parshaמפרשי הפרשה

כלי יקר — לכה אתנו והטבנו לך / והיה הטוב ההוא אשר ייטיב ה' עמנו

Moshe pleads with Yitro twice. The first plea — 'לכה אתנו והטבנו לך' — was refused. The second plea — 'והיה הטוב ההוא אשר ייטיב ה' עמנו והטבנו לך' — succeeded. Both seem to promise the same 'good.' What changed?

ובדרך פשוטו, מתחילה הבטיחו בטובה גופנית באומרו 'והטבנו לך' ולא הזכיר ה', ולא רצה לקבל כי אמר אלך אל ארצי ושם יהיה לי טובה הרבה. ואחר כך הבטיחו בטובה רוחנית שיהיה מכלל הסנהדרין שנקראו עיני העדה כמו שנאמר 'והיית לנו לעינים'. ואמר 'והיה הטוב אשר ייטיב ה' עמנו', הזכיר ה' בטובה רוחנית זו כי יתן ה' את רוחו עליו, ונעתר לו.

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כלי יקר

כלי יקר על במדבר י׳:כ״ט

Kli Yakar on Numbers 10:29

Beha'alotcha

Q — Moshe pleads with Yitro twice. The first plea — 'לכה אתנו והטבנו לך' — was refused. The second plea — 'והיה הטוב ההוא אשר ייטיב ה' עמנו והטבנו לך' — succeeded. Both seem to promise the same 'good.' What changed?

A — Kli Yakar distinguishes by the presence of Hashem's name. The first plea offered *material* good ('והטבנו לך' alone, no mention of Hashem) — Yitro brushed it off: he had plenty of material good waiting in Midyan. The second plea offered *spiritual* good: 'הטוב אשר ייטיב ה' עמנו' — to become part of the Sanhedrin, 'עיני העדה,' to receive Hashem's spirit. *That* is something Midyan could not provide. The change of single phrase 'אשר ייטיב ה' עמנו' is the upgrade from gashmiut to ruchniut, and is what tipped Yitro's decision.

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