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THE WEEKLY SIDRA- YISRO
Rabbi Moshe Greebel

One of the least discussed obligations, it would appear, which a Jew has from the Torah, is the requirement to develop his character, to the point where his very presence among others, generates a Kiddush Shaim Shamayim, a sanctification of the name of heaven. While many of us may daily walk out of a door upon which is prominently inscribed ‘Gentlemen,’ such laudatory titles do not always seem to apply to everyone. It is best put in the Mishna of Avos 3-10:

“…..Anyone from whom the spirit of mankind derives satisfaction, from him the spirit of the Omnipresent One (also) derives satisfaction…..”

Now, that is very praiseworthy indeed! A very applicable example of this deriving satisfaction from an individual, is one of the multitude of subjects discussed in this week’s Sidra. When the father-in-law of Moshe, Yisro, came to the encampment of the B’nai Yisroel, the Torah informs us:

“And Moshe went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed, and kissed him; and they asked each other about their welfare; and they came into the tent.” (Sh’mos 18:7)

On this Passuk (verse), Rashi commented:

“In that moment, a great honor was bestowed to Yisro, for, once Moshe went out, Aharon, and (two of his sons) Nadav and Avihu (also) went out. And, could anyone who saw (all) these going out, not go out himself as well?”

It is certainly odd, that even though the Passuk clearly states that the only one who went out to greet Yisro was Moshe, Rashi taught that Aharon and company went out as well. From where did Rashi understand that the Torah included others, in addition to Moshe? For a resolution to this, we turn to the celebrated Vilna Gaon (Rabbeinu Eliyahu Kramer 1720- 1797) of blessed memory, who resolved this difficulty in his youth.

In the Torah language of LaShon HaKodesh, two different words are used to denote going out of a place, or simply leaving- ‘Y’tziya,’ and ‘Hiluch.’ In our above Passuk, which deals with Moshe going out to meet his father-in-law, the Torah utilizes the term ‘Y’tziya.’

The term ‘Hiluch’ on the other hand, can be seen from where HaShem commanded Aharon to go out to meet his brother Moshe:

“And HaShem said to Aharon, ‘Go out (‘Hiluch’) into the wilderness to meet Moshe.’ And he went (‘Hiluch’), and met him at the mount of G-d, and kissed him.” (Sh’mos 4:27)

The fact that the Torah utilized two different terms for the same concept, explained the young Vilna Gaon, must mean that each term has its own specific purpose, one different from the other. At the age of sixty three years, Ya’akov Avinu was told by his parents to leave Be’er Sheva, and go to Charan, wherein his maternal uncle Lavan lived:

“And Ya’akov went out (‘Y’tziya’) from Be’er Sheva, and went towards Charan.” (B’raishis 28:10)

Now, since everyone realizes that Ya’akov at this juncture of his life resided in Be’er Sheva, Rashi questioned:

“It was only necessary to write ‘And Ya’akov went to Charan.’ Why is his ‘Y’tziya’ (from Be’er Sheva) recorded (as well)? It is to instruct however, that the leaving (‘Y’tziya’) of a Tzadik (righteous man) from a place makes an impact. For, when a Tzadik is in a certain city, he is the very praise (of that area), the very splendor, and the very beauty. If he goes out from there, the praise, splendor, and beauty turn away (as well)…..”

Therefore, explained a young Vilna Gaon, the term ‘Y’tziya’ simply does not only denote leaving, as does ‘Hiluch,’ it denotes the very great loss of an area, from which a Tzadik has recently left.

Now then, our above Passuk utilizes the term ‘Y’tziya’ for Moshe’s going out to meet Yisro, a term which designates a loss for the encampment of the B’nai Yisroel, from which Moshe has left. But how, questioned the young Vilna Gaon, could such a loss for the encampment be plausible? For, there were other Tzadikim (righteous men) such as Aharon and company, who would have maintained the praise, splendor, and beauty of the encampment, even though Moshe went out from there.

And so, concluded the Vilna Gain, by the Torah’s use of the term ‘Y’tziya’ in this Passuk, Rashi was compelled to say that all the Tzadikim went out of the encampment with Moshe to greet Yisro, leaving the encampment empty of praise, splendor, and beauty, which is the language of ‘Y’tziya’.

The superlative character with which a true Ben Torah conducts himself, is after all, an example to the rest of us. How we comport ourselves and how we relate to others, whether they be Jewish or not, must at all times be nothing less than a Kiddush HaShem, a sanctification of the name of HaShem. For, it is always in the presence of HaShem that we ultimately act, and to Whom we owe our very being.

May we soon see the G’ulah Sh’laimah in its complete resplendency- and in our times. Good Shabbos.

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Rochester, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Circleville, Ohio

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