Sunday, November 18, 2012

Perek 10

כט  וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה, לְחֹבָב בֶּן-רְעוּאֵל הַמִּדְיָנִי חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה, נֹסְעִים אֲנַחְנוּ אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר יְהוָה, אֹתוֹ אֶתֵּן לָכֶם; לְכָה אִתָּנוּ  וְהֵטַבְנוּ לָךְ, כִּי-יְהוָה דִּבֶּר-טוֹב עַל-יִשְׂרָאֵל

Who is Chovev ben Reuel, the father-in-law of Moshe? Is it Yitro? If so why the new name?

Chovev is in fact Yitro and he has a new name because after he accepted Torah he was given a new name, which was the practice among converts.

Yitro originally thought that when Moshe said "Viheitavnu Lach" Yitro thought they would give him of the spoils of the war to conquer Israel but they would not give him a Nachala, so Yitro declined because in his homeland he had a portion.

But Moshe impresses on him how Bnei Yisroel need him to be their eyes in the desert and be a guide for them on their way up to Eretz Yisroel. And Moshe makes sure this time to tell Yitro that he will be given a Nachala in the land, which will be a reward for his help.

The Gemara in Bechorim tells that Yitro did go with Bnei Yisroel and sites the above passuk as the proof.




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