Difference between revisions of "Yitro – Names/3"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
(Original Author: Ariella Novetsky, Rabbi Hillel Novetsky) |
(Original Author: Ariella Novetsky, Rabbi Hillel Novetsky) |
||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
<disagreements> | <disagreements> | ||
| − | <topic>Does Tanakh use < | + | <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> | ||
<opinion>The same character can be referred to by two names – Sifre, Ibn Janach, Ibn Ezra.</opinion> | <opinion>The same character can be referred to by two names – Sifre, Ibn Janach, Ibn Ezra.</opinion> | ||
| Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
</topic> | </topic> | ||
| − | <topic>The meaning of the word < | + | <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> | ||
<opinion>It can also mean a brother-in-law – Ibn Janach, Ibn Ezra Short Commentary, Biur.</opinion> | <opinion>It can also mean a brother-in-law – Ibn Janach, Ibn Ezra Short Commentary, Biur.</opinion> | ||
| Line 21: | Line 21: | ||
</topic> | </topic> | ||
| − | <topic>The meaning of the word < | + | <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, Ibn Kaspi.</opinion> | ||
Version as of 17:59, 11 August 2014
Was Yitro Really Moshe's Father-in-law?
Points of Dispute
Below 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, Ibn Kaspi.
- It means father in 2:16 and grandfather in 2:18 – Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Ibn Ezra Long Commentary, Ramban.
