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Why does Yonasan ben Uziel call Yisro "onos Midyan" (donkey of Midyan), seemingly to denigrate him? The shiur develops a fundamental distinction between gentile and Jewish kingship—gentiles receive power ("shenasan mikvodo lebasar v'dam"), while Jewish kings become vessels of Hashem (ה׳)'s glory through total bittul ("shechalak mikvodo l'yerei'av"). Yisro's "donkey" title is actually praise: like Moshe riding a donkey, it shows leadership rooted in complete subservience to the Ribbono Shel Olam.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a puzzling Targum Yonasan ben Uziel on "Vayishma Yisro kohen Midyan." According to the Aruch, the word "onos" means donkey, and the Targum appears to say the Torah (תורה) is denigrating Yisro by calling him "the donkey of Midyan." This seems impossible—the entire parsha of Yisro honors him for coming to kabbalas Torah, so why would the Torah simultaneously put him down? The shiur builds its answer on a fundamental distinction in hilchos berachos. When one sees a gentile king, the Shulchan Aruch prescribes the berachah "shenasan mikvodo lebasar v'dam"—Hashem (ה׳) gave from His glory to mortal man. But when one sees a Jewish king, the berachah is "shechalak mikvodo l'yerei'av"—Hashem separated from His honor to those who fear Him. The language reveals two entirely different models of kingship. For a gentile king, the berachah acknowledges that Hashem granted him power—he received an appointment, a transfer of authority. For a Jewish king, the berachah does not speak of Hashem giving power at all. Rather, the king's yiras Shamayim, his overwhelming awe of Hashem, causes him to become battel (nullified) to the King of Kings. Through this bittul, he becomes a vehicle for Hashem's glory, not a recipient of independent power.
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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.
