Chukkei HaElokim – Statutes Before Sinai/2

Chukkei HaElokim – Statutes Before Sinai?

Exegetical Approaches

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To which laws does the phrase "חֻקֵּי הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֶת תּוֹרֹתָיו" refer?

Divine Laws

Laws Given at Sinai

Sources: Ibn EzraShort Commentary Shemot 18:1About Ibn Ezra

Chronology of Shemot 18 – According to Ibn Ezra, Yitro came after the revelation at Sinai – see Chronology of Shemot 18.

Mitzvot at Marah? – Ibn Ezra maintains that the "חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט" given at Marah was not specific commandments. See Miracles and Mitzvot at Marah.

Laws Given at Marah

Sources: Akeidat YitzchakShemot #43About Akeidat Yitzchak, AbarbanelShemot 18Devarim 1About Abarbanel

Chronology of Shemot 18 – 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 Chronology of Shemot 18.

Mitzvot at Marah? – Akeidat Yitzchak and Abarbanel interpret the "חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט" given at Marah to refer to specific commandments. See Miracles and Mitzvot at Marah.

Laws Given Ad Hoc

Sources: ShadalShemot 18:16Shemot 18:20About Shadal

Chronology of Shemot 18 – According to Shadal, Yitro's advice was implemented before the Decalogue, and thus these verses cannot be referring to laws given at Sinai.

Mitzvot at Marah? – Shadal interprets the "חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט" given at Marah to be general instructions to listen to Hashem rather than specific commandments. See Miracles and Mitzvot at Marah.

Not Divine Laws

Sources: Tzeror HaMorShemot 18:15-17Shemot 18:18-23About R. Avraham Saba

Meaning of "אֱלֹהִים" – The Tzeror HaMor interprets the word as referring to judges, rather than God¹ – see א-להים for further discussion.² Thus, he explains "לִדְרֹשׁ אֱלֹהִים" ‎(18:15) as to request judgment,³ and "חֻקֵּי הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֶת תּוֹרֹתָיו" ‎(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" ‎(18:19) means that Moshe should make himself available to the judges and teach them the laws.⁴ This allows him to maintain that all of the verses are speaking of judicial matters.⁵

Mitzvot at Marah? – R. Avraham Saba interprets the "חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט" given at Marah to be herbal medicinal knowledge rather than commandments. See Miracles and Mitzvot at Marah.

Chronology of Shemot 18 –

¹ See also R. Yosef Bekhor ShorShemot 18:15Shemot 18:19About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor and the discussion in Moshe's Duties. R. Yosef Bekhor Shor interprets אֱלֹהִים as judges in numerous other verses as well. See א-להים for examples.

² See also Edward Greenstein, "Jethro’s Wit: An Interpretation of Wordplay in Exodus 18," On the Way to Nineveh (Atlanta, 1999): 160-164.

³ As does the Septuagint 18:15. Cf. R. Bachya 18:15 who notes that אֱלֹהִים is used to refer to God and not ‏ה'‏ because of the judicial context.

⁴ According to him, "וְהִזְהַרְתָּה אֶתְהֶם" refers to Moshe teaching the judges.

⁵ 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.