Shemoth/Exodus
CHAPTER 18
1. Now Yithro, the priest of Midyan [and] Moshe's in-law, heard of all that Elohim had done for Moshe and for His people Israel--how YHWH had brought Israel out from Egypt.
2. So Yithro, Moshe's in-law, fetched Tzipporah, Moshe's wife, after he had sent her back
3. along with her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom--because he had said, "I have become an alien in a foreign land”,
4. and one was named Eliezer--"because the El of my father has been my help, and delivered me from Pharaoh's sword."
5. Then Yithro, Moshe's in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moshe in the desert where he had camped at the mountain of Elohim.
Moshe had originally brought his family to Egypt (4:20), but probably sent them back because of the pressure of his duties, in order to give all his energy to carrying out his mission. (Hirsch) Moshe did whatever was necessary to get the job done. But now he is camped back where he had originally encountered YHWH—an easy journey for Yithro and Moshe’s family, who were certainly eager to hear firsthand the truth about what YHWH had done, as there must have been many embellishments as the news spread throughout the region. When he saw the burning bush, he was tending Yithro’s flock; now he has returned to the same place with YHWH’s flock. He was in this position because Yithro had taught him to tend sheep.
6. And he said to Moshe, "I, your in-law Yithro, have come to you along with your wife and both of her sons with her."
7. And Moshe went out to meet his [father]-in-law, and he bowed and kissed him. And each asked his fellow about his welfare, and they came into the tent…
It appears that Yithro has sent a messenger ahead to announce his arrival, especially since someone of such standing would probably have at least some armed men with him, and he did not want the guards of the camp to think he was coming to attack Israel. For Yithro, Moshe goes out to personally escort him. Certainly he wanted to see his wife and sons as well, butYithro is the reason he went out, because Moshe sees h im as his superior—a father and teacher. Even with the burning bush and the authority of all the signs YHWH gave him, Moshe had still asked Yithro for permission to go to Egypt. Moshe submitted to his authority, and honors the one who had taught him how to shepherd flocks, a skill he desperately needed in his work of leading Israel to the Promised Land.
12. Then Yithro, Moshe's in-law, brought an ascending offering and slaughtered offerings to Elohim, and Aharon and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread before Elohim with Moshe's in-law.
He restored the type of offering that might not have been done by the Israelites since Yosef brought his family to Egypt, judging by how many instructions had to be given just about the Passover lamb. They have not been shepherds, but bricklayers. Aharon (who would soon be the officiator over such offerings) was watching, assumedly learning his technique, though the elders were still the priests in Israel at this time.
13. Now the event of the next day was that Moshe sat down to judge the people, and the people stood by Moshe from the morning until the evening.
They had not yet been given the Torah, so they were not requesting clarification on that. They have been slaves; they are used to being told what to do rather than making decisions for themselves, like someone in prison or even the military service for a long time.
14. And Moshe's in-law saw all that he was doing to the people, and he said, "What is this that you are doing to the people? Why are you alone sitting down, and all the people standing by you from morning until evening?"
15. And Moshe said to his in-law, "[It is] because the people come to me to enquire of Elohim.
16. "When they have a case [to be judged], they come to me, and I judge between a man and his fellow, and I reveal the decrees of Elohim, and His instructions."
17. And Moshe's in-law told him, "You are not doing this the right [way].
The idea was right; the method was wrong.
18. "You'll wear out for sure--both you and this [group of] people that is with you, because the matter is [too] heavy for you; you aren't strong enough to do it all by yourself.
19. "Now pay attention to my voice: I'll give you some advice, and may Elohim be with you. You be a representative of the people toward Elohim, and carry the cases to Him,
20. "then you enlighten them [concerning] prescribed limits and instructions, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the deeds that they must do.
Yithro was the "priest of Midyan", but the root meaning of "priest", though usually a religious term, means simply, "officiator", and comes from a root word meaning to judge. Midyan means "strife", specifically in a legal context, so the one whose title declares that he is the "officiator of strife" is the one YHWH sent to correct the way Moshe was handling court cases, by his expertise in the area of “crowd control”. Yithro is capable of properly judging a situation and who knew how to bring order—a person Moshe trusts, and someone whose very name tells us he is person qualified to show Moshe how to handle his people. He was to teach them by his example, not just his words. This way they would not be asking Moshe for things they should be able to search out for themselves, taking the responsibility for petty decisions off him. Moshe would only need to be consulted for the hardest cases (v. 22) if he taught them how to judge. His authority would flow downhill to the rest.
