WILL THE REAL JETHRO STAND UP?

 

YITRO-JETHRO

 

The Many Faces

Going against tradition is a difficult task.

Let me say at the outset; I do not like Jethro or the Rabbinic white-washing given to him and his Midianite family.

And these are the reasons why:

From the get-go, Jethro was a self-serving conniving opportunist who had seven daughters who needed husbands. That is why he showed kindness to a runaway Egyptian criminal, wanted for homicide and perhaps sedition.

Moses never really fully accepted his wife Zipporah or their children. He divorces her and refuses to circumcise his children, never accepting them as Jewish. In the Chumash and in our history they are absent and are not mentioned as part of the family tree. In contrast to Aaron’s family Moses’ offspring are not honored by leadership or Priesthood roles.

When Moses banishes Zipporah, Jethro is stuck providing for her and the kids. Then Jethro learns of Moses’ success, that Moses has become a king of sorts, and kings are rich and powerful; so he sets out to dump the Mrs. and the kids on the king’s lap, and maybe get a well-paying position for himself.

Jethro arrives at our encampment and throws a party at which Moses is missing. Some think, traditionally, that Jethro was celebrating his conversion. In order to convert he would have to be circumcised and would not likely be in the mood to throw a party.

SO, WILL THE REAL JETHRO STAND UP?

A person’s Hebrew name reflects distinct characteristics and the purpose and role towards which the person was created.

For example: Adam was named for the Adamah “Earth” from which he was formed, and Eve was named Chavah because she was the mother of all Chai “Life”. Names are very important: Manoach, Samson’s father asked the angel to tell him his name was (Judges 13:17). Likewise, Jacob demanded that the angel tell him the angel’s name (32:29). Both men were disappointed.

Yitro had no less than seven names: "Reuel", "Jether", "Jethro", "Hobab", "Heber", "Keni" and "Putiel.

 

I think that Yitro used these names as smokescreen. He hid behind these names. He used them in order to confuse people as to his character and purpose. However in one Rabbinic interpretation of the name Putiel, Jethro’s true character comes out. In that instance Putiel is taken to mean he fattened (פַטֵם) calves for the purpose of idolatrous worship.

A careful reading of the text will show that Yitro was a conniving opportunist who tried to fool Moshe, but did not succeed.

The first question to ask is why did Jethro make the long trip from Midian to Moshe’s encampment, having in tow Zipporah and two children? What was in it for him? There were at least two things to consider:

Reading the text the immediate answer is as follows:

At 18:1 –“ Now Moses' father in law, Jethro, chieftain of Midian, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel, His people that the Lord had taken Israel out of Egypt”

וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ כֹהֵן מִדְיָן, חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה, אֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֱלֹהִים לְמֹשֶׁה, וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ:  כִּי-הוֹצִיא יְהוָה אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִמִּצְרָיִם..

From this verse it can be inferred that Jethro was aware that his son in law Moshe was a powerful “king” and most likely quite wealthy.

If by emphasizing their family connection and perhaps becoming an advisor to the king, maybe there was a possibility of a monetary reward.
At 18:2: 

 וַיִּקַּח, יִתְרוֹ חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה, אֶת-צִפֹּרָה, אֵשֶׁת מֹשֶׁה--אַחַר, שִׁלּוּחֶיהָ.

 “So Moses' father in law, Jethro, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after she had been sent away”,

I want to focus on what “to be sent away” may possibly mean. 

To be sent away has an emotional connotation of finality or divorce or banishment. At Genesis 21:14 where Abraham sends Haggar away, there is no question as to Abraham’s intent:

וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּקַּח-לֶחֶם וְחֵמַת מַיִם וַיִּתֵּן אֶל-הָגָר שָׂם עַל-שִׁכְמָהּ, וְאֶת-הַיֶּלֶד--וַיְשַׁלְּחֶהָ; וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתֵּתַע, בְּמִדְבַּר בְּאֵר שָׁבַע.

“And Abraham arose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away; and she went, and became lost in the wilderness of Beer-sheba”.

Getting back to Moshe and Jethro, it is only in 18:2 and not before that we learn that Zipporah had been sent away, banished or divorced.

