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The Targum, cited by Rashi in his first explanation, says that the word means to acquiesce. The most difficult element of that explanation is that it seems quite natural and thus superfluous to mention that he agreed to the gracious offer. A midrash says that the word means that he lived with them, and another says that it means that he began, in this case, to shepherd Yitro’s flock. Again, why would such details be instructive regarding the Torah’s presentation of the events?
Let us turn to Rashi’s second explanation, one which he describes as homiletic. Rashi says that vayo’el comes from the word alah, which means oath. In other words, Moshe swore that he would not leave Yitro’s home without permission. One of the advantages of this explanation is that there are many appearances of this root with this meaning throughout Tanach. It is also of particular note that Yitro had demanded and Moshe had agreed to quite a commitment, one which shows the degree to which Moshe was willing to go to return good to those who were willing to do good for him.
The midrash (Devarim Rabba 11) analyzes a Psalm that we say regularly, from the perspective of the qualities of Moshe: "Who will go up on the mountain of Hashem and who will stand in the place of His sanctity? One with clean hands and a pure heart who will not raise My soul [in oath] for naught and will not swear for trickery. He will receive a blessing from Hashem and righteousness from the G-d of his salvation." (Tehillim 24: 3-5). This refers to Moshe who went up to the holy Mount Sinai and was the recipient of special blessings, not only for himself but for others who were affected by him. The midrash identifies the distancing from an insincere oath as a reference to Moshe’s oath to stay with Yitro.
Blessed is a nation which is led by one who keeps his promises to the fullest. We pray that we will be led by those with such qualities
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Hosha'ana Rabba FLYDUBAI & HOSHANA RABBA- ANI VAHU HOSHIA NA- I & HIM SAVE US
"Ani vaHu Hoshia Na", "I and Him, Save Us". We don't just pray to Him, but we also pray to and for ourselves that we should emulate and educate our children to have that instinctive altruism with which He created the world. President Trump seemed amused about Yaniv Hayon, our PLUMBER who confidently worked with G-d like Superman (he learned from a pilot on a TV show!) to save 174 lives on the Dubai hijacking, but we in Israel are totally accustomed already 78 years to our plumbers, teachers, garbage-men, rabbis, farmers & doctors being Hashem's shlichim! This is what Zionism is about.