21. "And you [should carefully] search out able men from among all the people, who hold Elohim in reverence--reliable men who are haters of unjust gain, and set [these] over them [as] wardens [by the] thousands, wardens by hundreds, wardens by fifties, and wardens by tens.
Yithro is showing them the type of structure that controls strife and contention: make them responsible for one another and make everyone accountable to someone close to him. “Tens” would refer to families and households, more likely ten men with their families than ten individuals cut across natural family lines. The "small claims judges" who presided over only ten men would know them much more intimately, and be able to recognize much more quickly when they were "bluffing" or whether the allegation was out of character for the accused. Petty arguments would also be taken care of quickly—“nipped in the bud”—rather than wasting the time of those who had larger responsibilities. Moshe probably only directly trained the leaders of 1,000, then let them teach the rest. These may have been the ones who later constituted the seventy elders who accompanied him up the mountain. Under each ruler of a thousand, there would be 130 other rulers.
22. "And let them decide between the people on all occasions, except that every matter of great importance they will bring to you, but every minor situation they can judge for themselves. Lighten the load that is on yourself; they can sustain [the burden] along with you.
23. "If you do this, and Elohim ordains [it for] you, then you will be able to hold up, and this [entire] people will arrive at their [own] place in one piece."
Elohim ordains it: He would still make sure that this was consistent with what YHWH had taught him at other times.
24. So Moshe listened to his in-law's voice, and did all that he had said.
Taking responsibility for one another is clearly what works best for Israel, and Moshe accepts his advice.
…
CHAPTER 19
1. In the third month of the descendants of Israel's departure from the land of Egypt, on this [very] day they arrived at the uncultivated area of Sinai.
2. When they had pulled up [stakes] from R’fidim they came to the uncultivated area of Sinai, and camped in the uncultivated area—that is, Israel camped there in front of the mountain.
3. Then Moshe ascended toward Elohim, and YHWH called to him from the mountain, saying, "This is what you shall tell the House of Yaaqov, and declare [boldly] to the sons of Israel:
Moshe went up seeking judgment (the emphasis in the title Elohim), so YHWH met him as a merciful provider. When we properly judge ourselves and submit to Him, He will provide for us as well. The only previous time we were called the House of Yaaqov was when the whole household had arrived in Egypt and was accounted for. (Gen. 46:27) Now they are again in the same position, a household again after having been scattered individuals who had let themselves dissipate into Egyptian ways and slavery. The last time they had lived in the Land of Kanaan, there were still two brothers (Yehudah and Yosef) away from the rest of the family. Now they are again a complete family—one with whom YHWH has covenant. In verses 1 and 2, all the verbs are plural except “they camped”, where it is singular, for they are camped as one unit. This is a large part of being prepared to hear from YHWH. They are all together and in the right place and the right season. To be in context to hear from YHWH, we must at least be together with more of the nation, so we have others to check the facts for us and keep us balanced. Israel is organized with an authority structure in which the young are in submission to the faithful and experienced, but everyone is taking responsibility to share the burden.
4. "‘You have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on the wings of eagles, and gathered you to Myself.
You have seen: Moshe now sees the fulfillment of the sign YHWH had given him in 3:12. YHWH had offered it to him, and he proved it was real. YHWH had said, in effect, if you do the job, you will return to this same place. Moshe had to move into the arena before YHWH would prove that He was really the one speaking and that He really could provide for Israel. He was to try YHWH through his actions, not his words. He would prove Himself if Moshe first proved himself. He has pleased YHWH, so now YHWH will reveal His heart—and the secrets of how to continue to please Him. Now Israel has also seen. Another key to being ready to receive YHWH’s instruction is to have the right mindset. They need to remember and ponder what YHWH has already done for them, so that when they are again in dark places, they will trust Him. They need to remember that He is the one who rescued them, so they will treat Him with the proper respect when He speaks again. Their own experience will be a witness to them that YHWH knows what He is doing, even when things appear otherwise. And most importantly, they need to remind one another what He has done before.
5. "‘So now, as you hear, if you will [really] listen within My voice, and keep My covenant, you will become to Me a uniquely valued [and guarded] treasure above all of the [other] peoples--because though all of the earth is Mine,
Everyone belongs to YHWH, but Israel will be special to Him—on the condition that we put into the relationships what we are supposed to; it is not a one-sided promise. Do what He says, and you will be glad you did. Guard the covenant carefully, and He will show us, but we must be the first to act, because we are the less trustworthy party.
