events, “hidden” as well as “overt”, unambiguously acknowledging that they stem from God. Not only hidden miracles that operate within the structure of the laws of Nature, but even overt miraculous phenomenon are often subject to naturalistic explanations, particularly on the part of those who are determined to challenge the very existence of the Divine. In this regard, Yitro is of particular interest, since he is cast by ChaZaL as more of a religious “seeker” than Eliezer. While Eliezer is Avraham’s servant and therefore probably relatively constrained in his theological musings and investigations, or at least accustomed to looking at the world through “Jewish” lenses as a result of his long association with his master, this is not the case with regard to how Rabbinic tradition views the (Shemot 2:16; 3:1; 18:1) “Kohen Midian” (priest of Midian).

 

Mechilta D’Rabbi Yishmael, Yitro, Parsha 1 on the verse (Shemot 18:11) “Now I know that God is Greater than all the deities…”

Until this point, he (Yitro) did not acknowledge the greatness of HaShem. He said, “Initially, not even a single slave would be able to escape from Egypt, a place that was locked and enclosed. And now, He Took out 600,000 people from Egypt? For this reason it must be said, ‘God is Great’.”

And what are we being told by “Now I know that God is Greater than all the deities…”? They said: Yitro did not overlook a single idolatrous religion in all the world, that he did not search it out and worship it, as it is said, “all the deities”…

 

In contrast to the Jews, who during their enslavement had little time to reflect on their beliefs and traditions, Yitro apparently engaged extensively in the study and practice of comparative religions. The Jews could only think of their liberation and survival in the most narrow of contexts, living from day to day, as opposed to deeply appreciating the precise means by which they had achieved these objectives. Yitro, who only hears about the events from Moshe, is nevertheless quite capable of comparing these feats with what he knew first-hand of the claims and realities of other religious systems, and therefore is in a unique position to comprehend how profound and impressive the Exodus is, a perspective regarding which the Jews, including Moshe himself, were incapable.

 

Ben Zoma stated: (Avot 4:1) Who is a wise individual? One who learns from every other person… The Tora as well as the Rabbinic tradition not only avoids disparaging Yitro, despite his involvement with idolatry, but actually uses his example in order to derive principles of prayer and appreciation for God. As in the case of Yitro, open-mindedness and intellectual curiosity not only benefited Yitro himself, but also the entire Jewish people who learned from his blessing and appreciated his administrative abilities with respect to how to adequately and efficiently recruit judges and set up Jewish courts.

 

Shabbat Shalom, and may we aspire to truly learn from any and all.