Difference between revisions of "Yitro – Names/3"

From AlHaTorah.org
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 <aht page="Commentators:Midrash/Identifications">multiple names to refer to the same character</aht>?
+
<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 <aht page="Dictionary:חֹתֵן – חֹתֶנֶת"><i>choten</i> ("חותן")</aht>:
+
<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 <aht page="Dictionary:אַב"><i>avihen</i> ("אביהן")</aht>:
+
<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:

    • 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.