- What details do you notice? The more you notice, the more alive the text.
- What are the essential ideas that emerge from here?
- What resonates with you? What is challenging for me?
- What regular intention action (called a kabbalah) could one regularly do to incorporate one of these essential ideas?
(יג) וַיְהִי֙ מִֽמׇּחֳרָ֔ת וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב מֹשֶׁ֖ה לִשְׁפֹּ֣ט אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיַּעֲמֹ֤ד הָעָם֙ עַל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה מִן־הַבֹּ֖קֶר עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃ (יד) וַיַּרְא֙ חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֵ֛ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־ה֥וּא עֹשֶׂ֖ה לָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתָּ֤ה עֹשֶׂה֙ לָעָ֔ם מַדּ֗וּעַ אַתָּ֤ה יוֹשֵׁב֙ לְבַדֶּ֔ךָ וְכׇל־הָעָ֛ם נִצָּ֥ב עָלֶ֖יךָ מִן־בֹּ֥קֶר עַד־עָֽרֶב׃ (טו) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה לְחֹתְנ֑וֹ כִּֽי־יָבֹ֥א אֵלַ֛י הָעָ֖ם לִדְרֹ֥שׁ אֱלֹקִֽים׃ (טז) כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֨ה לָהֶ֤ם דָּבָר֙ בָּ֣א אֵלַ֔י וְשָׁ֣פַטְתִּ֔י בֵּ֥ין אִ֖ישׁ וּבֵ֣ין רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְהוֹדַעְתִּ֛י אֶת־חֻקֵּ֥י הָאֱלֹקִ֖ים וְאֶת־תּוֹרֹתָֽיו׃ (יז) וַיֹּ֛אמֶר חֹתֵ֥ן מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֵלָ֑יו לֹא־טוֹב֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֖ה עֹשֶֽׂה׃ (יח) נָבֹ֣ל תִּבֹּ֔ל גַּם־אַתָּ֕ה גַּם־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמָּ֑ךְ כִּֽי־כָבֵ֤ד מִמְּךָ֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר לֹא־תוּכַ֥ל עֲשֹׂ֖הוּ לְבַדֶּֽךָ׃ (יט) עַתָּ֞ה שְׁמַ֤ע בְּקֹלִי֙ אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ וִיהִ֥י אֱלֹקִ֖ים עִמָּ֑ךְ הֱיֵ֧ה אַתָּ֣ה לָעָ֗ם מ֚וּל הָֽאֱלֹקִ֔ים וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ אַתָּ֛ה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֶל־הָאֱלֹקִֽים׃ (כ) וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֣ה אֶתְהֶ֔ם אֶת־הַחֻקִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַתּוֹרֹ֑ת וְהוֹדַעְתָּ֣ לָהֶ֗ם אֶת־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ יֵ֣לְכוּ בָ֔הּ וְאֶת־הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֽׂוּן׃ (כא) וְאַתָּ֣ה תֶחֱזֶ֣ה מִכׇּל־הָ֠עָ֠ם אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֜יִל יִרְאֵ֧י אֱלֹקִ֛ים אַנְשֵׁ֥י אֱמֶ֖ת שֹׂ֣נְאֵי בָ֑צַע וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ עֲלֵהֶ֗ם שָׂרֵ֤י אֲלָפִים֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מֵא֔וֹת שָׂרֵ֥י חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י עֲשָׂרֹֽת׃ (כב) וְשָׁפְט֣וּ אֶת־הָעָם֮ בְּכׇל־עֵת֒ וְהָיָ֞ה כׇּל־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַגָּדֹל֙ יָבִ֣יאוּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְכׇל־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַקָּטֹ֖ן יִשְׁפְּטוּ־הֵ֑ם וְהָקֵל֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְנָשְׂא֖וּ אִתָּֽךְ׃ (כג) אִ֣ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְצִוְּךָ֣ אֱלֹקִ֔ים וְיָֽכׇלְתָּ֖ עֲמֹ֑ד וְגַם֙ כׇּל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה עַל־מְקֹמ֖וֹ יָבֹ֥א בְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ (כד) וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע מֹשֶׁ֖ה לְק֣וֹל חֹתְנ֑וֹ וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָמָֽר׃ (כה) וַיִּבְחַ֨ר מֹשֶׁ֤ה אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֙יִל֙ מִכׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛ם רָאשִׁ֖ים עַל־הָעָ֑ם שָׂרֵ֤י אֲלָפִים֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מֵא֔וֹת שָׂרֵ֥י חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י עֲשָׂרֹֽת׃ (כו) וְשָׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם בְּכׇל־עֵ֑ת אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַקָּשֶׁה֙ יְבִיא֣וּן אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה וְכׇל־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַקָּטֹ֖ן יִשְׁפּוּט֥וּ הֵֽם׃
(13) Next day, Moses sat as magistrate among the people, while the people stood about Moses from morning until evening. (14) But when Moses’ father-in-law saw how much he had to do for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why do you act alone, while all the people stand about you from morning until evening?”
