Chukkei HaElokim – Statutes Before Sinai/2
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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 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
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: 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 HaMor
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 –
