Difference between revisions of "Yitro/0"
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<h1>Yitro – Overview</h1> | <h1>Yitro – Overview</h1> | ||
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<h3>Positive</h3> | <h3>Positive</h3> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li>R. Avraham Saba in his <multilink><aht | + | <li>R. Avraham Saba in his <multilink><a href="Tzeror18" data-aht="source">Tzeror HaMor</a><a href="Tzeror18" data-aht="source">Shemot 18</a><a href="R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)" data-aht="parshan">About Tzeror HaMor</a></multilink> depicts Yitro as the antithesis of Amalek and a symbol of justice, truth, and peace. He adds that Yitro came in order to convert,<fn>He follows Midrash in both this regard and in extoling the virtues of Yitro's descendants.</fn> and that his advice demonstrated great wisdom and Divine inspiration.</li> |
| − | <li>R. Yitzchak Arama in his <multilink><aht | + | <li>R. Yitzchak Arama in his <multilink><a href="Akeidat43" data-aht="source">Akeidat Yitzchak</a><a href="Akeidat43" data-aht="source">43</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Arama (Akeidat Yitzchak)" data-aht="parshan">About Akeidat Yitzchak</a></multilink> presents a uniformly flattering portrayal of Yitro. He praises Yitro for both the fine character reflected in his bringing Zipporah back to Moshe and the intellect displayed in his sagacious advice to Moshe. The Akeidat Yitzchak does not address the question of whether Yitro converted, but in his commentary on Bemidbar (Chapter 72) he suggests that after Yitro departed he returned and remained with the Children of Israel.</li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
<h3>Negative</h3> | <h3>Negative</h3> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li><multilink><aht | + | <li><multilink><a href="Philo" data-aht="parshan">Philo</a><a href="PhiloNamesXVII" data-aht="source">On the Change of Names XVII:103</a><a href="PhiloDrunkennessX" data-aht="source">On Drunkenness X-XI:36-45</a><a href="PhiloLawsIV" data-aht="source">The Special Laws IV:XXXIII:173-175</a><a href="Philo" data-aht="parshan">About Philo</a></multilink>'s portrayal of Yitro is extremely negative.<fn>See Prof. Louis Feldman's analysis in Studies in Josephus's Rewritten Bible pp.38-54.</fn> In <a href="PhiloNamesXVII" data-aht="source">On the Change of Names</a>, he writes how Yitro's name symbolizes superfluousness and pride. Similarly, in <a href="PhiloDrunkennessX" data-aht="source">On Drunkenness</a> he criticizes Yitro's advice saying that Yitro in his arrogance "proposes laws contrary to those of nature."<fn>Abarbanel also views Yitro's proposal as incompatible with the Torah's system of justice and as reflecting Yitro's misunderstandings, but he is not critical of Yitro's character – see <a href="Did Moshe Need Yitro's Advice" data-aht="page">Did Moshe Need Yitro's Advice</a>.</fn> Philo even attempts to cast even Yitro's recognition of Hashem's might in Shemot 18:12 as an offensive comparison of Hashem to other gods.<fn>On the other hand, in <a href="PhiloNamesXVII" data-aht="source">On the Change of Names</a> Philo also says that the name Reuel has a positive meaning ("shepherd of God"), and in <a href="PhiloLawsIV" data-aht="source">The Special Laws IV</a> he praises Yitro's proposal.</fn></li> |
| − | <li>Some Midrashim – <multilink><aht | + | <li>Some Midrashim – <multilink><a href="TanchumaYitro3" data-aht="source">Tanchuma</a><a href="TanchumaYitro3" data-aht="source">Yitro 3</a><a href="Tanchuma" data-aht="parshan">About the Tanchuma</a></multilink> and Tanchuma Buber Yitro 2-4 read Yitro (with Amalek) into the verse in Mishlei 19:25 "Flog a scoffer, and the simple will become prudent," thus portraying Yitro in an unflattering light. <multilink><a href="ShemotRabbah27-6" data-aht="source">Shemot Rabbah</a><a href="ShemotRabbah27-6" data-aht="source">27:6</a><a href="Shemot Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Shemot Rabbah</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="MidrashShemuel12" data-aht="source">Midrash Shemuel</a><a href="MidrashShemuel12" data-aht="source">12:2</a><a href="Midrash Shemuel" data-aht="parshan">About Midrash Shemuel</a></multilink> take this even further, deepening Yitro's relationship with the enemies of the Children of Israel. See <a href="Yitro and Amalek" data-aht="page">Yitro and Amalek</a> for more.</li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
