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Why does the Torah (תורה) repeat that Yisro was "kohen Midyan" when we already know this from Parshas Shemos? Rabbi Zweig explains that "kohen" with a place-name means political leader, not priest. Drawing on Targum Yonasan's translation of "kohen" as "chamran" (donkey), the shiur develops a fundamental distinction: non-Jewish kings receive honor and power, but Jewish leaders—and Yisro uniquely among gentile leaders—serve as "donkeys," totally subservient to their people.
The shiur opens with a straightforward textual question: why does the Torah (תורה) repeat that Yisro was "kohen Midyan" in Parshas Yisro when this fact was already established in Parshas Shemos? The Torah's extreme precision with every letter makes these two words ("kohen Midyan") demand explanation. Rabbi Zweig begins by clarifying what "kohen" means in this context. Rashi (רש"י) teaches in Parshas Vayeitzei that wherever the word "kohen" appears in Tanach, it means priest—with two exceptions. In the cases of Yisro ("kohen Midyan") and Potiphera ("kohen On"), it means something different. The Taz explains the rule: "kohen" by itself or "kohen" with a deity's name means priest. But "kohen" paired with a place-name means a servant of that place—i.e., a political leader or public servant. Onkelos translates it as "raba deMidyan" (an important person of Midyan). Interestingly, Targum Yonasan ben Uziel translates it as "chamran d'Midyan"—literally, the donkey of Midyan. The standard interpretation views this as derogatory, but Rabbi Zweig proposes a radically different reading.
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Parshas Yisro, Shemos 18:1
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Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
