For the week ending 25 January 2003 / 22 Shevat 5763
Parshat Yitro
Questions
- Yitro had 7 names. Why was one of his names Yeter?
- News of which two events motivated Yitro to come join the Jewish People?
- What name of Yitro indicates his love for Torah?
- Why was Tzipora with her father, Yitro, and not with Moshe when Bnei Yisrael left Egypt?
- Why does verse 18:5 say that Yitro came to the desert don't we already know that the Bnei Yisrael were in the desert?
- Why did Moshe tell Yitro all that G-d had done for the Jewish People?
- According to the Midrash quoted by Rashi, how did Yitro respond when he was told about the destruction of Egypt?
- Who is considered as if he enjoys the splendor of the Shechina?
- On what day did Moshe sit to judge the Jewish People?
- Who is considered a co-partner in Creation?
- "Moshe sat to judge the people, and the people stood before Moshe...." What bothered Yitro about this arrangement?
- Why did Yitro return to his own land?
- How did the encampment at Sinai differ from the other encampments?
- To whom does the Torah refer when it uses the term "Beit Yaakov"?
- How is G-d's protection of the Jewish People similar to an eagle's protection of its young?
- What was G-d's original plan for Matan Torah? What was the response of the Jewish People?
- How many times greater is the "measure of reward" than the "measure of punishment"?
- How is it derived that "Don't steal" refers to kidnapping?
- In response to hearing the Torah given at Sinai, how far backwards did the Jewish people retreat in fear?
- Why does the use of iron tools profane the altar?
Answers
- 18:1 - Because he caused a Parsha to be added to the Torah. Yeter means addition.
- 18:1 - The splitting of the sea and the war against Amalek.
- 18:1 - Chovav.
- 18:3 - When Aharon met Moshe with his family on their way down to Egypt, Aharon said to Moshe: "We're pained over the Jews already in Egypt, and you're bringing more Jews to Egypt?" Moshe, hearing this, sent his wife and children back to Midian.
- 18:5 - To show Yitro's greatness. He was living in a luxurious place, yet he went to the desert in order to study the Torah.
- 18:8 - To draw Yitro closer to the Torah way of life.
- 18:9 - He grieved.
- 18:12 - One who dines with Torah scholars.
- 18:13 - The day after Yom Kippur.
- 18:13 - A judge who renders a correct decision.
- 18:14 - Yitro felt that the people weren't being treated with the proper respect.
- 18:27 - To convert the members of his family to Judaism.
- 19:2 - The Jewish People were united.
- 19:3 - The Jewish women.
- 19:4 - An eagle carries its young on top of its wings to protect them from human arrows. So too, G-d's cloud of glory separated between the Egyptians and the Jewish camp in order to absorb Egyptian missiles and arrows fired at the Jewish People.
- 19:9 - G-d offered to appear to Moshe and to give the Torah through him. The Jewish People responded that they wished to hear the Torah directly from G-d.
- 20:6 - 500 times.
- 20:13 - Since it is written immediately after "Don't murder" and "Don't commit adultery," it is derived that "Don't steal" refers to a crime carrying the same penalty as the first two, namely, the death penalty.
- 20:15 - They backed away from the mountain twelve mil (one mil is 2000 cubits).
- 20:22 - The altar was created to extend life; iron is sometimes used to make weapons which shorten life.
All references are to the verses and Rashis commentary, unless otherwise stated.
