Making Eternity Possible
D’var Torah for Parashat Yitro
By Rabbi Boaz D. Heilman
February 8, 2023
The Revelation at Sinai, God’s Presence and voice presenting the Israelites with the Ten Commandments, is both singular and unique, yet also the most universal moment in human history. Expanding on the opening words, “I Am Adonai your God” the Midrash teaches:
“Rabbi Abahu said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: When the Holy One Blessed Be He gave the Torah, no bird chirped, no fowl flew, no bull lowed, the angels did not fly, the heavenly seraphim did not say their litany of ‘holy, holy,’ the sea did not agitate, none of the creations spoke; rather, the world was silent, and the voice went out: ‘I am the Lord Your God’ (Exodus Rabbah 29).
As such, one could expect this section of the portion to have its own freestanding place in the Torah. And yet in this week’s Torah portion, Yitro (Jethro, Exodus 18:1—20-23), it appears as part of a larger narrative. The portion opens with Moses’s father-in-law, the Midianite high priest Jethro, coming for a visit. Observing Moses hard at work as sole leader, visionary, judge and arbitrator for the Israelites, Yitro has sage advice: Select respected people to judge the simpler cases; keep only the toughest for yourself.
This structural organization should have been obvious. Court systems were in place long before Moses. Yet Moses seems ignorant of this obvious solution to his constant state of exhaustion. To his credit, Moses takes Yitro’s advice and implements it. It’s only at this point that the story proceeds with the Ten Commandments.
We can learn much both from Moses’s inability to see what was clear to others, as well as from the juxtaposition of the two topics in this portion. Perhaps it was his love and concern for his people that stirred Moses to be there for every individual. Or (as is more likely for the rest of us) perhaps it was a simple case of micromanaging. We think we can do it all, or that no one else is capable of doing the work as well as we can.
But the truth that even Moses has to learn is that communities cannot be sustained by one individual. Committees aren’t always the most efficient solution, but the distribution of work is essential for the health of the community. Everyone must feel that they own a part of the project. The feeling of being left out inevitably leads to discontent. Obviously it is important to find the right individual for each task, but in the end everyone has something to contribute—and that’s a huge part in the successful operation of any system, be it legal, social, educational or economic.
But there is a second lesson to be learned from this portion. Inspiration and application aren’t one and the same thing. As simple and direct as the Ten Commandments may appear at first reading, implementing them isn’t always clear or straightforward. How is one to interpret “murder?” How do we “honor our mother and father?” And what constitutes “observing and keeping the Sabbath?” These may be a fundamental to our legal and moral system, but for any true justice to exist, interpretation of the law is often necessary. This portion both humanizes the law while at the same time giving it structure and process. It’s a delicate balance that requires constant attention.
Perhaps that’s why it’s only now, with a judicial system all set and ready to go, that the Israelites are finally given the Ten Commandments. Their meaning and intention must be taught and clarified to every member of the community. Only this arrangement—by thousands, hundreds and tens—makes it possible for each of us to have a role in the sacred mission of pursuing justice.
And maybe that’s why the Midrash explains that when God spoke these Words the entire world was silent. The holiness of Ten Commandments must reach every one of us. No one must be left out of the sacred partnership between God and us. We are all the architects, builders and caretakers of a great, universal Hall of Justice.
Spirit and body, vision and realization. When both elements combine, the possibilities are endless.
© 2023 by Boaz D. Heilman
No comments:
Post a Comment