Jethro in rabbinic literature

Jethro in rabbinic literature.

His names

The different names of Jethro puzzled the Talmudists: some thought that his real name was "Hobab," and that Reuel was his father (see Hobab); others thought that his name was "Reuel," interpreting it "the friend of God" (see Jethro—Biblical Data, and comp. the view of some modern scholars, who hold that his name was "Reuel," and that "Jethro" was a title, "his Excellency"). [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1035 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ]

According to Shimon bar Yochai, he had two names, "Hobab" and "Jethro" (Sifre, Num. 78). It is, however, generally accepted that he had seven names: "Reuel," "Jether," "Jethro," "Hobab," "Heber," "Keni" (comp. Judges i. 16, iv. 11), and "Putiel"; Eleazar's father-in-law (Ex. vi. 25) being identified with Jethro by interpreting his name either as "he who abandoned idolatry" or as "who fattened calves for the sake of sacrifices to the idol" (Ex. R. xxvii. 7; Mek., Yitro, 'Amaleḳ, 1; Tan., Shemot, 11; comp. Targ. pseudo-Jonathan to Ex. vi. 25 and Soṭah 44a). [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1035 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ]

Jethro together with Balaam and Job was consulted by Pharaoh as to the means for exterminating the children of Israel; and as he dissuaded Pharaoh from his design, he was recompensed in that his descendants, the Rechabites, sat with the Sanhedrin in the Temple (Talmud Sanhedrin. 106a; Ex. R. i. 12; comp. I Chron. ii. 55). [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1035 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ] In Exodus Rabba 27.5 it is said that Jethro and Amalek were consulted by Pharaoh, and that both advised him to throw the male children into the river; but, seeing that Amalek was excluded from both this and the future life (comp. Ex. xvii. 14), Jethro repented. [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1035 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ] Some commentators maintain that when Pharaoh asked his advisors about how to go about outsmarting/exterminating Israel, Jethro promptly fled the scene while Job remained silent and Balaam suggested to enslave them.

R. Joshua and R. Eleazar ha-Moda'i disagree as to Jethro's position in Midian: according to one, the words "kohen Midyan" mean that he was the "priest [of] Midian"; according to the other, "prince [of] Midian" (Mek. l.c.; Exodus Rabba 27.2). [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1035 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ] The opinion that Jethro was a priest is met with in Exodus Rabba 1.35 and in Tan., Yitro, 5.

It is further said (Exodus Rabba l.c.) that Jethro, having remarked that the worship of an idol was foolish, abandoned it. [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1035 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ] The Midianites therefore excommunicated him, and none would keep his flocks; so that his daughters were compelled to tend them and were ill-treated by the shepherds. [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1035 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ] This, however, is in conflict with another statement, to the effect that Jethro gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses on condition that their first son should be brought up in the worship of idols, and that Moses swore to respect this condition (Mek. l.c.; Yalk., Ex. 169). [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1035 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ]

Whether Jethro went to the wilderness before or after the Torah was given, and consequently what it was that induced him to go to the wilderness, are disputed points among the ancient rabbis (Zeb. 116a; Yer. Meg. i. 11; Mek. l.c.). [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1035 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ] According to some, it was the giving of the Torah; according to others, the crossing of the Red Sea dry-shod, or the falling of the manna. [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1035 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ]

Honored by Moses

The manner in which Jethro announced his arrival to Moses is also variously indicated. [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1037 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ] According to Rabbi Eliezer, Jethro sent a messenger; according to Rabbi Joshua, he wrote a letter and tied it to an arrow which he shot into the camp. [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1037 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ] Moses did not go out alone to meet his father-in-law; but was accompanied by Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel, in order to honor Jethro. [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1037 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ] Some say that even the Shekinah itself went out to meet him (Mek. l.c.; Tan., Yitro, 6). [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1037 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ]

The words "wa-yihad Yitro" (Exodus 18.9), generally translated "and Jethro rejoiced," are interpreted by the Talmudists as "he circumcised himself"; or "he felt a stinging in his flesh"; that is to say, he was sorry for the loss of the Egyptians, his former coreligionists. [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1037 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ] By an interchange of the ח with the ה, the phrase would read "wa-yihad," meaning "he became a Jew" (Tan., Yitro, 5). [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1037 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ]

Religion

Jethro was the first to utter a benediction to God for the wonders performed by Him for the Israelites (comp. Exodus xviii. 10). [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1037 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ] Such a thing had not been done either by Moses or by any of the Israelites (Sanh. l.c.; Mek. l.c. 2). [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1037 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ] Jethro knew that God was greater than all the gods (comp. Ex. xviii. 11), because he had previously worshiped all the idols of the world (Mek. l.c.; Tan. l.c.); but at the same time he did not deny to idols all divine power (Yalk., Ex. 269). [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1037 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ] According to Rabbi Joshua, Moses purposely sent Jethro away in order that he should not be present at the revelation of the Law (comp. Exodus 18.27, Hebr.). [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=258&letter=J&search=Jethro#1037 JewishEncyclopedia.com - JETHRO ] ]

Notes