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Parshat Yitro

By: Ms. Shoshana Grad

This week’s Parsha, Yitro, begins with the famous encounter between Moshe and his father in law, Yitro. Yitro observed the way in which Moshe judged and advised the people. Yitro was bothered by the way that Moshe sat alone, dealing with all of Bnei Yisrale's problems on his own.

"åÇéÌÉàîÆø, îÈä äÇãÌÈáÈø äÇæÌÆä àÂùÑÆø àÇúÌÈä òÉùÒÆä ìÈòÈí îÇãÌåÌòÇ àÇúÌÈä éåÉùÑÅá ìÀáÇãÌÆêÈ, åÀëÈì äÈòÈí ðÄöÌÈá òÈìÆéêÈ îÄï áÌÉ÷Æø òÇã òÈøÆá" (éç:éã)

Yitro suggested that Moshe appoint other people to be judges, and only when the matters were too complicated for those judges to deal with, would the case be brought to Moshe. With this system, Moshe would not carry the burden of theentire people on his own.

Soon after this encounter, the Torah moves on to speak about Bnei Yisrael’s journey in the desert, and their preparations for Matan Torah. Right before G-d gave the Ten Commandments he said,

"åÀòÇúÌÈä, àÄí ùÑÈîåÉòÇ úÌÄùÑÀîÀòåÌ áÌÀ÷ÉìÄé, åÌùÑÀîÇøÀúÌÆí, àÆú áÌÀøÄéúÄé åÄäÀéÄéúÆí ìÄé ñÀâËìÌÈä îÄëÌÈì äÈòÇîÌÄéí, ëÌÄé ìÄé ëÌÈì äÈàÈøÆõ. àÇúÌÆí úÌÄäÀéåÌ ìÄé îÇîÀìÆëÆú ëÌÉäÂðÄéí, åÀâåÉé ÷ÈãåÉùÑ." (éè:ä-å)

If we listen to the voice of G-d and keep our covenant with him, then we will be his prized procession. We be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

How do these two events relate to one another? What does Yitro and his advice to appoint judges have to do with our becoming G-d’sòí ñÀâËìÌÈä  (precious possession) and îÇîÀìÆëÆú ëÌÉäÂðÄéí, åÀâåÉé ÷ÈãåÉùÑ (a kingdom of priests and a holy nation)?

Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook explains that the Jewish nation has two main missions:

1.     To be a îÇîÀìÆëÆú ëÌÉäÂðÄéí refers to our job to teach and be role models to the rest of the world. It is our job to act in a way that will inspire others to follow G-d's ways, and to help everyone fulfill his/her purpose and potential.

2.     To be a âåÉé ÷ÈãåÉùÑ we have to not only look outwards to the rest of the world, but also look inwards and work on ourselves and our own spiritual growth. We strive to achieve holiness in our own lives, families, and communities. 

As a “nation of priests” we have the responsibility to tend to the entire world, but as a “holy nation” we are obligated to tend to our own needs. These two missions may seem to be at opposition with one another, but it is only through these two tasks that we can truly bring harmony to G-d’s world. If we only care about ourselves, we fail in our job of taking care of all of G-d’s creations, but if we only care for others, we fall in our own spirituality and will no longer be able to care for others.

This is precisely the lesson that Yitro taught Moshe in the beginning of the Parsha. Moshe was a selfless person who wanted to help every person in need. But taking on the burden of the entire nation on his own would not allow him to tend to his own personal needs and would leave no time for him to focus on his own spiritual growth. Yitro taught Moshe that it is okay, and even necessary, to lean on others for help and support. Yitro was able to restore the balance that was lacking between selfishness and selflessness in Moshe’s relationship with Bnei Yisrael. Only then was Matan Torah able to take place, because it was at that point that it was really understood that tending to the needs of the world and ourselves are equally as important. Our job as a nation is to improve the spiritual state of the world, while not losing sight of our own spirituality and growth. Only then will we truly become a îÇîÀìÆëÆú ëÌÉäÂðÄéí and âåÉé ÷ÈãåÉùÑ.

Shabbat Shalom!