6. "‘you shall become for Me a kingdom of priests, a separated nation.' These are the words which you must speak to the descendants of Israel.”
A separated nation: in a class of its own. The very idea calls for judgment, because to separate we must discriminate between different things. To be ready to hear from YHWH, we must set things apart in our minds as well. Those who refuse to judge or be judged can by definition never be set apart.
7. Then Moshe came and summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which YHWH had commanded him.
8. And all the people answered together and said, "Everything that YHWH has said, we will do." And Moshe brought the words of the people back to YHWH.
9. Then YHWH told Moshe, "Behold, I am coming to you in the thick [dark] mass of a cloud, so that the people may hear My speaking with you, and trust in you forever." And Moshe relayed the words of the people to YHWH.
10. Then YHWH told Moshe, "Go to the people and set them apart [as dedicated] today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes
YHWH’s garment is white (Daniel 7:9), so ours should match. (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 1:18) Washing our clothes does not sound like a very spiritual thing to do, and logistically in this desert place it probably took both days for everyone there to have a turn to wash theirs. But He wants us to do something physical to show outwardly that they are enthusiastic about the encounter with Him and to demonstrate that they were aware that something very special was about to take place. It is not magic, but making a change is another way of showing that they are ready to hear His words. They might not have had occasion to wash their clothes since they left Egypt. YHWH wanted the smell of Egypt washed off them so no traces of the one who tried to seduce them would remain on His bride. We need to clean ourselves up to eat at His table. In ancient times, they would wash clothing in a river, so in the process of cleaning one’s clothes, one would become clean himself as well. When coming before Him on the Sabbath or a festival, we need to wash away our bad attitudes, make our enthusiasm shine, polish up our willingness to serve, and make our eagerness to hear and do His word gleaming white. There was something big coming, but those who did not put on the right attitude toward it would not be able to participate. (See v. 12.)
11. "and be firmly prepared for the third day, because on the third day YHWH will descend for the eyes of all the people on Mount Sinai.
12. "And you shall set up boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful that you do not go up onto the mountain or touch its edge. Everyone who touches the mountain will certainly be put to death.'
13. "‘Not a hand may touch him, because he is to be stoned or shot through; [no matter] whether [it is] an animal or human, he shall not [be allowed to] survive.' When the [trumpet] blast summons, that's when they may cross [the boundary] to the mountain."
…
16. On the third day, indeed, when it was morning, there were [thunderous] voices and flashes, and a heavy cloud upon the mountain, and the sound of the shofar was extremely sharp, so that the whole people in the camp was shaking [with fear].
17. Then Moshe brought the people out from the camp to encounter Elohim, and they stationed themselves at the base of the mountain.
18. The whole of Mount Sinai was smoking from before the face as YHWH descended upon it in fire. Then its smoke ascended like the smoke of a smelting forge, and the whole mountain quaked violently.
19. Then what took place [was that] as the sound of the shofar became progressively very strong, Moshe spoke, and Elohim responded as a witness through a voice.
Elohim responded: The “ten words” in the next chapter are attainable because they are actually Moshe’s. They are the words of a leader experienced in these very issues. That is why they are not far away; they can work for us as well. They are the words of a man who has personally shepherded more Israelites than anyone else in history. The people needed him to go up the mountain more than he needed to go. He had learned the ways of YHWH so well that he could in essence sum up the wisdom he had accumulated, and YHWH was giving His “Amen” with each of the thunderings heard by the people. He was validating Moshe’s codification of his leadership experience more than giving him new information.
20. Then YHWH came down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, and YHWH called Moshe to the top of the mountain, so Moshe went up.
21. (Now YHWH had told Moshe, "Go down [and] solemnly warn the people [repeatedly] so that they won't break through to YHWH in order to look [at Him], and many of them fall.
As soon as he ascended, YHWH told him to descend again, because He does not want us to have a perpetual Sabbath. Like the priests who served in the Temple in shifts, we ascend closer to YHWH so we can descend to live out what we have learned by serving Israel. This is part of what YHWH’s vision of the messengers of YHWH ascending and descending on the staircase was all about. In order to look: we want to get up close to see things, but this was not a tourist attraction. “Look” can also mean “perceive”, and this was the very temptation haSatan began with on Chavvah (“Eve”).
22. "Even the priests who [do] approach close to YHWH, must sanctify themselves to avoid having YHWH burst out [violently] against them.")
