Mishpatim #1- Donkey help

ה.״כי תראה חמור שנאך רבץ תחת משאו וחדלת מעזב לו עזב תעזב עמו״ 

This Pasuk roughly translates as " when you see the donkey of your enemy lying under its burden you will stop from helping him, you shall surely help along with him" 

This Pasuk seems very unclear and contradictory, should you help your enemy's donkey or not? 

Rashi tries to clarify and mentions how the word "עזב" does not translate to its usual meaning of abandonment in this Pasuk. Rather in this case  "עזב" means providing aid or help. This solves the contradiction of the Pasuk; however we then have the problem of this interpretation not making sense in context. Rashi bring multiple cases where "עזב" translates to aid or help in order to solidify his point.

Are there any other translation of "עזב" that might fit better in the context of the commandment? 

Yitro #4- Shabbos and Maan

Shmot 20:11 11. For [in] six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.		יא. כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה יְהֹוָה אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ אֶת הַיָּם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּם וַיָּנַח בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי עַל כֵּן בֵּרַךְ יְהֹוָה אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת וַיְקַדְּשֵׁהוּ:

According to Rashi, Shabbat was sanctified through the miracle of the Maan. Why is it so special that a double portion of maan was given for Shabbat? It was not really double because one was for Friday and one was for Shabbat. What was it about the double portion that proved that Shabbat is so special?

He answers is that on all the other days, if any Mann was left over, by the next day it would become wormy, but on Friday the maan that was left over for the next day for Shabbat was perfectly good. This proved that Shabbat was a very special holy day.

Yitro #3- Why named "Yitro"

 "Be the thermostat"

וַיֹּאמֶר חֹתֵן משֶׁה אֵלָיו לֹא טוֹב הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עֹשֶׂה:

17. Moses' father in law said to him, "The thing you are doing is not good.

In this parsha, Yitro seems to have a rather small part, so why do we name the Parsha after him? Naming the Parsha after the Luchot would seem to be more appropriate! Rashi even adds that this Parsha was written out of order--that the Luchot story happened before Yitro's scene, so why does the Torah go out of its way to name the Parsha after Yitro?

Rabbit Lipschitz brings a Mashal of a Jew asking a man for help.  The Jew brings the man into his house and explains that his thermometer is broken.  The man is puzzled, and explains that the Jew means to say that his thermostat is broken.  The Jew then says that they are basically the same thing, and then the man explains that the Jew is wrong.  A thermometer only measures the temperature; whereas the thermostat measures the temperatureand then does something about it.

So, Yitro is like the Thermostat because he was able to see the problem facing Moshe, and fix it.

What could be another reason as to why this Parsha is called Parshat Yitro? Are there other reasons why we view Yitro in such a positive light? What other Parshas are possibly written out of order? 

Yitro #2- Commandment #2

You shall not have the gods of others in My presence.

ג. לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים עַל פָּנַי:

לא יהיה לך: למה נאמר, לפי שנאמר (פסוק ד) לא תעשה לך, אין לי אלא שלא יעשה, העשוי כבר מנין שלא יקיים, תלמוד לומר לא יהיה לך:

This is the second of the 10 commandments from Hashem. Rashi asks why this was said. He says that the reason it says “you shall not have” is because one needs to know that they cannot keep for themselves an idol that was already made. 

What are other interpretations for this commandment? Where else in the Torah do we see the 10 commandments? Why did Hashem give us this commandment?   

Yitro #1- Why Yitro?

Why was Yitro praised so much if all he did was think of a simple plan for Moshe to appoint a hierarchy of judges to assist him in governing and administering justice to the people? Anyone could have thought of that!

Michael Zaroovabeli says that Yitro was so great because on top of giving advice to Moshe that would help govern Bnei Yisroel, he also converted despite growing up surrounded by idolatry. He was so dedicated and God fearing that he even went through the circumcision process though he was older. What are other reasons that Yitro was so great and particularly special?

Beshalach #4- Why did they need to see?

Perek 14 Pasuk 30
The Pasuk makes sure it's known to Bnai Isreal that they saw the Egyptians dead
Rashi asks why is it important that they saw them dead
He answers by saying so that Bnai Isreal could be absolutely sure that the Egyptians weren't still alive on the other side of the yam suff
why is it important that they saw them dead?

Beshalach #3- looking back

In this week’s parsha, parsha besholach, bnei yisroel are taken out from mitzrayim by the hand of Hashem. It says in Beshalach Perek yud daled pasuk lamed

On that day the Lord saved Israel from the hand[s] of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dying on the seashore.

ל. וַיּוֹשַׁע יְהֹוָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּד מִצְרָיִם וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת מִצְרַיִם מֵת עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם:

Rashi explains the scene of “Bnei yisroel seeing the Egyptians dying on the seashore” to mean that the sea spewed the Egyptians out onto the shore, so that bnei yisroel would not say, "Just as we are coming up on this side of the sea, the Egyptians are coming up on another side and they will pursue us." -[from Mechilta and Pes. 118b]

My Questions:

1.         Is this rashi consistent with rashi’s view of bnei yisroel in our perek? Explain why or why not

2.         Whats the significance of bnei yisroel “looking back” at the Egyptians dying on the seashore? Why should we never look back in life?