(15) Moses replied to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me to inquire of God. (16) When they have a dispute, it comes before me, and I decide between one party and another, and I make known the laws and teachings of God.”
(17) But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing you are doing is not right; (18) you will surely wear yourself out, and these people as well. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.
(19) Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You represent the people before God: you bring the disputes before God, (20) 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. (21) 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 (22) 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. (23) 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.”
(24) Moses heeded his father-in-law and did just as he had said. (25) Moses chose capable individuals out of all Israel, and appointed them heads over the people—chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens; (26) 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.
נבל תבל. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ לְשׁוֹן כְּמִישָׁה, פלייש"טרא בְּלַעַז, כְּמוֹ "וְהֶעָלֶה נָבֵל" (ירמיהו ח'), "כִּנְבֹל עָלֶה מִגֶּפֶן" (ישעיהו ל"ד), שֶׁהוּא כָמוּשׁ עַל יְדֵי חַמָּה וְעַל יְדֵי קֶרַח וְכֹחוֹ תָּשׁ וְנִלְאֶה:
נבל תבל — As the Targum explains: thou will certainly become weary. The term is about 'withering', old French 'flestre', just as: (Jeremiah 8:13) “and the leaf is withered (נבל)”; (Isaiah 34:4) “as withereth (כנבל) the leaf from off the vine” — that it becomes shriveled through the heat and through the frost, and so its strength diminishes and it becomes, as it were, weary, and falls from off the vine.
גם אתה. לְרַבּוֹת אַהֲרֹן וְחוּר וְשִׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים:
גם אתה you also — The word גם “also” was added in order to include Aaron and Hur and the seventy elders (cf. Mekhilta).
לא תוכל עשוהו לבדך. לשמוע כל עסקי הגדולים, ולשמוע עם זה את כל הצריכים לדבר עמך, על מה שלא יספיק להם זולתך:
You cannot all by yourself listen to all the problems of the leaders and to subsequently to all the needs of the people, believing that no one but you can make decisions.
נבל תבל לשון ערבוב כמו ונבלה שם שפתם. בענין זה תתבלבל אתה והם, זה צועק שמעני אדוני וזה כמו כן. ואין אתה יודע למי תענה שאין אתה יודע מה הם אומרים ולא הם מה שאתה אומר.
נבול תבול, “you will definitely become worn out;” a term of ערבוב, “confusion.” Compare Genesis 11:7 [where God confused humans' languages]. [Yitro felt that both Moses and the litigants] would become confused. One would shout that he wanted to be heard next and another litigant would also shout. As a result, Moses himself would become confused since he would be unable to hear each person correctly. And they would also be unable to hear what you say.