23. Then Moshe said to YHWH, "The people cannot ascend to Mount Sinai, because You sternly warned us to set boundaries for the mountain and set it apart [as holy ground]."
24. So YHWH told him, "Go on down, then come back up with Aharon accompanying you, but don't let the priests or the people break through to ascend to YHWH, so He will not burst out [violently] among them."
The Aramaic targum interprets “burst out” specifically as "kill some of them". This exchange seems confusing, but it appears that because no one but Moshe came up when the shofar sounded, as they were supposed to (v. 13), YHWH ended the narrow opening and said it was now too late, and only Moshe and Aharon would be allowed to come. Because they did not act according to His schedule, they “missed the bus”.
25. So Moshe went down to the people and told them.
CHAPTER 20
1. And Elohim spoke all these words:
This is a strong statement. The judge of the whole universe is the one speaking. He has a right to judge and to give these commands because He made us all.
2. "I [Myself] am YHWH your Elohim, who has brought you out of the land of Egypt--out from the house of subjugation."
In Hebrew tradition, THIS is the first "commandment" (the second, then, is everything from verses 3-6), because these ten are not called "commandments" in Scripture, but "words" or "statements". The inherent "command" is to simply recognize this fact. “Acknowledge Him in all your ways.” This is the key to understanding the words that follow, because they tell us who He is. If you want to know Him, begin by knowing these words. It is only through obeying these commands that we can truly know what He is like. YHWH is the name that emphasizes that He is our provider. Elohim emphasizes the fact that He is our judge, not just one who gives us anything we want. And He also reminds us here that He is our deliverer. “Your” and “you” are singular here, emphasizing that He is to have these three relationships to each of us, but the unifying factor is that the whole nation of Israel must relate to Him together as Father, King, and Husband in order for these relationships to come to their fullness. He is the one who will save His people. (Yirmeyahu 30:10; Y’hezq’el 34:22; Tz’fanyah 3:19) He will bring us back to our Land together as His people; that alone is true salvation. ( Z’kharyah 8:7) Individuals are only saved as part of the nation. Our deliverance is not complete until all twelve tribes are back in the Land with a king and temple. But before we can have the Land, we must encounter the Torah. We must meet these ten requirements so that He can save the nation.
3. "For you there will not be any other elohim in My presence.
In My presence: literally, above My face, or against My face. Today He might say, “Get them out of My face!” This does not mean we may have lesser elohim elsewhere, hidden from Him! Provision comes with a test: we must recognize that it is all from YHWH, no matter how many intermediaries He may use. Nothing is to be between us and His face, blocking it. Yet we must also strike the balance of honoring the vessels He uses to deliver the provision, for He has honored them by choosing to use them. There are many opinions in the world, and even supposedly-objective news reporters still put their slant on everything, but ultimately there is only one opinion that counts. There are many other authorities and legal systems, but His words always have to take priority over them. If He says it is time to listen and not talk, we have no judgment to make, so we do not need to have an opinion, but just obey. His system of ruling is superior to any other; if the Torah says it, it is right. The Torah is the basis for all judgment in Israel, and it will ultimately affect the whole world. But what can heal the world must be established within Israel first. It is not our job now to make others put down their idols until He is finished dealing with us, but we must “get into the business” of anyone who has made a commitment to obey YHWH but is not doing so. When we get our act together, the rest of the world will be repaired as well. How will we fix the world if we refuse to take our own medicine? The term elohim really means "mighty ones"; we are not to consider anything mighty to exist in relation to ourselves, except Him. What is a major threat to others (such as the Reed Sea) is not a problem for Him, and is not to be feared.
4. "You will not make for yourself a carved image or any resemblance of what is in the skies from above, or what is on the earth from beneath, or what is in the waters [that are] lower than the earth;
This does not mean we may not paint pictures or have baby dolls, but we must not worship them, either before or after we make them. Carved: or "engraved" or ‘hewn into shape”. This connotes a three-dimensional image formed out of something else. Resemblance: or "representation". This is the next logical step in idolatry, followed by the third in v. 5. (Hirsch) We rarely see literal idols used today, except in Buddhist or Hindu settings, but we do participate in the worship of many things that our own hands have shaped if we put too high a priority on any of them, especially things that crowd YHWH out of our lives, put too much emphasis on our flesh, or simply do not profit Israel in any way. If any of these things begins defining who we are, we are giving them too much attention, and this is idolatry. We worship even what our minds carve out—things that often do not really even exist (such as scenarios we worry about), giving importance to what has none.
