The Jethro Affair: The elections show that no one can move his mind
What the rumor heard - and coming. In all the great miracles that happened to the people of Israel, Jethro remained in his place. When you're left to sit - you're not moving anywhere. When Jethro heard a rumor coming - meaning he did, got up and came to the desert, then the big change in his perception and life
Hear a rumor and come. Rabbi Nordman, Moshe Kahlon and Nir Ben Haim (Photo: Hagai Rusnak)
Principal of Rabbi Nordman with Moshe Kahlon and Hadera Mayor Nir Ben Haim (Photo: Hagai Rusnak, courtesy of the photographers)
Our affair opens with an unusual event on any scale "and Yisma Jethro" and brings Rashi to the Sages' comments, "What is the rumor he has heard? Tearing down the Red Sea and the Amalek war." The events of the Red Sea tear as well as the Amalek war were known to the whole world, but in any case, no one who had heard this rumor brought such a practical and bold move that changed his life for the better, it was recorded among the few who made history and changed the world. His name was forever etched and named after him in the Torah.
We all know, especially in the Israeli reality of an election night, how difficult and nearly impossible a person is to move his opinions, beliefs and fixations, and the more educated and hard-working a person is, the more difficult it is. And here, Jethro, despite being a high priest of Medin, rooted in a particular discipline of idolatry, stood up and was not ashamed to admit the truth and changed the most essential thing in his life, and he admits with a full mouth and says: "I now knew that God is greater than God." The boldness, risk and courage required of a man his age and status to do so are great and worthy of historical mark. Jethro is not afraid to return to his country and place with the new knowledge he has bought. Indeed, it is proper for Jethro to call an affair in his name.
Precisely tearing the Red Sea
another point. Jethro was well acquainted with the land of Egypt and heard about the great miracles that are taking place for the Israelites in Egypt. He heard about the ten plagues that had struck Egypt, the exodus from the bondage of Egypt, the destruction and destruction experienced by the Nile country, and all this did not yet make him rise and join the Jewish people. But when he suddenly hears of the "tearing of the Red Sea and the Amalek war" or so he decides to join the people of Israel and comes with his wife and sons to the desert. why?
In Rashi's words, the answer lies: "What rumor has heard - and is coming." In all the great miracles that have happened to the people of Israel, Jethro remains seated. When you remain seated - you are not progressing anywhere. When Jethro heard a rumor and came - that is, done, stood up When Jethro did such an act, he became the senior adviser to his son-in-law, the leader of the nation - Moshe Rabbeinu - when he suggested that he appoint thousands of thousands and hundreds of hundreds to judge the people of Israel, to the point of writing " His son-in-law and all of us are blessed. ”Moshe Rabbeinu received" approval "from Saint Baruch to trust Jethro and to do" all that he said. "
A rumor can be more than a rumor
An important and practical message we learn from this to our own times, when some or other rumor passes by and we decide whether to hear or ignore them. But moreover, we choose to decide whether to stand up and do these rumors. Whether to leave them as a rumor or as a dry news item, or to give it the proper place, to stand up and do something that could change the world completely and become part of significant and revolutionary history. Our established attitudes, acquired insights, habits, and so forth make us last year dead, living in a heavy and burdensome spiritual fixation, so the rumors pass through us, going from one ear to the other.