On the above verse Rashi brings a Mechilta that Yisro had
had served every existing idol, so to speak he was a spiritual searcher. With
the parting of the Red Sea insights that he
had before became much stronger. The commentaries explain that Yisro saw that
there was an intense power of justice in this world. Specifically that just as
the Egyptian had thrown the sons of the Israelites into the Red Sea so to they
were drowned in the Red Sea . Also as they had
tried to kill Israel ,
so to speak, the first born of Hashem, Hashem had killed their first-borns.
Yisro saw the hand of G-d in these actions and drew the conclusion that the
power of religion was greater than other powers; say the power of money,
weapons, guile or beauty. This idea is expressed in the adage of Rabbi Yitzchak
the blacksmith in the Talmud, "If a man will say to you that he searched
and did not find; don't believe it. He didn't search but found; don't believe
it. If he says he searched and he found, believe it" (Megilla 6b).
The parsha continues that the next day Yisro say Moshe
acting in his capacity as the nation's judge. He offered a critique saying that
acting alone Moshe would only weary himself out as well as the nation. He then
suggested that a hierarchy of courts be appointed. Those that serve should have
courage, fear of G-d, love of the truth, and dislike bargains and bargaining.
The largest and most difficult matters would be handled by Moshe himself. The
ideas are that in a search for standards some of the truths one comes across
will not be popular or respected. Never the less a person must have the courage
of his convictions. In addition a person must be cognizant of the consequence
of their actions even if they are only in thought, attitude, words, or belief.
Focusing on bargains and bargaining there is a sorry
tendency for people to gouge and chisel. In essence a person should desire a
fair price and not feel good about unjust gain. Bargaining itself often means
one side degrading the value of an asset and their desire for it. The other
side tries to exaggerate its value. In addition there is a certain amount of
questionable recreation in simply playing games. It is not a true negotiation
or a real search for truth. In legal situations it is particularly problematic
in that sometimes exaggerated claims will be believed. In the search for values
the truth may be extremely subtle and will only be found if one is determined
and focused and will not be found as an incidental compromise between distorted
extremes.
The parsha then continues with the giving of the Ten
Commandments. As a preparation Moshe tells the people to sanctify themselves
and to clean their clothes. This is because revelation from heaven requires
both internal and external preparation. The internal preparation is dedication
to the faith. This is an aspect of mentality and attitude. The external aspect
is one of words and deeds, which would include things like etiquette,
elocution, and cleanliness.
The Ten Commandments are then given. It is here that the
concepts of a living being and an abstract concept become blurred and
confusing. In discussing the unity of Hashem the Rambam states He is the
knower, He is the known, and He is the knowledge itself (Hilchos Yesodei
HaTorah 2:10). So to speak during the revelation on Mount Sinai the
children of Israel
were conversing with knowledge and morality itself. From this it is possible to
understand that if one knows G-d like he knows his father or teacher, one may
be able to derive the entire Ten Commandments and the entire Torah from this
knowledge alone.
The Ten Commandments have ten distinct sections in the
Chumash, stumos (סתומות) and
p'suchos (פתומות). The first two
commandments are a single stuma. After the third commandment there is a
p'sucha, effectively making the first three commandments into one subdivided
unit. The second unit is comprised of the remaining seven commandments
separated by stumas. However what is reckoned as the last commandment has two
sections (stumas). The first two commandments, I am the Hashem your G-d and
Thou shalt have no others gods before me, from the stand point of format are
one unit. The tenth commandment against envy from a format standpoint is two
separate units.
There are a total of 142 words in the Ten Commandments. The
first section contains 51 words and is an introduction that the G-d, who is
speaking, is the one took Israel
out of Egypt .
He demands exclusive worship and is jealous about it. However, great kindness
is extended to those who keep his laws. It also intimates that physical
depictions of the power above are offensive to heaven. The mitzvah of
remembering the Shabbos day contains 42 words and is basically a testimony that
G-d created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.
The entire passage is fundamentally a proud one with a
humble demand that parents must be respected and cared for in their old age.
The last six sections contain the last five commandments which govern conduct
between men. It contains only 25 words of which 15 deal with the prohibition
against envy. This hints as stated in The Gates of Holiness by Rabbi Chaim
Vital, that the foundation of faith and the path out of our own personal
bondage is by way of perfection of the character.
------------------------------------------
אנכי
יהוה אלקיך, אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים מבית עבדים: לא-יהיה לך אלקים אחרים,
על-פני. לא-תעשה לך פסל, וכל-תמונה, אשר בשמים ממעל,
ואשר בארץ מתחת--ואשר במים, מתחת לארץ. לא-תשתחוה להם, ולא תעבדם: כי אנכי יהוה אלקיך, אל
קנא--פקד עון אבת על-בנים על-שלשים ועל-רבעים, לשנאי. ועשה
חסד, לאלפים--לאהבי, ולשמרי מצותי.
לא תשא את-שם-יהוה אלקיך, לשוא: כי לא ינקה יהוה, את אשר-ישא
את-שמו לשוא.
זכור
את-יום השבת, לקדש. ששת ימים תעבד, ועשית כל-מלאכתך. ויום, השביעי--שבת, ליהוה
אלקיך: לא-תעשה כל-מלאכה אתה ובנך ובתך, עבדך ואמתך ובהמתך, וגרך, אשר
בשעריך. כי ששת-ימים עשה יהוה
את-השמים ואת-הארץ, את-הים ואת-כל-אשר-בם, וינח, ביום השביעי; על-כן, ברך יהוה
את-יום השבת--ויקדשהו. כבד
את-אביך, ואת-אמך--למען, יארכון ימיך, על האדמה, אשר-יהוה אלקיך נתן לך. לא
תרצח,
לא
תנאף;
לא תגנב,
לא-תענה
ברעך עד שקר.
לא
תחמד, בית רעך; לא-תחמד
אשת רעך, ועבדו ואמתו ושורו וחמרו, וכל, אשר לרעך.
Discussion of finding the G-d that is the knower, the
known, and the knowledge
In memory of Toyba bas Yoel Leib, Yarzeit 25 Shvat
For donations and dedications phone 08-979 1824
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