Dedicated in Memory of Mel Halickman z”l on his First Yahrzeit
Parshat Yitro starts off with the following words (Shmot 18:1):
Yitro, the Kohen of Midian, Moshe’s father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moshe and for His people Israel, when God brought Israel out from Egypt.
Mechilta D’Rabbi Yishmael, Amalek 3:4 comments:
Yitro had seven names: Yeter, Yitro, Hovav, Reuel, Hever, Putiel, Keni. Yeter — he added (yiter) a section in the Torah; Yitro — he was “abundant” (yiter) in good deeds. Hovav — he was beloved (hovev) by the Lord. Reuel — he was a “friend” (rea) to the Lord. Hever — he was a “companion” (haver) to the Lord. Putiel — he “weaned himself” (niftar) from idolatry. Keni — he was zealous (kinei) for Heaven and he acquired (kanah) Torah.
In Bamidbar 10:29-32 we read:
Moshe said to Hovav the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moshe’s father-in-law: “We are journeying to the place about which God said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will treat you well; for God has promised to be generous to Israel.” He said to him “I will not go, but rather to my land and to my birthplace will I go.” He said to him “Please do not leave us, inasmuch as you know where we should camp in the wilderness and can be our eyes. If you come with us, we will extend to you the same bounty that God grants us.”
Rashi asks: What good did they bestow upon him? When did they redeem their promise?
They said: “When the Israelites divided the Land, there was a fertile area of Yericho, 500 by 500 amot (cubits); they left it undivided.” They said: “The one in whose portion of land the Temple will be built would take it.” In the meantime, they gave it to the children of Yitro, to Yonadav the son of Rechav, as it is said (Shoftim1:16): “The sons of Keni, Moshe’s father-in-law, went up with the children of Yehuda from the City of Date Palms to the Wilderness of Yehuda that is south of Arad; they went and settled with the people.”
According to Yalkut Shimoni, the City of Date Palms is Yericho.
A few chapters later in Shoftim 4:11 we read about Hever the Keni:
Hever the Keni had become separated from the Kenites, the children of Hovav, father-in-law of Moshe, and had pitched his tent at Elon-Betzananim, which is near Kedesh.
This information about Hever the Keni moving away from his brothers is important as later, his wife, Yael will save the day in the war against Sisera (Shoftim 4:17-22):
Sisera fled on his feet to the tent of Yael, the wife of Hever the Keni, for there was peace between Yavin, King of Hatzor and the house of Hever the Keni. Yael went outside towards Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside my lord, turn aside to me, do not fear”…She opened a skin of milk, gave him a drink and covered him…Yael, wife of Hever, took a tent peg, placed a hammer in her hand, crept up to him and drove the peg into his temple and it went through into the ground while he was sleeping and exhausted and he died…
Malbim points out that the ancient Kenite allegiance to Israel superseded their more recent treaty with Yavin and that is why Yael risked herself in order to kill Sisera and ensure that Israel would win the war.
Yael is praised in Shirat Devora, the victory song in Shoftim chapter 5:24-27:
Blessed by women is Yael, wife of Hever the Keni, by women in the tent will she be blessed…
We see that B’nai Yisrael maintained a good relationship with Yitro’s descendants. After all, they are family!
