What did Yisro mean when he said that, "Hashem is greater than all the other gods"? Did he know them all?
Rashi: Yes, he did! There was not an Avodah-Zarah that Yisro did not try out.
Why did Yisro say "Atah" (now, in the present) and "Yada'ti" (in the past tense)?
Rashi: He meant that although he had already discovered that Hashem was greater than all the other gods, now he was convinced. 1
Toras Avigdor: He already knew Hashem - he was the son 2 of Midyan, the son of Avraham! Now that Yisro saw that Hashem punishes Midah k'Neged Midah, his awareness increased.
Gur Aryeh: Why explain this way? Yisro had already abandoned idolatry (even before Moshe first arrived at his home; see Rashi to Shemos 2:16). Why did Yisro say that he recognized Hashem only now? Rather, he must mean as Rashi explains.
But see 18:9:151:1* .
What did Yisro mean when he said, "Ki ba'Davar Asher Zadu Aleihem"?
Rashi, Seforno, Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: Yisro meant that Hashem paid the Egyptians back in the same way as they had dealt wickedly ("Asher Zadu") 1 with Yisrael (with Midah k'Neged Midah). Hashem drowned them the Egyptians the sea, 2 just as they had drowned the Jewish babies - something that no other god was capable of doing. 3 (Seforno - Furthermore, He killed their firstborn, just as they had killed the babies of Yisrael, whom Hashem dubbed His firstborn - See Shemos 4:22, 23).
Ramban: Yisro perceived how, in spite of Hashem's decree "va'Avadum v'Inu Osam ... ", Hashem punished the Egyptians, because they did what they did (not in order to carry out the decree, but rather) out of wickedness. 4
Rashbam: Because Hashem exacted punishment from them for each and every harmful act that they perpetrated against Yisrael; 5 whereas all other gods are incapable of avenging the Tzaros of their adherents.
Oznayim la'Torah: When Hashem punishes Resha'im, His name is aggrandized and sanctified in the world, but that is only if the world agrees that they are guilty. Here they might have argued that Mitzrayim were carrying out Hashem's decree and were therefore innocent - if not for the fact that Pharaoh went beyond the limits of Hashem's decree. 6
Rashi: In fact, in a play of words, translating "Zadu" as boiled (as in the Pasuk "va'Yazed Yaakov Nazid" - Bereishis 25:29), the Gemara in Sotah 11a interprets, "Hashem boiled them in the pot in which they boiled Yisrael.
Seforno: Which He achieved by manipulating their hearts after they refused to obey Him.
Seforno: Whom even their adherents believed were restricted to one type of punishment - and whose punishments (even according to their way of thinking) were personal acts of revenge. As opposed to the ways of Hashem, who clearly punishes in order to teach the people not to repeat their sins.
As the Pasuk states, "Ki Yada'ta Ki Heizidu Aleihem" (Nechemyah 9:10) (the same root as "Asher Zadu Aleihem"). Refer also to Bereishis 15:14:1:2 . See Ramban, who maintains that Onkelos (see 18:11:3:1) concurs with this explanation).
Perhaps this is why Hashem brought nine hundred million angels (Midrash Sechel Tov 12:12) against Egypt at Yam Suf, i.e., a separate angel punished each Egyptian for each Yisrael that he afflicted. (PF).
As above, answer 2.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'[...That Hashem is greater] than all the gods' - This teaches that Yisro was familiar with every form of idolatry in the world." How then, can we explain the Pasuk in Tehilim, "For I have known that Hashem is great; and our Master, [more] than all gods" (Tehilim 135:5)? Was David also familiar with every idol?!
Gur Aryeh: It is indeed inappropriate for us to say, "Hashem is greater than all of the gods." 1 When Yisro gave this comparison, it was from personal experience. He had witnessed that there is no idol in the world that could do what Hashem does; all he could say was that Hashem is greater in contrast. David, on the other hand, speaks not from personal experience, but from rational proof. He says "Hashem is great," in the absolute sense; and that "Adoneinu" (Our Master - which is our description of His direction over the world and over us), is greater than all other forces. 2
Are they even on the same scale for comparison?! Chazal (Devarim Rabah 2:27) remark that Yisro gave credence to Avodah Zarah with this statement.
The Ta'amei ha'Mikra (Trup) pauses with an Esnachta, dividing the Pasuk into two separate phrases. Hashem in His Essence, is great in the absolute; and His Hanhagah, to our perception, is greater than that of any other power. Also see Mizrachi's answer, and Gur Aryeh's objection to it.
Rashi writes: "[Greater] than all the gods' - ... There was no idol that Yisro left out and did not worship!" What does this indicate about Yisro?
Maharal (Gevuros Hashem Ch. 19, p. 90): Idolatry is by definition worship of specific powers; and all other idolaters limit themselves to worship of one (or a few) of these powers. Yisro was prepared for the next step; he sought to worship more encompassing and holy Power. Ultimately, he converted to service of Hashem. 1
To explain - Idolatry, in its essence, is the worship of but one of the forces present in Creation, under the illusion that the force in question can deliver blessing if it is worshipped - despite its limited nature. (See the Rambam's opening to Hilchos Avodah Zarah. Or, as Rashi writes to Yirmeyah 2:10, "The Kittites worship water; whereas the Kedarites worship fire. Despite that they know that water can extinguish fire, they do not abandon their gods.") Yisrael, in contrast, believes in Unity; we worship only the Master of All forces. Any limited force is a mere creation itself, with no inherit power of its own, and it is forbidden to worship it. Maharal (Chidushei Agados Vol. 1, p. 36, to Shabbos 56b) - Yarave'am fashioned not one, but two idolatrous calves. His plan was to institute worship of multiple powers -- and thus mimic the worship of Hashem, Who is Master of All forces. Perhaps this line of thought explains what Chazal emphasize about Yisro - that he was unsatisfied with worship to a limited power; and he searched for a Master of All forces, until he merited to arrive at the faith of Yisrael. Yet, Maharal (Gevuros Hashem Ch. 19, p. 87) emphasizes that Yisro had already abandoned idolatry, even before Moshe arrived. See Shemos 2:21:1.3:1* and 2:21:1.5 regarding Yisro and his daughter Tziporah. Also see Maharal (ibid. beg. Ch. 36, p. 133; refer to 12:3:6.3:1) - The Exodus from Egypt, and the Mitzvos of Pesach, demonstrate how Hashem is Yachid (the One and Only) in both the upper and lower realms. That is why Yisro now exclaimed, "Now I know that Hashem is greater, etc." Also see above (18:1:1.5:1) - Yisro converted specifically in response to the splitting of the sea, and the war against Amalek. Yisro was unique among converts; refer to 18:1:2.4:1**.
Rashi writes: "'Asher Zadu' - 'Asher Hirshi'u' (that they did evil) -- but our Sages interpret this expression as in, 'va'Yazed Yaakov Nazid' (cooking a stew - Bereishis 25:29); in the pot in which they had cooked [others], they themselves got cooked!" Why deviate from the simple meaning?
Gur Aryeh: The term "Zadu" surely comes from the words "Zadon" and "Meizid" - meaning wanton sin. Chazal base their interpretation on the Pasuk's choice of the word "Zadu," rather than simply 'Hirshi'u.' The Torah often chooses wording with multiple levels of meaning; 1 in this case the term "Zadu" indicates that the Mitzrim were punished measure for measure. 2
See Rashi to Bereishis 2:23.
Gur Aryeh: Rashi considers 'Zadon' and 'Nazid' to be related terms, as their basic two-letter root is the same (Zayin-Dalet). Refer to 14:3:2.2:1 .
