Yisro is Impressed By the Revenge for The Drowning
Yisro heard all the stories of Yetzias Mitzrayim, but only after hearing them from Moshe does the Torah attest that he realizes the greatness of Hashem. Why? “Ki BaDavar Ashe Zadu Aleihem.” Unkeles says that this means that Hashem paid back Mida K’Neged Mida because he drowned the Mitzrim just like they drowned the Jewish children. The Mitzrim committed many evils starting with enslavement, why was the drowning the sin that they were held accountable for and punished with?
The Ramban says that the word Zadu means, “sinister intentions”. He explains that Hashem decreed that Bnei Yisrael would be enslaved. With regard to the slavery the Mitzrim were not going against Hashem’s will. The reason why they were punished was because their intentions were evil. This was evidenced by the fact that they did far more than what was required. In their evil, they wanted not to enslave the Jews, but rather to annihilate them. To this end they plotted to throw the baby boys in the river.
Since their punishment was for the evil that was not part of the Gezeira, their end came through drowning which was the main crime they were guilty of. “This,” says the Rambam, “is what Unkeles means that they were punished Mida K’Neged Mida. That Hashem understood the wickedness deep in their hearts and punished them accordingly, was what impressed Yisro.”
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When Seeing & Listening Became One
“V’Chol Ha’Am Ro’im Es HaKolos; The whole nation saw the sounds.” (Yisro 20:15) Rashi brings the Mechilta that says they saw things that are normally only heard. What does this mean?
The Maharsham explains with the Drashos HaRan who says that the reason why our animal instincts win out over our intellectual character is because the tool of instincts are the eyes who see and desire. The intellect is driven by the spoken words of truth and internalizing them, which is a far more difficult process.
“By Matan Torah.” says the Maharsham, “Bnei Yisrael reached such a high level of Kedusha that all senses were focused solely on Kedusha and nothing else. At that time they were able to develop character both by seeing and hearing. This is what it means that they were able to see the spoken word.”
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Malachim With Torah?
When Moshe went up to Shamayim to take the Torah, the Malachim told Hashem that humans cannot have the Torah. Hashem told Moshe to answer them back. Moshe was afraid, so Hashem told him to hold on to the Kisei HaKavod. Moshe then asked them if they went to Mitzrayim, a major theme of many mitzvos. Before Moshe asked his questions what were the Malachim thinking? Did they not know already that Torah is all about being human and not meant for Malachim who don’t have any physicality?
The Chasam Sofer answers that the Torah as it is before Hashem, is a collection of unconnected letters. Each world combines the letters in a manner that is relevant to that world. The Malachim cherished the Torah in their own way and did not want to see it on earth with sinful people. They wanted the Torah to be kept in a Heavenly realm, and not sullied by man who can never reach the Heavens.
Hashem told Moshe to answer them but first hold on to the Kisei HaKavod. What this represented was that while man can learn the Torah in an earthly manner that the Malachim cannot, still man can reach great heights and learn the Torah in a Heavenly manner. Man can grasp Torah as it is interpreted in Shamayim near the Kisei HaKavod. Man can learn Torah way down below on earth and still ascend all the way to the top. To this the Malachim had no answer and Moshe took the Torah.
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Yisro Gets A Different Story Than The Sunday Newspaper
The parshas starts, “Vayishma Yisro.” Yisro came to the midbar because he heard about all the miracles that Hashem performed for Klal Yisrael, their exodus from Mitzrayim, Krias Yam Suf, and Milchemes Amaleik. Yet, we find after Moshe greets him, it says, “Vayisaper Moshe L’Chosno Es Kol Asher Asah Hashem.” Why did Moshe need to tell him again.
Rav Elyashiv, in Dvirei Aggada, says that there are two ways to hear everything. One way is through the headlines which dramatize the most outwardly exciting aspect. These event made news around the world, and Yisro heard this version. Moshe explained him the deeper meaning and the lessons learned from these event. That surely was not published in the local press of that day.
“Similarly,” says Rav Elyashiv, “this is why it calls Yisro by two titles: Kohen Midyan and Chosein Moshe. This corresponds to the two things he heard. With regard to Krias Yam Suf, even the Kohen Midyan can see the hand of Hashem in this open miracle. However, with regard to the war with Amalek, a simple view would interpret it as
natural victory. Only Chosein Moshe, the father-in-law of Moshe can grasp the magnitude of this event and attribute the victory to the hand of Hashem.”

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