"And her two sons"

Synopsis

Three of the rabbis are wondering why the title verse says "her sons" instead of 'the sons of Moses.' Their puzzlement is cleared up by Rabbi Shimon, who tells them that the sons referred to belong to Jethro, not Moses, and that Jethro brought his whole family that they might enter under the wings of the Shechinah, who was joined celestially with Moses.

Jethro Moses Shechinah Torah

54. "...And her two sons..." (Shemot 18:3). Rabbi Chiya said, Why are they called "her sons" and not 'the sons of Moses?' HE ANSWERS, Because she raised them without her husband, the Torah calls them "her sons," and not 'his sons.' Rabbi Yosi said, Even though they were the sons of Moses, THEY WERE, BY A SECRET PRINCIPLE, most certainly her sons. BECAUSE, Rabbi Elazar said, Moses united himself in another holy, celestial place, and it would not have been respectful to call them his sons. Now, even though they were his sons, because of the dignity of the place in which he united, WHICH WAS THE SHECHINAH, they were here called "her sons." Afterwards, they were called "his sons." What is the reason? Because when they reached MOSES, Moses was talking to the Shechinah. Later, when he separated FROM THE SHECHINAH and went out to meet his father-in-law, then it is written, "And Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, came, with his sons" (Ibid. 5).

54. וְאֵת שְׁנֵי בָּנֶיהָ, אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא, וְכִי בָּנֶיהָ וְלֹא בָּנָיו שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה. אֶלָּא, בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי אִשְׁתַּדְּלַת אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ, בְּלָא בַּעְלָהּ, קָרָא לוֹן אוֹרַיְיתָא בָּנֶיהָ, וְלֹא בָּנָיו. א"ר יוֹסִי, אע"ג דִּבְנוֹי דְּמֹשֶׁה הֲווֹ. מִלָּה דִּקְשׁוֹט בָּנֶיהָ וַדַּאי. ר' אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, הָא מֹשֶׁה הֲוָה מִזְדַּוֵּוג בַּאֲתָר אַחֲרָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, וְלָאו יְקָרָא דִּילֵיהּ לְמִקְרֵי לוֹן בָּנָיו. הַשְׁתָּא אַף עַל גַּב דִּבְנוֹי הֲווֹ, בְּגִין יְקָרָא דְּהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִזְדָּוַּוג בֵּיהּ, קָרָא לוֹן בָּנֶיהָ הָכָא, לְבָתַר קָרָא לוֹן בָּנָיו מ"ט, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא דְּמָטוּ, הֲוָה מֹשֶׁה מְמַלֵּל בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא. לְבָתַר דְּאִתְפְּרַשׁ וְנָפַק לְגַבֵּי חָמוּי, כְּדֵין כְּתִיב וַיָּבֹא יִתְרוֹ חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה וּבָנָיו וְאִשְׁתּוֹ וְגוֹ'.

Jethro Moses Shechinah

55. Rabbi Shimon said, Elazar, Elazar. I see in this portion that the beginning of your interpretation is quite proper, but the ending is not the way you interpret it. Certainly, because of the respect of the Shechinah, who was joined celestially with Moses, it is written "her sons." And though it is written, "And Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, came, with his sons and his wife to Moses," IT STATES "HIS SONS," which is inclusive, and the words "his sons," refer to the sons of Jethro. For after Moses came to him, he had sons.

55. אָמַר ר' שִׁמְעוֹן, אֶלְעָזָר אֶלְעָזָר, אָנָא חֲמֵינָא בְּפַרְשְׁתָּא דָּא, דְּאַתְּ שָׁארִי מִלָּה כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, וְסִיּוּמָא לָאו הָכִי. וַדַּאי בְּגִין יְקָרָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, אִזְדַּוְּוגוּתָא עִלָּאָה דְּאִזְדָּוַּוג בֵּיהּ בְּמֹשֶׁה, כְּתִיב בָּנֶיהָ. וְאִי תֵּימָא, וְהָא כְּתִיב וַיָּבֹא יִתְרוֹ חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה וּבָנָיו וְאִשְׁתּוֹ אֶל מֹשֶׁה. כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ כְּלָלָא חֲדָא. וּבָנָיו, בָּנָיו דְּיִתְרוֹ, דְּהָא לְבָתַר דְּאָתָא מֹשֶׁה לְגַבֵּיהּ, הֲווֹ לֵיהּ בְּנִין.

Jacob Jethro Kenites Laban Moses Palm Tree Shechinah

56. And so it was with Jacob. When he came to Laban and dwelt in his house, Laban had sons. Also here, when Moses dwelt with Jethro, he too had sons. And Jethro brought his whole family, so they might all enter together under the wings of the Shechinah. And Jethro said to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am come to you, and your wife, and her two sons with her." And it is not written 'your two sons.' WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS? That Jethro had children, as it is written, "And the children of the Kenite, Moses's father-in-law went up out of the city of palm trees" (Shoftim 1:16). And he left his sons with Moses.

56. וְהָכִי הֲוָה בְּיַעֲקֹב, דְּכֵיוָן דְּאָתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּלָבָן, וְשַׁוֵּי דִּיוֹרֵיהּ בֵּיהּ, הֲווֹ לֵיהּ בְּנִין. אוּף הָכָא מֹשֶׁה, כֵּיוָן דְּשַׁוֵּי דִּיוֹרֵיהּ בְּיִתְרוֹ, הֲווֹ לֵיהּ לְיִתְרוֹ בְּנִין וְכָל בֵּיתֵיהּ אַיְיתֵי עִמֵּיהּ, לְמֵיעַל לוֹן תְּחוֹת גַּדְפֵּי דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְיִתְרוֹ אָמַר לְמֹשֶׁה, אֲנִי חוֹתֶנְךָ יִתְרוֹ בָּא אֵלֶיךָ וְאִשְׁתְּךָ וּשְׁנֵי בָּנֶיהָ עִמָּהּ, וּשְׁנֵי בָּנֶיהָ כְּתִיב, וְלָא כְּתִיב וּשְׁנֵי בָּנֶיךָ. בְּנִין הֲווֹ לֵיהּ לְיִתְרוֹ, דִּכְתִּיב וּבְנֵי קֵנִי חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה עָלוּ מֵעִיר הַתְּמָרִים וּבְנוֹי שָׁבַק עִם מֹשֶׁה.