Midrash Tanchuma, Yitro 5 | Jewish Mythology

18:1). Scripture says elsewhere: Thine own friend and thy father’s friend forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity; better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off (Prov. 27:10). Thine own friend is the Holy One, blessed be He, who called Israel brother and friend, as it is said: For My brethren and friends’ sakes (Ps. 122:8). Thy father’s friend is Abraham, as is said: The seed of Abraham my friend (Isa. 41:8). Forsake not implies that if you would forsake God, remember what happened to the house of your brothers, Ishmael and Esau.9Better to rely on God than on brethren who betray you, as the descendants of Esau and Ishmael did at the destruction of the First Temple; see below.

Neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity. R. Joshua the son of Levi said: When the wicked Nebuchadnezzar exiled the Israelites to Babylon, they bound their hands behind them; and coupled them together with iron chains and led them naked, like beasts. As they were passing the territory of the Ishmaelites, they said to the officers in charge: Be kind and merciful to us and take us to our brethren, the sons of Ishmael, our uncle. They did so. The Ishmaelites went out to meet them, bearing salty bread and briny meat. They brought along empty water bags which they had dipped into water and hung at the doors of their tents. When the Israelites beheld the bags, they felt reassured, for they believed the bags were filled with water. The Ishmaelites said: “Eat the bread first and we will bring you the water.” After they had eaten the bread, the Ishmaelites came and said to them: “We are unable to find any water.” The Israelites thereupon bit into the bags, causing warm air to rush into their stomachs, and they perished. Hence it is said: The burden upon Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites. Unto him that is thirsty bring ye water! The inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitive with his bread. For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war (Isa. 21:13–15). What is meant by The burden upon Arabia? It means that a heavy burden would be imposed upon the sons of Arabia. He (God) asked them: Is this the way the Dedanites10A nomadic tribe on the borders of Idumaea. treat their kinsmen and welcome their uncle’s sons? Usually when a man comes from a highway, they bring bread and water to him, as it is said: Unto him that is thirsty bring ye water (Isa. 21:14), but ye, the inhabitants of the land of Tema, did meet the fugitives with bitter bread. Did you not know that they were fleeing from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow and from the grievousness of war? When your father suffered from thirst in the desert, I disclosed the well of water to him, as is said: And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water (Gen. 21:19), yet now you do such a thing. Hence, Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.

Better is a neighbor that is near refers to Jethro, who was more friendly to Israel than Esau, the brother of Jacob. It is written concerning Jethro: And Saul said unto the Kenites: “Go, depart, get you down from the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites (I Sam. 15:6).

You find that everything written in praise of Jethro is mentioned to the discredit of Esau. In reference to Esau it is written: They have ravished the women in Zion (Lam. 5:11), but about Jethro it says: And he gave Moses, Zipporah, his daughter (Exod. 2:21). Concerning Esau it is written: Who eat up My people as they eat bread (Ps. 14:4), while of Jethro it is said: Call him that he may eat bread (Exod. 2:20). It is written about Esau: And he feared not God (Deut. 25:18), but about Jethro it is written: And thou shalt provide out of all the people, able men, such as fear God (Exod. 18:21). It is stated about Esau that he abolished the sacrifices (when Rome destroyed the Second Temple), but of Jethro it is said: And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices (ibid., v. 12). Esau heard of their troubles and attacked them, as it is said: Because of the striving of the children of Israel, and because they tried the Lord (ibid. 17:7), and it is written elsewhere: And Amalek came. However, when Jethro heard about Israel’s goodness, he joined them, as it is said: Now Jethro heard.

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