Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Reader

(Exodus 23:12) "Six days shall you do your work": The Sabbath of creation is juxtaposed with shevi'ith (to teach that on shevi'ith — a year of Sabbath) the (observance of the) Sabbath of creation is not superseded.

R. Eliezer says: "Then she shall go out free" — when she is a bogereth; "without money" — with signs (of puberty). We are hereby taught that (in the absence of signs) she goes out by deducting from the value (of the years served to the value of those to be served.)

R. Eliezer says: The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses: I am the one who spoke and brought the world into being. I am the one who draws near and not the one who distances, viz. (Jeremiah 23:23) "Am I only a G–d from near, says the L–rd, and not a G–d from far?" I am the one who drew Yithro near and did not distance him. You, too, when a man comes to you to be converted, he does so only for the sake of Heaven. You, too, draw him near and do not distance him. From here we learn that a man should distance with the left hand and draw near with the right, and not do as Elisha did to Gechazi, rejecting him with both hands.

R. Nathan says: Since (on the one hand) the Torah says "Give money," and, (on the other hand,) "do not give money," then just as the first obtains before the advent of signs, so, the latter obtains after the advent of signs.

You say this, but perhaps the intent is that it be confined within the house, (even such tearing being forbidden, and not only labors for the sake of man)? Would you say that? That would not be "resting" (for the animal), but pain!

(Exodus 18:7) "And Moses went out to his father-in-law": They said: There went out (also) Aaron, Nadav, and Avihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, followed by all of Israel. Other say: Even the Shechinah went out with them.

"and there be refreshed the son of your maid-servant": This refers to an uncircumcised (Canaanite) servant. You say this, but perhaps it refers to a circumcised servant? — (This cannot be, for Ibid. 20:10) "your man-servant and your maid-servant" already refers to a circumcised man-servant. What, then, is the intent of "and there be refreshed your man-servant and your maid-servant"? An uncircumcised man-servant.

"and he bowed down to him and he kissed him": I would not know who bowed down to whom or who kissed whom, were it not written (Ibid.) "And they greeted, a man, his neighbor, in peace." Who is called "a man"? Moses, as it is written (Numbers 12:3) "And the man, Moses, was exceedingly humble." It was Moses, then, who bowed down to his father-in-law and kissed him. From here they ruled that a man should be solicitous of the honor his father-in-law. "and they came into the tent": the house of study.

"and the stranger": This refers to a ger toshav (a "sojourning stranger [one who shuns idolatry and observes the seven Noachide laws]). But perhaps it refers to a ger tzedek (a "righteous convert" [one who embraces Judaism])? (This cannot be, for) (Ibid. 20:10) "and your stranger within your gates already refers to a ger tzedek. What, then, is the intent of "and the stranger"? A ger toshav. He is on the Sabbath as a Jew on a festival. If one buys uncircumcised servants from the gentiles, they are on the Sabbath as a Jew on chol hamoed (the intermediate days of a festival). These are the words of R. Yoshiyah.

(Ibid. 8) "And Moses related to his father-in-law: to appeal to his feelings, to draw him near to Torah. "all that the L–rd did": in the exodus from Egypt. "all the ordeals that they had undergone": at the Red Sea. "on the way": the war with Amalek. "and the L–rd had rescued them": from everything.

R. Akiva interchanges (the halachah). When do they (sojourning strangers) render wine forbidden (to Jews [yayin nesech])? When they utter the names of their idolatries. And when do they do so? When they vow by them.

(Ibid. 9) "And Yithro rejoiced over all the good": R. Yehoshua says: Scripture speaks of the good of the manna. They said to him: In this manna that the L–rd has given us we savor the taste of the loaf, of flesh, of fish, of hoppers, of all the delicacies in the world, it being written "good," "the good," "all the good," "over all the good."

R. Elazar Hamodai says: Scripture speaks of the good of the well. They said to him: In the well that the L–rd has given us we savor the taste of old wine, of new wine, of milk, of honey, of all the sweets in the world, it being written "good," "the good," "all the good," "over all the good."

R. Eliezer says: Scripture speaks of the good of Eretz Yisrael. They said to him: The L–rd is destined to give us six good "measures": Eretz Yisrael, the world to come, the kingdom of the House of David, the new world, the (institution of) the Kehunah and that of the Leviyah, it being written "good," "the good," "all the good," "over (adding three to the first three) all the good."

(18:10) "And Yithro said: 'Blessed is the L–rd'": R. Pappis said: Scripture speaks to the discredit of Israel, six hundred thousand men having been there and not one of them having stood up to bless the L–rd until Yithro came and did so, viz. "And Yithro said: Blessed is the L–rd, who rescued you, etc."

