Devar/5770/Yitro
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< Devar | 5770
עברית
וְשֵׁם הָאֶחָד, אֱלִיעֶזֶר -- כִּי-אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי בְּעֶזְרִי, וַיַּצִּלֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹה. (שמות יח:ג,ד)
English
…of whom the name of the one was Gershom; for he said: 'I have been a stranger in a strange land'
and the name of the other was Eliezer: 'for the God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.' (Ex 18:3,4)
Since Eliezer was born in Midian before Moses returned to Egypt, why was he given a name which means God already saved his father from Pharaoh? Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra explains the name this way: Even though he [Moses] ran away to Midian, he was afraid of Pharaoh, because Egypt and Midian had peaceful relations. And when God told him, "Go, return to Egypt, because all those people [who sought to kill you] are dead"… then, his heart had faith and he said, "He will save me from the sword of Pharaoh". I think this is a good explanation. But what can one say about the name "Gershom"? It seems to be easy to understand why he was given that name.
Moses was not born in Midian, therefore he could say he was a "stranger" there. But I say, he was more of a stranger in Egypt, even though he was born and raised there! His mother tongue (Hebrew) was closer to Midianite than to Egyptian. The Midianites were shepherds just as were most of the Children of Israel -- whereas the Egyptians despised shepherds. And perhaps more important: Midian was a close relative of Jacob's -- his cousin via Ketura, Abraham's wife. Egypt was a descendant of Ham (as was Canaan). Therefore there was a familial closeness between Israel and the Midianites, which was not present with the Egyptians. So Egypt is more properly regarded a "strange land" than Midian.
In truth however, every place in the world: Egypt and Midian, France and also America -- every place in the world except the Land of Israel itself -- is in the category of "strange lands". There is only one Land which is ours. That is the Land where the God of Israel chose to rest His divine presence. That is the Land which Moses our Teacher so desired to enter. And that is the Land where Israel grew: with her prophets, kings and priests -- and spread the wisdom of the Torah to the entire world. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem (Isa 2:3) -- and not from strange lands!
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