By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal
SAN DIEGO–This week’s parasha begins: “Yitro priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.” (Ex. 18:1) So he decided to pay Moses a visit.
Rashi asks: “What exactly had Yitro heard that motivated him to visit Moses? What news could have inspired his long and arduous journey?” Rashi’s answer: “Yitro heard how God had split the Sea of Reeds and about Israel’s successful battle against Amalek.”
Rabbi Mordechai Cohen wrote: the Torah says that Yitro heard “all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people.” Why, then, did Rashi choose to emphasize these two specific events?
His answer: the splitting of the sea was a miracle. No human force caused the waters to part, it was God alone. The Israelites witnessed this miraculous event and were beneficiaries of the awesome power of God. As they watched their enemies drown, they rejoiced in their recognition of God’s goodness toward them.
Nevertheless, when Amalek attacked Israel, they did not wait for God to intervene. They recognized that while miracles sometimes occur, we must not wait or count on them. They gathered up a fighting force and vanquished their enemies.
It was this combination of Israelite faith and action that moved Yitro. He wanted to see for himself this incredible people who believe that everything is up to God, but act as though everything is up to them.
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Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal is spiritual leader of Tifereth Israel Synagogue. He may be contacted at leonard.rosenthal@sdjewishworld.com