Where is Yitro When We Need Him?

The past two weeks there has been a lot of hullabaloos about the American President’s grandiose plans for our area. While his pronouncements have alternatively been discussed, criticized, approved, accepted, thought possible as “thinking out of the box”, many of us are appalled that his plans are being taken seriously even by some of our Knesset members who are in the opposition. Since this week’s parsha is Yitro, which is mostly known as the portion which includes the ten commandments, I thought it might be interesting to make some comparisons. Let’s imagine that the American President is Yitro who gives advice to our Prime Minister who is Moses.

Potus: Welcome to the most important house in America. I know you are very busy—but not as busy as I am. True, you have just had an operation; you are on trial; you are trying to stay out of jail; your wife is being investigated; people are demonstrating against you daily; you are trying to stay in power against all odds. But that’s nothing compared to all the important things I’m doing for the whole world. I’ve been the busiest person in the world, more than any other world leader.

PM: I must admit my hands are full, that’s why I am staying here for a little bit of R&R in a fancy hotel, before I go back to face all the tzores awaiting me in Israel.

Potus: Don’t worry. I have a great idea that will solve all your problems, all the region’s problems—and definitely all the world’s problems. Let’s bring a whole bunch of bulldozers to Gaza, level it entirely, “temporarily” empty it of people, and build a whole bunch of luxury homes, like mine in Miami. The best kinds of people will want to live there. I should know, I have more experience with real estate deals than anyone else in the world.

PM: That’s an interesting idea, even brilliant, something even I could not dream up. I just might be able to sell it to my people and keep my seat for another four years. But what will we do with the people who live there?

Potus: Not to worry. All of our friends in the neighboring countries will take them in “temporarily”. We’ll give them all incentives to leave and promise them a better life. After all, who would want to live in the rathole that Gaza is today.

PM: Very interesting. And that might solve some of my problems. It will certainly take everyone’s mind off of the burning issues—like war, my trial, accountability and oh, let’s not forget the thorny issue of hostages.

Potus: Not to worry. I’ve made it clear to Hamas that if they don’t let all the hostages go immediately, I’ll kill them all. There’s no need for negotiations. I have your back. You can trust me. I always keep my word.

After this frightening scenario, let’s go to a more reasonable discussion between Yitro and Moses.

Yitro: I see you are very busy. You are multi-tasking and not doing a very good job of it. The people are very angry with you. They stand on lines waiting to talk to you and occasionally, you lose your temper, because you are tired of all the protests and whining.

Moses: But what can I do? God chose me alone to be the leader—and Aaron and Miriam are no help, they keep on undermining me with their personal comments. The people love me and I owe it to my people to be there for them.

Yitro: You have to think out of the box. You cannot continue this way. If you do, you’ll have a heart attack and then what good will you be for your people. There is too much pressure on you.

Moses: But what do you suggest? I cannot give up my power. I have to be the leader. I’ve been around forever. What will the people think if I’m not running everything.

Yitro: Here’s my suggestion:

You represent the people before God: you bring the disputes before God, and enjoin upon them the laws and the teachings, and make known to them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow (Exodus 18:19-20).

So don’t worry, no one is going to take that away from you. However:

You shall also seek out, from among all the people, capable individuals who fear God—trustworthy ones who spurn ill-gotten gain. Set these over them as chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and let them judge the people at all times. Have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them decide every minor dispute themselves. Make it easier for yourself by letting them share the burden with you. If you do this—and God so commands you—you will be able to bear up; and all these people too will go home unwearied” (vs. 21-23).

Moses/PM: All this sounds very good, but I don’t know anyone who genuinely fears God—they are all in this for themselves (and maybe I am too as well, if we’re being honest). There is no one I know who is trustworthy, or who “spurns ill-gotten gains” (again, starting with me, if I’m being honest). Also, who decides what is a major dispute? Bringing hostages home? Continuing the War? My “ill-gotten gains” that are taking so much time in Court? And if I share the burden, my people will see that I am weak and will not vote for me again. In theory, your ideas are good, but for me they are not practical.

Yet despite his own self-interest, unlike the PM, Moses heeded his father-in-law and did just as he had said:

Moses chose capable individuals out of all Israel, and appointed them heads over the people—chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens; and they judged the people at all times: the difficult matters they would bring to Moses, and all the minor matters they would decide themselves (Exodus 18:25-26).

But both the PM and Potus chose unqualified individuals who were political cronies to be members of their respective cabinets—to whom they were indebted or who controlled them.

Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way to his own land. Yitro did not hang around to oversee what Moses did. Whereas Potus, despite the geographical distance, continues to dictate to the Middle East what he sees is best for us.

And where was God during all this interchange between Moses and Yitro? Perhaps he was listening in. But in the next chapter God tells Moses to come up to Him and tells him what to say to the people:

You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Me. Now then, if you will obey Me faithfully and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples. Indeed, all the earth is Mine, but you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:4-6).

God tells him to get the people ready for an amazing array of Sound and Light after which he introduced Himself directly to the people as:

An impassioned God, visiting the guilt of the parents upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generations of those who reject Me, but showing kindness to the thousandth generation of those who love Me and keep My commandments (Exodus 20:5-6).

Sounds a little bit like Potus, in terms of his exaggerations, but He means well. But unlike the President, He warns us that we should not covet anything that is not ours:

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house: you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox or ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s (vs.14).

Moses was lucky, he did not have an interfering father-in-law. He was free to choose. He had capable individuals, who were not looking out for themselves. He could trust them to deal with minor matters. He had time to judge difficult matters, because he was not distracted by corrupt politicians who had their own agendas. He was not busy defending himself in court and pandering to rightwing maniacs who are covetous of what is not ours.

Right now, our government, with the American President’s backing, is playing chicken with the lives of hostages. As of Tuesday evening, he has threatened Hamas, that if they do not return all the hostages, the ceasefire will end and there will be Hell to pay for it. It is a horrifying scenario to contemplate. Hopefully, all the leaders involved will get off their high horses and see reason. At the moment there are too many unknowns and it is not clear what the future holds.