[Avodah] Vayichad Yisro - Disparaging Non-Jews

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Fri, Feb 05, 2016 at 10:34:59AM -0500, via Avodah wrote:
: but those who say [Yael] and her husband [Chever haQeini] were gerim are using
: the word  "gerim" to include all the descendants of Yisro for generations, 
: as long as they  were a separate recognizable group from the rest of Klal 
: Yisrael -- even though  they were Jews.

To spell things out, Qeini is one of Yisro's 7 names, at listed in
the Mekhilta (quoted by Rashi on Shemos 18:1; the Mekhilta is at
<http://j.mp/1Sgo9zf> on he.wikisource.org, 2nd paragraph "vayishma
Yisro"). He earned the name "sheqana lashamayim veqanah lo Torah --
he was an activist [qana with an alef] for the [One in] heaven, and
aquired Torah for himself."

Also from the Mekhilta:
Shofetim 1:16 refers to "uvenei Qeini chosein Moshe" who joined Benei
Yehudah coming from from Ir haTamarim (a nickname for Yericho), in Negev
Arad, to help them conquer Midbar Yehudah. In DhY I 2:55 we learn of
the Qinim (w/ a chiriq, not a typo) who came meichammas (because of?) /
from Chammas, the father of the house of Reikhav. And from this the
Mekhila concludes that Yonadav ben Rakhav was a descendent of Yisro.

When Rachav's family is saved, it is called "beit aviha" (Yehoshua 6:25),
it would seem this is Chamas's clan.

The gemara (Zevachim 116a) asks what motivated Yisro to come and be
nisgayeir. The first answer is matan Torah. But then the gemara asks
but what about the man de'amar who says Yisro came before matan Torah?
Milkhemes Amaleeiq.

But notice that accoridn this second opinion, their was no beris Sinai
for Yisro to be megayeir to, and yet still the gemara tries to understand
"ba venisgayeir". It seems to me the gemara is assuming Yisro became
something more like a geir toshav.

And in fact, the gemara (Megillah 14b) says that Rakhav converted before
marrying Yehoshua. So we have indication that the Qeini as a whole did
not (at least, not yet) convert.

Which would justify calling Chever and Ya'el geirim even if they were
n-th generation geirei toshav.

BTW, the Yalqut Shim'oni on Yehoshua (remez 9) lists nashim chasidos
giryoros: Hagar, Asnas, Tziporah, Shifrah (!), Pu'ah (!), Bas Par'oh,
Rachav, Rus, and Yael eishes Cheiver haQeini. Implying she herself
converted. But with the inclusion of Shirah and Pu'ah, we know that
Rashi et al did not buy into at least this part of the medrash.

-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             "'When Adar enters, we increase our joy'
micha at aishdas.org         'Joy is nothing but Torah.'
http://www.aishdas.org    'And whoever does more, he is praiseworthy.'"
Fax: (270) 514-1507                     - Rav Dovid Lifshitz zt"l