View source for Chukkei HaElokim – Statutes Before Sinai/2

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<h1>Chukkei HaElokim – Statutes Before Sinai?</h1>

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<p>To which laws does the phrase "חֻקֵּי הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֶת תּוֹרֹתָיו" refer?</p>

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<category name="">Divine Laws
	<opinion name="">Laws Given at Sinai
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	<mekorot>
	
	<multilink><aht source="IbnEzraShemotShort18-1">Ibn Ezra</aht><aht source="IbnEzraShemotShort18-1">Short Commentary Shemot 18:1</aht><aht parshan="R. Avraham ibn Ezra">About Ibn Ezra</aht></multilink>
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		<point><b>Chronology of Shemot 18</b> – According to Ibn Ezra, Yitro came after the revelation at Sinai – see <aht page="Chronology – Shemot 18">Chronology of Shemot 18</aht>.</point>
		<point><b>Mitzvot at Marah?</b> – Ibn Ezra maintains that the "חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט" given at Marah was not specific commandments.  See <aht page="Miracles and Mitzvot at Marah">Miracles and Mitzvot at Marah</aht>.</point>
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	<opinion name="">Laws Given at Marah
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	<mekorot>
		<multilink><aht source="Akeidat43">Akeidat Yitzchak</aht><aht source="Akeidat43">Shemot #43</aht><aht parshan="Akeidat Yitzchak" /></multilink>, 
		<multilink><aht source="AbarbanelShemot18">Abarbanel</aht><aht source="AbarbanelShemot18">Shemot 18</aht><aht source="AbarbanelDevarim1">Devarim 1</aht><aht parshan="Abarbanel" /></multilink>
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		<point><b>Chronology of Shemot 18</b> – Akeidat Yitzchak and Abarbanel maintain that Yitro's advice was proffered before the Decalogue but could be implemented only afterwards when the full set of laws was transmitted – see <aht page="Chronology – Shemot 18">Chronology of Shemot 18</aht>.</point>
		<point><b>Mitzvot at Marah?</b> – Akeidat Yitzchak and Abarbanel interpret the "חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט" given at Marah to refer to specific commandments.  See <aht page="Miracles and Mitzvot at Marah">Miracles and Mitzvot at Marah</aht>.</point>
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	<opinion name="">Laws Given Ad Hoc
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	<mekorot>
	<multilink><aht source="ShadalShemot18-16">Shadal</aht><aht source="ShadalShemot18-16">Shemot 18:16</aht><aht source="ShadalShemot18-20">Shemot 18:20</aht><aht parshan="Shadal" /></multilink>
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		<point><b>Chronology of Shemot 18</b> – According to Shadal, Yitro's advice was implemented before the Decalogue, and thus these verses cannot be referring to laws given at Sinai.</point>
		<point><b>Mitzvot at Marah?</b> – Shadal interprets the "חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט" given at Marah to be general instructions to listen to Hashem rather than specific commandments.  See <aht page="Miracles and Mitzvot at Marah">Miracles and Mitzvot at Marah</aht>.</point>
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<category name="">Not Divine Laws
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<mekorot>
<multilink><aht source="TzerorShemot18-15">Tzeror HaMor</aht><aht source="TzerorShemot18-15">Shemot 18:15-17</aht><aht source="TzerorShemot18-18">Shemot 18:18-23</aht><aht parshan="R. Avraham Saba" /></multilink>
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	<point><b>Meaning of "אֱלֹהִים"</b> – The Tzeror HaMor interprets the word as referring to judges, rather than God<fn>See also <multilink><aht source="RYBS18-15">R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</aht><aht source="RYBS18-15">Shemot 18:15</aht><aht source="RYBS18-19">Shemot 18:19</aht><aht parshan="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" /></multilink> and the discussion in <aht page="Moshe's Duties and Yitro's Advice">Moshe's Duties</aht>.  R. Yosef Bekhor Shor interprets אֱלֹהִים as judges in numerous other verses as well.  See <aht page="Dictionary:אֵ-ל – אֱ-לוֹהַ – אֱ-לֹהִים">א-להים</aht> for examples.</fn> – see <aht page="Dictionary:אֵ-ל – אֱ-לוֹהַ – אֱ-לֹהִים">א-להים</aht> for further discussion.<fn>See also Edward Greenstein, "Jethro’s Wit: An Interpretation of Wordplay in Exodus 18," On the Way to Nineveh (Atlanta, 1999): 160-164.</fn>  Thus, he explains "לִדְרֹשׁ אֱלֹהִים" &#8206;(18:15) as to request judgment,<fn>As does the Septuagint 18:15.  Cf. R. Bachya 18:15 who notes that אֱלֹהִים is used to refer to God and not &#8207;ה'&#8207; because of the judicial context.</fn> and "חֻקֵּי הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֶת תּוֹרֹתָיו" &#8206;(18:16) as the laws which provide the source of the verdict and its reasoning.  He similarly suggests the possibility that "הֱיֵה אַתָּה לָעָם מוּל הָאֱלֹהִים וְהֵבֵאתָ אַתָּה אֶת הַדְּבָרִים אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים וְהִזְהַרְתָּה אֶתְהֶם אֶת הַחֻקִּים וְאֶת הַתּוֹרֹת" &#8206;(18:19) means that Moshe should make himself available to the judges and teach them the laws.<fn>According to him, "וְהִזְהַרְתָּה אֶתְהֶם" refers to Moshe teaching the judges.</fn>  This allows him to maintain that all of the verses are speaking of judicial matters.<fn>Shadal, in contrast, interprets אֱלֹהִים in all of these verses as referring to God, but explains that Moshe is conferring with God about matters of judgment.</fn></point>
	<point><b>Mitzvot at Marah?</b> – R. Avraham Saba interprets the "חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט" given at Marah to be herbal medicinal knowledge rather than commandments.  See <aht page="Miracles and Mitzvot at Marah">Miracles and Mitzvot at Marah</aht>.</point>
	<point><b>Chronology of Shemot 18</b> – </point>
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