הרב אלון שליט"א
שיעורי הרב מרדכי אלון שליט"א
The taste of Shabbat – Yitro 5777
The taste of Shabbat -Yitro 5777
Rav Mordechai Elon
Our parsha begins with the figure of Yitro and his journey to Moshe-
אֶ֨ל הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר אֲשֶׁר ה֛וּא חֹנֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם הַ֥ר הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים
To the desert in which he was camping, by God’s mountain
Rashi opens his commentary with a famous saying
מה שמועה שמע ובא? – קריעת ים סוף ומלחמת עמלק.
What news did he hear that he came? The splitting of the Red Sea and the war with Amalek.
Rashi brings his source as the gemara in Zevachim (116a). Rashi’s question and answer must be understood. The problem with his commentary is why he asks the question, The Torah itself gives a full answer
וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע יִתְר֨וֹ כֹהֵ֤ן מִדְיָן֙ חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֵת֩ כָּל אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְמֹשֶׁ֔ה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַמּ֑וֹ כִּֽי הוֹצִ֧יא ה֛' אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם.
Now Moses' father in law, Yitro, the 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.