[world-vedic] Jethro,Druze & Vedic Origins

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PART TWO OF DAVID WOLF'S PAPER ON JETHRO, THE DRUZE AND VEDIC ORIGINS

 

 

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law1, is the foremost prophet for the Druze.

Their largest annual celebration is held at the tomb of Jethro, near Tiberias

(Dana, 1980). Jethro, known as Nabi Schweib by the Druze, was a Midianite

(Exodus 18:1), a tribe descending from Keturah, a wife of Abraham (Genesis

25:1-2). Genesis (25:6) describes that Abraham sent the sons of Keturah to

the East. Rabbi Menashe Ben Israel (Glazerson, 1984) asserts that Abraham

sent them to India. This is more evidence linking the Druze with India, or at

least the East. If we examine the relationship between Moses and Jethro, the

story becomes even more interesting.

 

 

Jethro is commonly understood as an idol-worshipping pagan, a

Midianite priest, who converted to Judaism by associating with Moses. If we

study the role of Jethro, however, this description seems unsatisfying. In

Exodus (Chapter 18), Jethro brings Zipporah and her two sons to Moses, and

Moses bows down and kisses Jethro. Then Jethro praises the God of the Jews

and “took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron came, and all

the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.” It

is interesting to conjecture why the elders of Israel are eating food that

was sacrificed by an idol worshipper.

 

 

On the next day Jethro instructs Moses on the formation of an administrative

structure for the Israeli people. Some scholars assert that he also helped set

up the system of worship (Auerbach, 1975). Before giving instruction, Jethro

admonishes Moses for placing himself (Moses) as direct arbitrator for all

decisions, great and small. Also, he introduces his remarks by stating “Hearken

now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God be with thee.” It sounds

like Jethro has quite a bit of authority, granted by God Himself. According to

Exodus, “Moses did all that he [Jethro] had said.” Albright (Beegle, 1972)

claims that the twelve tribes of Israel formed as a result of Jethro’s

reorganization of the people.Before returning to Egypt, Moses asks Jethro’s

permission to embark on the journey (Exodus 4:18).

 

 

 

Furthermore, Auerbach (1975, p. 205) writes

“The first sacrifice in Israel was offered up not by Moses but by the

Midianite priest Jethro. He too was apparently the one who came to fashion

the ark.” Thus, Jethro was the first priest of the Israeli nation, and many

scholars suggest that he instructed Moses and Aaron in the practices of

priesthood. Auerbach (p. 122) concludes that “a strong Midianite influence

on Israel’s cult and law is undeniable...”

 

 

In addition, the Ark of the Covenant is directly connected with Jethro and is

considered to be of Midianite origin (Auerbach, 1985). Moreover, when Moses asks

Jethro to be a guide, he is literally asking him to “be for us as eyes.”

(Baskin, 1983, p. 59) Baskin, quoting the Sipre on Numbers, expresses the

request of the Hebrews to Jethro as follows. “In everything that is hidden from

our eyes, you shall enlighten us.” Baskin goes on to explain “Jethro will bring

to light things that have been neglected or forgotten.” (Baskin, 1983, p. 59)

 

In summary, the idol-worshipping pagan from the East has an astonishingly easy

and profound influence on the Israelite nation and Moses, the prophet of

prophets.

 

 

 

I propose that Jethro instructed Moses, not only about administering

justice, but also about spiritual knowledge and practices. That is, Moses’

prime preceptor for understanding how to please and worship God was Jethro,

priest of the Midianites. In Exodus, Jethro takes the initiative in offering

sacrifices to YHVH (Exodus 18:12) because he was more familiar with the God

of Moses than Moses himself. Interestingly, this is not a particularly

original hypothesis.

 

 

 

Many scholars have asserted that the Israelites received their

religion from the Kenites, a tribe associated with Jethro (Judges 1:16, 4:11)

and a part of the Midianites. The Jewish Encyclopedia summarizes the theories

of these scholars. “Jethro initiates Moses and Aaron into the worship of

YHVH. Several modern scholars believe, in consequence of this statement, that

YHVH was a Kenite deity, and that from the Kenites through the agency of

Moses his worship passed to the Israelites. The Kenites, then, were a nomadic

tribe, more advanced in the arts of life than Israel.” (The Jewish

Encyclopedia, 1916, p. 467) Ben-Sasson calls this the “Midianite-Kenite”

hypothesis on the origin of the name Yahweh (Malamat, 1976, p. 45).

