Jethro Sees Moses Judging Israel Like a Seated King

Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon Ben Yochai 18:14

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"And Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people" (Exodus 18:14), and so forth. He said to him: Like a king who sits while his servants stand, so are you doing to them, to Israel? "Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand about you?" (Exodus 18:14)

Themes

MosesLeadershipWisdom

Continue Reading

Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon Ben YochaiJethro Given a Place of Honor Through the Appointing of EldersWhen Jethro told Moses outright that his method of judging was not good, the sages did not hear arrogance. They heard a man being handed a gift. Jethro was beloMekhilta DeRabbi Shimon Ben YochaiYou Will Surely Wither Under a Burden Too Heavy to BearJethro warned that the work as Moses was doing it would cause him to wither away. The sages turned that single verb over and found layers in it. Rabbi Yehoshua Ben SiraCaleb and Joshua Stood Faithful Among SpiesOur story comes from the wisdom of Ben Sira, also known as Ecclesiasticus, a book of wisdom literature. It’s part of the Jewish writings of the Second Temple peBook of JubileesEsau's Declaration of War Against Jacob in JubileesThe Book of Jubilees, for those who aren't familiar, is an ancient Jewish text, considered part of the biblical apocrypha or pseudepigrapha – writings that hoveBook of JubileesEgypt — Joseph in the Days of MosesPharaoh, the most powerful man in the land, is understandably worried. He needs a solution, and fast. The text says, "let Pharaoh appoint overseers in all the lBook of TobitKingdom of King SennacheribIt’s a story packed with adventure, piety, and a healthy dose of divine intervention. to a particularly intense moment from the beginning of the story. Our hero