"from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of Pharaoh": from the great serpent, viz. (Ezekiel 29:3) "the great serpent sprawling in its Nile, who said 'Mine is the Nile and I have made it for myself.'" "from under the hand of Egypt": from under subjugation to Egypt.

(Ibid. 11) "Now I know that greater is the L–rd than all the gods": Until now he had not conceded anything to Him. "that the L–rd is greater": They said: In the beginning there was no slave that could escape from Egypt, it being entirely sealed off, and now He has taken six hundred thousand men out of Egypt!

"than all the gods": They said: There was no idolatry in the world that Yithro did not come across and did not worship, viz.: "than all the gods. And Na'aman was even more conceding in this regard than he, viz. (II Kings 5:15) "Now I know that there is no G–d in all the land, but only in Israel." And thus, Rachav the harlot (Joshua 2:11) "for the L–rd your G–d is the G–d in the heavens above and on the earth below."

(Exodus 18:12) "And Yithro, Moses' father-in-law took a burnt-offering and peace-offerings (for sacrifice) to G–d.": Scripture registers wonder here: A man who had worshipped idolatry and who had poured libations and bowed down to idolatry now brings a burnt-offering and sacrifices to G–d!

"and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before G–d": And where did Moses go? Did he not go out to him in the beginning? viz. (Ibid. 3) "and Moses went out to his father-in-law." We are hereby apprised that he stood and waited upon them. Whence did he learn (to do this)? From our father Abraham.

They said: This thing was expounded by R. Tzaddok, viz.: When R. Gamliel made a feast for the sages, all the sages of Israel were seated before him and R. Gamliel arose and served them, whereupon they said: We are not worthy of this. At this, R. Yehoshua said to them: Let him serve us. We find one greater than R. Gamliel who served men. They: Who? R. Yehoshua: Our father Abraham, the greatest in the world, who served ministering angels thinking them to be Arab idolators. How much more so (should this be done by) R. Gamliel, serving sages, students of Torah!

At this, R. Yitzchak said: We find one greater than R. Gamliel and than Abraham, who served men. They: Who? R. Gamliel: The Shechinah, who at all times supplies food for all who enter the world in accordance with their needs, and sates all living things with good will. And not only men who are worthy and tzaddikim, but even evildoers, idolators! How much more so should R. Gamliel pay attendance upon sages and Torah scholars!

(Ibid. 5) "seh": Included in "seh" is a goat and a sheep, viz. (Devarim 14:4) "the seh of the sheep and the seh of the goats." "unblemished": to exclude a blemished animal. "male": to exclude a tumtum (one of indefinite gender), a hermaphrodite, and a female.... "one year old": This tells me only of a one-year-old. Whence do I derive (the same for) its entire first year? R. Yishmael was wont to say: If a burnt-offering, which is of a high order of sanctity, may be brought its entire year as at the one-year mark itself, how much more so the Paschal lamb, which is of a lower order of sanctity!

(Exodus, Ibid. 3) "The L–rd is a man of war; the L–rd is His name." R. Yehudah says: This is a verse rich from (what is written) in many places. We are hereby apprised that He revealed Himself to them in the implements of war. He revealed Himself to them as a warrior girded with a sword, viz. (Psalms 45:4) "Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Hero.

(Exodus 16:12) "I have heard the cavilings of the children of Israel": The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses: It is revealed to Me what the congregation of Israel have said and what they are destined to say (viz. Numbers 11:4).

(Exodus 18:13) "And it was on the morrow that Moses sat to judge the people.": on the morrow of Yom Kippur (after Moses had descended with the second tablets.) "from morning to evening": Now did Moses judge Israel from morning to evening? Do not judges judge only until the time of eating? We are hereby taught that if one judges a judgment of truth Scripture accounts it to him as if he were a partner with the Holy One Blessed be He in the creation, of which it is written (Genesis 1) "and it was evening and it was morning."

(Exodus 19:18) "And the whole of Mount Sinai smoked": I might think the place of the divine Presence alone; it is, therefore, written "the whole." "for the L–rd had come down upon it in fire": We are hereby apprised that the Torah is fire, that it was given from fire, and that it is comparable to fire, i.e., just as with fire, if one gets (too) close to it, he is burned, and if he is (too) far from it, he is chilled, so, (with Torah) one must "heat" himself only by its light, (and not in its "flames").