5. "you must not bow down to them, nor may you serve them, because I Myself am YHWH your Elohim--a jealous Elohim, laying the punishment of fathers on [their] children, even the third and fourth [generation] for those who hate Me,
The things we give most attention to will filter down to our children. What we fear is what they will learn to fear until this cycle is broken. Who hate Me: One might think this does not apply to him because he loves YHWH, but the test Yahshua gave as to whether we actually do love Him is whether we keep His commandments (Yochanan 14:15; 15:7-10), and that is exactly how verse 6 defines it. In Scripture, hate does not have to have anything to do with feelings of malice; it has to do with our actions: do we actually walk in our own priorities rather than His? If we make idols with our hands or minds, we hate Him, no matter what we say or how we feel. Any sin is missing the target, but hate as defined in Hebrew is missing the target without even noticing or giving weight to the fact that there is a target at all.
6. "but doing [deeds of] lovingkindness to thousands for those who love Me and who guard My commandments.
7. "You will not carry the Name of YHWH your Elohim in a wasteful manner, because YHWH will not hold the one who carries his Name wastefully [as] guiltless.
Carry the Name: or "take the Name upon yourself”. This combines the belief that He is always watching over us with the idea that He holds the power over all that will befall us; to swear falsely in His Name is to ignore both of these. In a wasteful manner: in an empty way, in vain, treating it as useless. This means so much more than just using it as a profane epithet. It is acting as if His existence makes no difference in our plans, decisions, or expectations. When we worry, we are doing just that. We also diminish His Name (YHWH) by replacing it with other, lesser names, especially those with pagan background usages. So while we endeavor to hold His Name as sacred, He does not, on the other hand, want us to stop using it altogether, for that would also bring it to nought. Rather, we are not to use it lightly or irresponsibly, and not apply it to things that are worthless or that He does not approve of. And it means to live in a way worthy of those who have His name upon us, doing nothing that is not commensurate with that awesome privilege. It is a bride that takes her husband’s name. If we are going to say we are YHWH’s wife, we must act like it. Our actions—or lack thereof—reflect on His Name. If we call on His name, we are saying He is all things to us, but if our actions prove otherwise, we bring His name to nothing.
8. "Remember the Sabbath day in order to preserve its set-apart [status].
9. "Six days you will labor in service and do all your work,
10. "but the seventh day is a sabbath devoted to YHWH your Elohim; you shall not carry out any employment--neither you nor your son, your daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the foreign guest who is within your gates,
11. "because in six days YHWH set in order the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He desisted on the seventh day. On account of this YHWH blessed the seventh day and set it apart [as holy].
YHWH gave much more weight and detail to this command than any other, showing how important it is to Him. He leaves no room for misinterpretation. Nobody works on this day. Anyone who could be seen as representing you in any way must cease from labor. Normal routines must be changed so we can give it a separate place in our thoughts and actions, as YHWH did on the first Sabbath. (Gen. 2:2) The first three commands pertain specifically to our relationship with YHWH, and twice as many--six--that pertain to our relationship with our fellow men. But the hinge on which the gateway between them swings is this fourth command. It ties the two great commands together. Yochanan the Envoy emphasized this, asking how we could love YHWH, whom we cannot see, if we cannot even love our neighbors, whom we can see, as ourselves. Loving our neighbor is the only doorway by which we can arrive at true commitment to YHWH. The Sabbath cannot truly be kept unless it is shared; it is something we have in common with all of YHWH’s people. “Keeping the Sabbath”does not mean keeping it to oneself. (Yeshayahu 58:13) “The Sabbath is made for man”, but that means it is a gift, and we must find its proper use, not simply throw it away or let it sit unused. “The Sabbath is made for man”, but still we must use it properly.
12. "Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged on the land which YHWH your Elohim is giving to you.