 You have to read into the text in order to make sense out of 18:2. In my mind, Jethro had enough on his plate with Zipporah’s six other sisters without having the additional burden of Moshe’s ex-wife and their two children. By bringing Moshe’s family to the encampment Jethro was reminding Moshe that they were “family” and in addition Moshe’s obligation for child support.

Shortly thereafter he throws a party, a festive meal for Moshe, Aaron and the Elders.:

At 18:12 – וַיִּקַּח יִתְרוֹ חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה, עֹלָה וּזְבָחִים--לֵאלֹהִים; וַיָּבֹא אַהֲרֹן וְכֹל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֶאֱכָל-לֶחֶם עִם-חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה--לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים

“And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God”.

I think this is an attempt on Jethro’s part to ingratiate himself with the leadership of Israel.  Looking at the text Moshe is nowhere to be seen, only Aaron and the Elders. I think that Moshe is miffed.  He has begun to see through Jethro’s shenanigans and stays away.

Shortly thereafter, Jethro, as part of his scheme in the role of a counselor, advises Moshe on how to efficiently judge the people. At 18:19 Jethro begins his discourse:

 “עַתָּה שְׁמַע בְּקֹלִי, אִיעָצְךָ”

“Now listen to my voice. I will counsel you,…”

Moshe is no fool; he takes in what Jethro has to say, but in the end at 18:27 he banishes Jethro who returns to his homeland -

 וַיְשַׁלַּח מֹשֶׁה, אֶת-חֹתְנוֹ; וַיֵּלֶךְ לוֹ, אֶל-אַרְצוֹ.

“And Moses banished his father-in-law away; and he went to his own land”.

Ask yourself: Why would Moshe banish his father-in-law as he done previously to Zipporah?

The answer may be found in a conversation between Moshe and Jethro.

Some verses from the Book of Numbers 10: 29-32 shed some light on what may have transpired :

Moses says: “…We are traveling to the place about which the Lord said, I will give it to you. Come with us and we will be good to you, for the Lord has spoken of good fortune for Israel.

 Jethro replies: He said to him, I won't go, for I will go to my land and my birthplace.

Moses answers: He said, Please don't leave us, for because you are familiar with our encampments in the desert and you will be our guide. And if you go with us, then we will bestow on you the good which God grants us.

There is another clue as to what is happening. At 18:24, Moses seems to comply with what Jethro is telling him:

וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע משֶׁ֖ה לְק֣וֹל חֹֽתְנ֑וֹ וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָמָֽר

"Moses understood his father in law, and he acted to all that he said".

 וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע   means that Moses heard or listened or understood.  On its face this conversation seems to refer to setting up of a judicial system.

But it might mean something more because Moshe got the picture.  His father-in-law was a Midianite who had no desire to throw in with the Jews.

We all know that Moshe had a temper. I’m thinking that Moshe understood and was so upset with Jethro’s response, that Moshe threw him out never to return. In all what follows in the Chumash, the Midianites have been our enemy and not our friend. In the Book of Numbers, Chapter 25, in addition to the Moabites seducing Israelites, we have a Midianite princess figuring prominently in the rebellion of the Tribe of Shimon against Moshe. At 25:16 –17 and Hashem commanding Moshe:

צָרוֹר, אֶת-הַמִּדְיָנִים; וְהִכִּיתֶם, אוֹתָם וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.

 “The Lord spoke to Moses saying: Sweep the Midianites up, and you shall smite them”.

It did not stop there.  At Numbers 31:1-2 that takes place at the end of Moshe’s life he is again commanded to wage an all-out war against the Midianites.

 נְקֹם, נִקְמַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֵאֵת, הַמִּדְיָנִים; אַחַר, תֵּאָסֵף אֶל-עַמֶּיךָ. וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.

“The Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Take revenge for the children of Israel against the Midianites; afterwards you will be gathered to your people."”

At 31:7 -

  וַיִּצְבְּאוּ, עַל-מִדְיָן, כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה, אֶת-מֹשֶׁה; וַיַּהַרְגוּ, כָּל-זָכָר.

“They waged war against Midian, as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed every male”.

Returning to Jethro’s names, there is no doubt that Jethro’s true essence is embodied in the name “Putiel”:

Putiel is the one that fattened calves for the purpose of idolatrous worship. He was one with his fellow Midianites, and although it took some years, Moshe put an end to his father in law’s tribesmen and possibly to Jethro himself.