נבל תבל. כפל לומר נבול וגו', להיות כי יש ב' גדרים במשמעות תבול, הא' כל שיגרע כל שהוא מכחו הראשון יקרא עליו הלאות לערך הקודם אבל על כל פנים יכול עשות מה שהיה עושה קודם במעט יגיעה. והב' הוא הלאות הנרגש לכל שהוא גדר המונע האדם מעשות חפצו לצד כי לא ישאר בו כח, לזה אמר אליו כי מה שיגיע אליו מהלאות כח לא שיעור מועט אלא שיעור שכפי האמת יקרא לו תבול, והוא מה שגמר אומר לא תוכל עשוהו לבדך. או אולי שכפל כנגד מה שאמר גם אתה גם וגו':
נבול תבול, "you will surely become weary, etc." Yitro repeated the word נבול because it has two meanings. We apply this term to describe anything which has lost some of its original strength, and as a result has become weary, fatigued, relative to its original state. Nonetheless the subject under discussion is still able to perform its basic task though with greater exertion. The second meaning of נבול is a feeling of weariness which is felt so keenly that the subject is unable to carry out his regular routine at all. Yitro warned Moses that though, initially, he would feel only slightly weary, eventually he would become so weary that he would be unable to function at all. Yitro underlined this by saying: "you will not be able to carry on by yourself." Alternatively, the reason he repeated the word was simply because he wanted to illustrate how both Moses and the litigants would become weary.
According to the Megaleh Amukot, the righteous and holy Rabbi Yitzhak of Lublin, of blessed memory, explained what Jethro said to Moses, 'You will surely wear yourself out' (Exodus 18:18). This means that distractions will divert him from attaching to the higher wisdom and will cause him to remain attached only to the emanation, which is the Torah.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
“Society is where we come together to achieve collectively what none of us can do alone. It is our common property. We inhabit it, make it, breathe it. It is the realm in which all of us is more important than any of us. It is our shared project, and it exists to the extent that we work for it and contribute to it.”The Home We Build Together p. 5
- How do you think Moses feels in his new leadership role? Have you ever felt similarly?
- What are the dangers of Moses continuing to lead in this manner? For himself and his people?
- From the point of view of Moses/the Israelite people, what might be scary or difficult about Jethro's advice to delegate?
- Are there areas in your life where you take on too much or try to do everything by yourself? How might Jethro's advice serve you?
According to Jewish commentary, Exodus 18:18, where Jethro advises Moses that he is "wearing himself out" by trying to handle every dispute alone, highlights the importance of delegation and establishing a system of leadership where responsibility is shared, preventing burnout and ensuring fair and efficient justice for the people; essentially, even a great leader needs to rely on others to effectively manage a large community.
Key points from Jewish interpretations:
Overburdening oneself: Jethro is concerned that Moses is taking on too much by personally adjudicating every dispute, which could lead to exhaustion and poor decision-making.
Value of counsel: Moses is praised for being open to advice from his father-in-law, demonstrating humility and willingness to learn from others.
Leadership structure: Jethro's suggestion to appoint capable judges at different levels creates a system of checks and balances, preventing one person from becoming too powerful.
Impact on the community: By delegating tasks, Moses can better serve the needs of the people and ensure justice is administered fairly and consistently.
וְחַיָּב אָדָם לַחְשֹׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת לְהַעֲלוֹת עֵצוֹת הֲגוּנוֹת וּמְתֻקָּנוֹת לַחֲבֵרוֹ. וְזֶה אֶחָד מֵעִקְּרֵי דַּרְכֵי גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כ"ז:ט') שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת יְשַׂמַּח לֵב וּמֶתֶק רֵעֵהוּ מֵעֲצַת נָפֶשׁ.
And a man is obligated to think thoughts that will bring up proper and coherent advice for this fellow. And this is one of the main types of acts of lovingkindness, as it is stated (Proverbs 27:9), “Oil and incense gladden the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is better than one’s own counsel.”
Middah: Anavah (Humility)Commentary: Rabbeinu Yonah emphasizes that a true leader must be humble enough to recognize their limitations and accept advice. Yitro’s words—"What you are doing is not good" (Ex. 18:17)—demonstrate that even the greatest figures need guidance. Moses' willingness to heed Yitro's counsel reflects his humility, a trait that Mussar urges leaders to cultivate.