This week’s Parsha is פרשת יתרו, highlighted by the descent of G-d onto הר סינו and the giving of the 10 commandments. But, before יתרו ,מתן תורה comes to the מחנה ישראל (Camp of Yisrael) bringing Moshe’s wife צפורה and their two sons. The Torah then records their names, stating: שם האחד גרשם כי אמר גר הייתי בארץ נכריה - the name of one was Gershom - because he said: I was a stranger in a foreign land.” Immediately after the תורה introduces Eliezer: “ושם האחד אליעזר כי־אלקי אבי בעזרי ויצלני מחרב פרעה - the name of one was Eliezer - ‘because the G-d of my father was my help, and saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.’” This passage raises several questions: Why does the Torah explain the reasoning behind their names - why can’t we simply state גרשם and אליעזר? Why is this explanation mentioned specifically here - before מתן תורה? And why does the Torah use the phrase שם האחד twice, instead of the ordinary שם האחד ושם השני?

Recorded in Yeshivat Sha'alvim