פרשת בהעלותך תשי"ד - יתרו - חובב

And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’father-in-law: ‘We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said: I will give it you; come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.’

Moshe said to Chovav. I already explained that Chovav was the new name given to Yisro when he accepted Torah, as every proselyte does. This is because Hashem gives a new name to His servants. Moshe asked him to go with them, and mentioned, “We will treat you well” without specifying what it would be. Yisro thought he would receive a portion of the spoils — gold and silver, garments, flocks and cattle — but he would not have an inheritance among the Bnei Yisroel. Therefore, Yisro was not interested, and he answered: But rather to my land and to my birthplace will I go — for there I have an estate, property and honor. Moshe replied: Please do not forsake us, for, because you know of our encampment in the desert and you will be our eyes — that is, since you are familiar with the Wilderness you will be our eyes in conquering the lands, and you will show us the way to go. And it will be, that when you go with us, it shall be that the very good which Hashem will bestow on us we will bestow on you — With this Moshe hinted that he would be given an inheritance in the good land, as reward for his efforts and assistance in conquering the Land. In my opinion Chovav agreed to Moshe’s request because of this promise, as I mentioned (Shemos 18:1). And thus we find in the Yerushalmi as well (Bikurim 1,4): “The sons of Chovav, Moshe’s father-in-law, bring [first fruits] and read [the parshah], as it says, ‘Come along with us and we will treat you well’”.

אל ארצי ואל מולדתי [AND HE SAID TO HIM, I WILL NOT GO; BUT I WILL DEPART] TO MINE OWN LAND, AND TO MY KINDRED — (the Hebrew may be translated: but for my own land and for my own kindred I must go) — “I must go” whether for the sake of (אל) my property (ארצי) or for the sake of (אל) my family (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 79).

כי על כן ידעת FOR THOU KNOWEST OUR ENCAMPMENT IN THE WILDERNESS] — For (כי) it is fitting for you to do this, because (על כן) you have known our encampments in the wilderness and you have seen the miracles and the mighty deeds that have been wrought for us.

כי על כן ידעת, while you have been with us in the desert you have become as indispensable as our eyes.

כי על כן ידעת FOR THOU KNOWEST OUR ENCAMPMENT IN THE WILDERNESS] — For (כי) it is fitting for you to do this, because (על כן) you have known our encampments in the wilderness and you have seen the miracles and the mighty deeds that have been wrought for us.

והיית לנו לעינים — The verb is in the past tense and we have to understand it just as the Targum renders it: and all the mighty deeds that have been wrought for us thou hast seen with thine own eyes. Another explanation is that it is the future tense: whatever things will be hidden from our eyes, you will enlighten our eyes about it. Still another explanation is that the passage means that you will be held in affection by us as our “very eye-balls”. as it is said, (Deuteronomy 10:19) “and ye shall love the stranger” (Sifrei Bamidbar 80).

כי על כן ידעת, while you have been with us in the desert you have become as indispensable as our eyes.