 

 

 

To summarize the line of reasoning, many scholars have believed that

the Hebrew nation acquired their religion from the Kenites. These scholars

apparently were unaware of the similarity between Druze culture and

philosophy and the Vedas. Nor did they seem much concerned with the

connection between the Kenites and the East. In light of recent ethnological

findings regarding the Druze (Dasa, 1994), and the intriguing status and role

of Nabi Schweib in relation to Moses, the Kenite theory acquires a fresh

cogency.

 

 

 

Jethro was a Kenite, a tribe from the East, and with roots perhaps

stemming from India. He is the major preceptor of the Druze, whose present

philosophy and lifestyle are remarkably Vedic, considering they are situated

in the Middle East. The interaction between Jethro and Moses suggests that

Moses, at least in some capacity, was Jethro’s disciple. This hypothesis

conforms with the theory of Kenite origins of the Hebrew religion.

 

THUS, THE VEDAS MAY BE THE SOURCE OF THE JUDAIC RELIGIOUS TRADITION.

 

 

 

In many Midrashim, the East, in comparison with any other direction,

is hallowed as a source of light and knowledge. For example, in The Midrash

Rabbah (1977, Vol. 3: Numbers, p. 90) it is stated “The east is the source

from which light goes forth into the world, and there camped the standard of

Judah which bred kings, scholars, and men of pious deeds. For this reason

Moses and Aaron and his sons camped there... The three tribes of the South,

however, who were close to quarrelsome men, perished together...”

 

 

 

Also,Jewish commentators throughout the ages have described India as a land of

potency and paradise. The Legends of the Jews (1925, Vol. 5, p. 196)

delineates stories of sages who went to India to obtain “plants of paradise,”

and narrates how Solomon (Vol. 4, p. 149) secured water with special healing

powers from India. And in Volume 1, page 11, of The Legends of the Jews, it

is written “Beyond the inhabited parts to the east is Paradise with its seven

divisions, each assigned to the pious of a certain degree.”

 

 

Genesis (2:8)

places Eden in the East. Additionally, Keturah, whose sons went to the East,

is especially characterized for fine qualities. According to the Midrashim

(The Midrash Rabbah, Vol. 1, p. 543), “[the name Keturah] implies that she

united piety and nobility... she was like one who seals up a treasure...”

“Keturah,” according to The Legends of the Jews (Vol. 5, p. 264), means

“sweet like incense.”

 

 

 

In many fields, such as linguistics (e.g., Kak, 1987, 1988, 1989,

1990), astronomy (e.g., Thompson, 1989, 1997; Kak, 1987), archaeology (e.g.,

Rao, 1988, 1991, 1993; Jacobi, 1894; Hicks and Anderson, 1990), mathematics

(e.g., Seidenberg, 1962), and Indology (e.g., Rajaram and Frawley, 1995;

Burrow, 1973; Jarrige and Meadow, 1980), there is compelling evidence for an

original Vedic culture. This article has presented a case for an East to West

flow of religious and spiritual knowledge, emanating from ancient India.

 

 

This hypothesis helps to answer many questions, such as those concerning the

relationship between Moses and Jethro, and the origins of the Druze. The

community of religious scholars may benefit from pursuing the line of inquiry

outlined herein. This would require reviving and rethinking the

Midianite-Kenite theory, with reference to Torah, midrashim, agaddah, and

scholarly analysis that has been done on this topic throughout the

generations. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, fruitful

investigation would entail researching the oral and written traditions of the

Druze, which may be a formidable task, considering their heritage of secrecy.

Footnote

1. According to the Druze, Jethro was the guardian of Zipporah, not her

father. Therefore, they do not consider Jethro to be the father-in-law

of Moses.

 

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