Difference between revisions of "Yitro – Names/3"
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(Original Author: Ariella Novetsky, Rabbi Hillel Novetsky) |
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<h1>Was Yitro Really Moshe's Father-in-law?</h1> | <h1>Was Yitro Really Moshe's Father-in-law?</h1> | ||
| + | <p>These are some of the central points of dispute (נקודות המחלוקת) between the various exegetes:</p> | ||
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<topic>Does Tanakh use <a href="Commentators:Midrash/Identifications" data-aht="page">multiple names to refer to the same character</a>? | <topic>Does Tanakh use <a href="Commentators:Midrash/Identifications" data-aht="page">multiple names to refer to the same character</a>? | ||
<opinion>The same character can be referred to by many different names – Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael.</opinion> | <opinion>The same character can be referred to by many different names – Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael.</opinion> | ||
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<opinion>Different names refer to different people – Demetrius, Biur, the option that Yitro is Reuel's father.</opinion> | <opinion>Different names refer to different people – Demetrius, Biur, the option that Yitro is Reuel's father.</opinion> | ||
</topic> | </topic> | ||
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<topic>The meaning of the word <a href="Dictionary:חֹתֵן – חֹתֶנֶת" data-aht="page"><i>choten</i> ("חותן")</a>: | <topic>The meaning of the word <a href="Dictionary:חֹתֵן – חֹתֶנֶת" data-aht="page"><i>choten</i> ("חותן")</a>: | ||
<opinion>It means only father-in-law – Shadal (this is also consistent with the Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael and Sifre).</opinion> | <opinion>It means only father-in-law – Shadal (this is also consistent with the Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael and Sifre).</opinion> | ||
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<opinion>It can also mean a wife's uncle – Demetrius.</opinion> | <opinion>It can also mean a wife's uncle – Demetrius.</opinion> | ||
</topic> | </topic> | ||
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<topic>The meaning of the word <a href="Dictionary:אַב" data-aht="page"><i>avihen</i> ("אביהן")</a>: | <topic>The meaning of the word <a href="Dictionary:אַב" data-aht="page"><i>avihen</i> ("אביהן")</a>: | ||
<opinion>It means biological father – Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Ibn Janach, Ibn Ezra Short Commentary, Biur.</opinion> | <opinion>It means biological father – Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Ibn Janach, Ibn Ezra Short Commentary, Biur.</opinion> | ||
| − | <opinion>It means grandfather – Demetrius, Sifre, Ibn Kaspi.</opinion> | + | <opinion>It means grandfather – Demetrius, Sifre Bemidbar, Ibn Kaspi.</opinion> |
| − | <opinion>It means father in 2:16 and grandfather in 2:18 – Targum | + | <opinion>It means father in 2:16 and grandfather in 2:18 – Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan), Ibn Ezra Long Commentary, Ramban.</opinion> |
</topic> | </topic> | ||
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</disagreements> | </disagreements> | ||
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Latest revision as of 16:49, 4 July 2019
Was Yitro Really Moshe's Father-in-law?
Points of Dispute
These are some of the central points of dispute (נקודות המחלוקת) between the various exegetes:
- Does Tanakh use multiple names to refer to the same character?
- The same character can be referred to by many different names – Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael.
- The same character can be referred to by two names – Sifre, Ibn Janach, Ibn Ezra.
- Some names are not proper names but rather tribal affiliations or honorifics – R. D"Z Hoffmann (regarding Reuel), Nahum Sarna (regarding Yitro).
- Different names refer to different people – Demetrius, Biur, the option that Yitro is Reuel's father.
- The meaning of the word choten ("חותן"):
- It means only father-in-law – Shadal (this is also consistent with the Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael and Sifre).
- It can also mean a brother-in-law – Ibn Janach, Ibn Ezra Short Commentary, Biur.
- It can also mean a wife's grandfather – the option that Yitro is Reuel's father.
- It can also mean a wife's uncle – Demetrius.
- The meaning of the word avihen ("אביהן"):
- It means biological father – Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Ibn Janach, Ibn Ezra Short Commentary, Biur.
- It means grandfather – Demetrius, Sifre Bemidbar, Ibn Kaspi.
- It means father in 2:16 and grandfather in 2:18 – Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan), Ibn Ezra Long Commentary, Ramban.