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<p>An analysis of the personality of Yitro is related to the following topics:</p> | <p>An analysis of the personality of Yitro is related to the following topics:</p> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li>< | + | <li><a href="Yitro – Religious Identity" data-aht="page">Yitro's Religious Identity</a> and the meaning of <a href="Dictionary:כֹּהֵן" data-aht="page"><i>kohen</i></a></li> |
| − | <li>< | + | <li><a href="Yitro – Names" data-aht="page">Yitro's Names and his Relationship to Moshe</a></li> |
| − | <li>< | + | <li><a href="Yitro and Amalek" data-aht="page">Yitro and Amalek</a></li> |
| − | <li>< | + | <li><a href="Yitro's Visit – Purpose and Significance" data-aht="page">The Purpose of Yitro's Visit</a></li> |
| − | <li>The meaning of < | + | <li>The meaning of <a href="Dictionary:חדה" data-aht="page"><i>vayichad</i></a></li> |
| − | <li>< | + | <li><a href="Did Moshe Need Yitro's Advice" data-aht="page">Did Moshe Need Yitro's Advice?</a></li> |
| − | <li>< | + | <li><a href="Yitro's Life After Shemot 18" data-aht="page">Why did Yitro Leave?</a> and <a href="Yitro's Life After Shemot 18" data-aht="page">Did he Return and Remain with the Nation?</a></li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
| − | <p style="text-align:center">Click < | + | <p style="text-align:center">Click <a href="Yitro – Religious Identity" data-aht="page">here</a> to proceed to Yitro's Religious Identity.</p> |
</page> | </page> | ||
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Latest revision as of 17:49, 14 February 2015
Yitro – Overview
Contrasting Portraits
From the wide ranging body of commentary on these topics we can find exegetes who sketch two opposite composite portraits of Yitro:
Positive
- R. Avraham Saba in his Tzeror HaMor depicts Yitro as the antithesis of Amalek and a symbol of justice, truth, and peace. He adds that Yitro came in order to convert,1 and that his advice demonstrated great wisdom and Divine inspiration.
- R. Yitzchak Arama in his Akeidat Yitzchak presents a uniformly flattering portrayal of Yitro. He praises Yitro for both the fine character reflected in his bringing Zipporah back to Moshe and the intellect displayed in his sagacious advice to Moshe. The Akeidat Yitzchak does not address the question of whether Yitro converted, but in his commentary on Bemidbar (Chapter 72) he suggests that after Yitro departed he returned and remained with the Children of Israel.
Negative
- Philo's portrayal of Yitro is extremely negative.2 In On the Change of Names, he writes how Yitro's name symbolizes superfluousness and pride. Similarly, in On Drunkenness he criticizes Yitro's advice saying that Yitro in his arrogance "proposes laws contrary to those of nature."3 Philo even attempts to cast even Yitro's recognition of Hashem's might in Shemot 18:12 as an offensive comparison of Hashem to other gods.4
- Some Midrashim – Tanchuma and Tanchuma Buber Yitro 2-4 read Yitro (with Amalek) into the verse in Mishlei 19:25 "Flog a scoffer, and the simple will become prudent," thus portraying Yitro in an unflattering light. Shemot Rabbah and Midrash Shemuel take this even further, deepening Yitro's relationship with the enemies of the Children of Israel. See Yitro and Amalek for more.
Related Topics
An analysis of the personality of Yitro is related to the following topics:
- Yitro's Religious Identity and the meaning of kohen
- Yitro's Names and his Relationship to Moshe
- Yitro and Amalek
- The Purpose of Yitro's Visit
- The meaning of vayichad
- Did Moshe Need Yitro's Advice?
- Why did Yitro Leave? and Did he Return and Remain with the Nation?
Click here to proceed to Yitro's Religious Identity.
