Machshavot HaLev - Yeshivat Lev HaTorah

174
בלה תובשחמ
different? Maybe Moshe was not concerned about the other nations’ opinion,
but that of his own people. Since the nation was not confident in Hashem, if
Yitro would leave maybe they would begin to worry that he would betray their
whereabouts, and they would panic. In addition, Yitro was familiar with the
wilderness and could guide the people. He was also a prominent leader who
could be relied upon to improve the condition of the camp and was therefore a
great morale booster for the nation. If he were to leave, it would cause anxiety and
dissent amongst B’nei Yisrael. Yitro was a stabilizing presence for the nation, and
in their current state, it would be catastrophic to lose him.
This also explains why the passage is placed at this point in the Torah. The Torah
wishes to emphasize the underlying negative current pulsating throughout the
Jewish camp by showing Moshe’s surprising desperation in trying to enlist Yitro
to join the people. Therefore, the people’s sudden penchant for sin is no surprise;
the national disposition foreshadowed their actions. It is possible that this gives
another angle on why the separate ‘book’ of Torah is placed almost adjacent
to the verses about Yitro. The book is comprised of two famous verses: “And it
came to pass when the ark set forward that Moshe said ‘rise up Lord and let Your
enemies be scattered and let those who hate You flee before You’/ And when it
rested he said ‘return Lord to the ten thousand thousands of Israel’” (10:35-6).
According to Rav Hirsch, these verses epitomize Moshe’s complete identification
with Hashem’s will. This passage is placed right after the passage about Yitro to
show the contrast between Moshe’s desires and those of B’nei Yisrael. The Torah
illustrates the flawed attitude and choices of the people and then promptly
demonstrates the ideal form of behavior through Moshe.
As the year finishes and we set off on our respective paths, the most important
thing to remember is that our will has an unparalleled effect on our actions. If
we do not have a strong desire to continue on the path upon which we have
embarked, then there is little chance that we will. B’nei Yisrael’s failure stemmed
from their lack of faith and their exasperation with the commandments. If we
follow their example success will be difficult to attain. Thankfully, the Torah
supplies us with a better model. If we strive to follow Moshe, who is the paragon