Abarbanel's Questions for this week's Parshat Yitro
Why does the text say (v.1) that Jethro "heard all that God had done" but specify only bringing out the Israelites from Egypt, rather than the miraculous things? Why doesn't the text specify any of the things that God had done "for Moses"?
Why are the names of Moses' sons mentioned and explained here (vv.3-4)?
Why did Moses tell his father-in-law (v.8) the things that, according to v.1, he had already heard?
How is it that Jethro had to suggest such an obvious solution as appointing qualified judges (vv17-23) to Moses, the master of the prophets and the wisest of the sages?
Since up to that time Moses had been able to judge the whole people, why were chiefs (v.21) of anything smaller than 1,000 necessary-let alone chiefs of 10?
Why does Jethro's reply (v.10) contain a repetition?
Why did Jethro not suggest that "wise" men be appointed?
Why did Moses (v.25) choose only "capable" men, and not the other qualifications that Jethro mentioned?
Why was the Torah given only now, and not to Adam or Noah, Abraham or Jacob?
Why was the Torah given in the wilderness rather than in Egypt, when God took the people for His service and began to give them commandments?
Why didn't God give the Torah to the people on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem?
Why all the repetition of the Israelites' travels in v.2?
Why does Moses go up to God before God calls him up the mountain (v.3)?
Why is the point of saying "the house of Jacob" as well as "the children of Israel," and why is "the house of Jacob" never mentioned again?
Why, when Moses speaks to "the elders" (v.7), is he answered by "the people" (v.8)?
Why do the people agree to do "all that the LORD has spoken" (v.8) when He has not yet spoken it?
Why does God have to appear "in a thick cloud" (v.9) so that the people may hear?
Why does Moses "report the people's words" to God in v.9, when he has already "brought back the people's words" in v.8?
Why does "go to the people and warn them to stay pure" (v.10) not follow "I will come to you in a thick cloud" (v.9) without interruption, since that is where it belongs?
Why was the Torah given with "thunder and lightening" (v.16) and not the "still small voice" that Elijah heard in 1 Kings 19:12?
How could these special effects help the people hear the word of the Lord?
Why are the people warned a second time "not to break through" (v.21)?
What is the meaning of "lest many of them perish"?
Why does Moses say "the people cannot come up" (v.23) rather than "the people will not come up"?
Why is Moses told to go down and come back with Aaron (v.24)?
Why are the priests mentioned?
How exactly did Israel receive the Ten Commandments when "God spoke all these words" (v.1)?
Why are they called the "Ten" Commandments, when one counts at least 13 commandments or over 15 different sayings included in them?
Why is there such a mixture of positive and negative commandments?
Why is one punished in such different ways for violating the different commandments?
Why are the commandments written in this order?
Why are the five commandments from the second tablet, dealing with human relations, more important than, e.g., "You shall not defraud your fellow" (Lev. 19:13) or "Love your fellow as yourself" (Lev 19:18), which are not included in the Tem Commandments?
Why are some commandments explained and some not?
Why do some commandments threaten punishment and other not?
What is the meaning of the first commandment, "I the LORD am your God" (v.2)?
Why do some of the first five commandments mention "the LORD" and some "the LORD your God," while none of the last five mention God at all?
How can a just God "visit the guilt of the parents upon the children" (v.5)?
Why are "swearing falsely" (v.7) and "bearing false witness" (v.13) not included together?
Why are we warned that "the LORD will not clear one who swears falsely by His name"-as if we expected that he would?
Why are the other festivals not mentioned, only the Sabbath?
Why is "your neighbor" mentioned in the commandments against false witness (v.13) and coveting (v.14), but not in the others, e.g., "You shall not murder your neighbor"?
Why is "you shall not covet" written twice?
Why was such a unique revelation not devoted to matters that the intellect cannot solve, like the mysteries of the universe, instead of things like prohibitions against murder and theft, which the most lightweight intellect could arrive at without thinking twice?
Why does v.15 not mention the voice of God, which must have been much more frightening than the natural phenomena?
What is the nature of the "test" that Moses mentions in v.17?
Isn't it contradictory for Moses to tell the people "be not afraid" and then go on to say that God has come "in order that the fear of Him may be ever with you"?
What good was it for the people to "remain at a distance" (v.18), when they could still see and hear what had frightened them?
Doesn't v.20 replicate the second commandment?
Why does v.21 mention "burnt offerings" and "sacrifices of well being," which they have not yet been commanded to make?
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