(Exodus 21:12) "If one strikes a man and he dies, he is to be put to death." What is the intent of this? From (Leviticus 24:17) "And a man, if he strike any soul of a man, etc.", I might think (that he is to be put to death) even if he slapped him; it is, therefore, written "If one strikes a man and he dies." He is not liable (for the death penalty) unless he kills him.

(Exodus 23:13) "And everything that I have spoken of to you, you shall observe": What is the intent of this? From (Ibid. 20:11) "You shall not perform any labor," I know only of labor per se. Whence do I derive (the same for) shvuth (things bordering on labor)? From "Everything that I have spoken of to you, you shall observe."

R. Yossi Haglili said: If a ram, which is unfit (as an offering) in the beginning of its second year is kasher the entire second year, then a Pesach, which is kasher in the beginning (i.e., in the midst of its first year), how much more so is it kasher at the end!...

R. Eliezer says: The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses: Moses, My children are in trouble. The sea is raging and the foe is pursuing and you stand and prolong your prayers? For R. Eliezer was wont to say: There is a time to prolong (prayer) and a time to shorten. (Numbers 12:13) "G–d, I pray You, heal her" — to shorten. (Devarim 9:18) "And I fell down before the L–rd (in prayer) as at first, forty days and forty nights" — to prolong.

He revealed Himself to them as a rider, viz. (Ibid. 18:11) "And He mounted a cherub and flew, etc." He revealed Himself to them in mail and helmet, viz. (Isaiah 59:17) "He donned righteousness as mail, and a helmet of salvation on His head." He revealed Himself to them with a spear, viz. (Habakkuk 3:11) "by the light of the flash of Your spear," and (Psalms 35:3) "and draw spear and (don) buckler, etc." He revealed Himself to them with bow and arrows, viz. (Habakkuk 3:9) "The nakedness of Your bow will be revealed," and (II Samuel 22:15) "And He sent forth arrows, etc." He revealed Himself to them with shield and buckler, viz. (Psalms 91:4) "Shield and bucker is His Your truth, and (Ibid. 35:2) "Take up buckler and shield."

"Speak to them, saying: Towards evening you will eat flesh": He said to them: You have asked for two things: You have asked for bread; for it is impossible for flesh and blood (to survive) without bread. And I have granted it to you. And, in addition, you have asked for stomach-filling flesh. I have granted that also to you. Why? So that you not say: He cannot give it to us. I will give it to you, but in the end I will exact punishment of you "and you will know that I am the L–rd your G–d ("Elokeichem") — I am a Judge to exact punishment of you.

(Exodus 18:14) "And Moses' father-in-law saw": What did he see? He saw him sitting like a king sitting on his throne and all paying attendance upon him, whereupon he said to him: "What is this that you are doing to the people? Why are you sitting alone?"

"and its smoke rose like the smoke of a lime kiln": If "lime kiln" (alone were written) I might think, only as a lime kiln (and not more); it is, therefore, written (Devarim 5:20) "and the mountain burned in fire." Why, then, "like a lime kiln"? To "help" the ear by what it is accustomed to hear.

(Exodus, Ibid.) "If one strikes a man": This tells me (that he is liable) only if he strikes a man. Whence is it derived (that he is likewise liable) if he strikes a woman or a minor? From (Leviticus 24:17) "And if a man strikes any soul of a man" — to include his striking a woman or a minor.

"of the lambs and of the goats shall you take it": of each in itself. You say this, but perhaps both are required. It is, therefore, written (Leviticus 1:10) "And if from the sheep is his offering." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If a burnt-offering, of higher sanctity, is kasher (if brought) of one kind (only), a Pesach, of lower sanctity, how much more so! What, then, is the intent of "of the lambs and of the goats"? Of each in itself.

I might think that He (actually) required one of all these appurtenances. It is, therefore, written "The L–rd is a man of war; the L–rd is His name. It is with His name that He wars, and not with any of these appurtenances.

"and Moses said to his father-in-law, etc.": They said: This is what Yehudah of Kfar Acco asked R. Gamliel: Why did Moses see fit to say (Ibid.) "Because the people come to me"? (i.e., Does this not seem vain in him?) R. Gamliel: What else should he say? His concluding (Ibid.) "to enquire (concerning the law) of G–d" suffices (to free him of this charge).

Similarly, (Amos 3:8) "The lion has roared. Who will not fear? (The L–rd G–d has spoken. Who will not prophesy?") Who has given power and strength to the lion? Is it not He? (i.e., What need have we, then, of epithets?) We use the epithet of His creations to "help" the ear (by what it is accustomed to hear.)