This commandment has a benefit attached to it. (Cf. Ephesians 6:2). It literally means "treat them as important", "give weight to" their teachings, as Proverbs constantly reminds us. I.e., do not take them lightly. In ancient times, the “father” would be whoever was the head of the household—often a grandfather or uncle—or anyone who had taken you into his household. In this case, Moshe was the father to all of Israel. On a deeper level, YHWH is our Father and, though Israel’s tribes had four mothers, the Torah is the “mother” we all now have in common. Notwithstanding this literal command, “father” and “mother” are singular here, so it points us to the parents that we all have in common. On this level (especially being right after His mention of creation) we could paraphrase it as "Consider Adam and Chavvah—do not take their story lightly, so that you do are not banished from your land as they were.” (Their days were shortened and they were left to till the soil in drudgery.) Yahshua put this command in perspective by saying that if we are not willing to forsake our physically parents for the sake of the Kingdom, we are not worthy of it. (Luke 8:20) Proverbs 1 says that the first way to obtain wisdom is through our parents’ instruction, but the fear of YHWH is the beginning of knowledge—and by Yahshua’s definition, anyone who personifies this to us is our true parent. He said his true mother was anyone who did YHWH's will, whether a blood relative or not.
13. "You must not commit murder."
The term means to uselessly kill for no reason—selfishly or outside the proper context; this verb is never used of legal killing. It applies to killing animals for mere sport, and in a wider sense, rabbinically, it means, "Do not destroy anything that is still useful" and do not even shame a man who does not deserve it. Killing men in war or execution is permitted.
14. "You must not commit adultery."
The technical meaning here includes only intimacy involving a married woman, because it represents idolatry, which is spiritual adultery, for the emphasis as these laws were given was that Israel is YHWH’s wife and can belong to no one else. The term does not specifically apply if the woman involved is not already married or betrothed, though there are plenty of other restrictions in the Torah about whom one may or may not relate to sexually, and wisdom tells us that a married man who takes another woman, even if unmarried, will have many problems because of this.
15. "You must not steal."
This applies to anything that is not rightfully one's own, but especially carries the connotation of kidnapping fellow human beings. Adultery is stealing another man’s wife. We can also steal immaterial things like people's joy or their reputation—even their words if we represent them as our own and do not give proper credit. The other ways we can steal are included in the commands not to murder, commit adultery, bear false witness, or desire what is not ours. And we steal from YHWH by having rivals to His position or by failing to guard His Sabbath.
16. "You must not bear false testimony against your fellow [as an] injurious witness.
Fellow: literally, one from the same flock, with the same shepherd: friend, companion, or "brother". The command here is not about lying in general, but about saying (or even letting another tell us) something untrue about a comrade--or telling the truth in a way designed to injure his reputation. We could be a false witness simply by rolling our eyes in suggestion that someone has done wrong, if it leads others to believe he did. "Bear" actually means to "uphold" gossip by listening to it, heeding it, or allowing it to be spoken to us.
17. "You must not [even] desire your fellow's house; you may not wish for your neighbor's wife, or his male or female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything which belongs to your fellow."
This is a further refining of—or a fence built around—the command not to steal or commit adultery. It places it one step further from us, not even allowing us to think about stealing! YHWH has a right even to tell us not only what not to do, but how to feel about not doing it! It means we should not even take pleasure in what is not ours. Wish for: or, crave. We must take control of what we delight in and what we despise. At that time they had been slaves and knew what not to desire. Do not even give such feelings an audience; train yourself not to have opinions contrary to YHWH’s. A large part of the Torah walk involves acting contrary to our natural inclinations. I.e., in addition to keeping our mouths shut we must also train ourselves not to have the thoughts that might lead us to speak evil of our neighbor, or be manifest in some other way. Discipline in one area can make us stronger in others.
18. And all the people observed the sounds and the burning torches and the voice of the shofar and the smoking mountain. When the people looked, they shook [from fear] and stood at a distance.
They were “not just hearers of the Word.” It literally says they saw the sound (voice). We do not know what the sound of a shofar looks like. But the term means both that they took the commands into consideration and “saw” themselves obeying them. Some things seem more attainable if we can picture them. When we are properly prepared, they are not so difficult; indeed, sometimes the preparation is the hardest part. They are simple commands; they are not in legalese. It does not require a scholar; these commands can be carried out by shepherds, farmers, or former slaves. One need not be a mathematician to spot the new moon. It is not up in the heavens; it is right here: We do not have to figure out prophetic visions. Taking care of one another is the heart of the covenant. That we can do. They are simple if we are in the right context to receive them, because we have prepared ourselves mentally and physically. That is our challenge. These ten both flesh out the two great commands to love YHWH and our neighbor, but summarize all of His commands that are yet to come. The fine points elucidated later may require more expertise to clarify, but the fine points are in a sense only examples of these over-arching commands; the rest of the commands explain and build on these. Through these ten words, YHWH will save Israel.
Commentary on
Parashat Yithro
Getting in a
Position to Hear
