Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 19 Shevat 5784
Parsha Yitro: (Exodus 18:1 – 20:23)
Second Portion: Exodus 18:13 – 18:23
Good morning! Yesterday was an amazing day. If you didn’t see it, I had an online discussion with Kristina Sullivan discussing the number 18, connecting it to co-dependence, sensitivity, and sacrifice. You can catch the discussion here.
Let’s dig in to today’s portion. The context for today is Jethro. He came to Moses and brought Moses’ family with him. There was a reuniting that took place, and Jethro sacrificed to Hashem. Let’s see what happens next:
13It came about on the next day that Moses sat down to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from the morning until the evening.
14When Moses’ father in law saw what he was doing to the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why do you sit by yourself, while all the people stand before you from morning till evening?”
15Moses said to his father in law, “For the people come to me to seek God.
16If any of them has a case, he comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the statutes of God and His teachings.”
17Moses’ father in law said to him, “The thing you are doing is not good.
18You will surely wear yourself out both you and these people who are with you for the matter is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.
Wow. Wow. Jethro is speaking truth to Moses. “The thing you are doing is not good. You will surely wear yourself out – both you and these people who are with you.”
How is Moses going to respond? Will his ego say “Dude! I know what I am doing. You’ve been away for a long time, and you come back here to criticize me?” Or will he receive what Jethro is saying?
But Jethro goes on. He offers Moses UNSOLICITED ADVICE.
Um. I’m not sure about you – but I am not a fan when someone gives me advice I didn’t ask for. But let’s hear it Jethro:
19Now listen to me. I will advise you, and may the Lord be with you. [You] represent the people before God, and you shall bring the matters to God.
20And you shall admonish them concerning the statutes and the teachings, and you shall make known to them the way they shall go and the deed[s] they shall do.
21But you shall choose out of the entire nation men of substance, God fearers, men of truth, who hate monetary gain, and you shall appoint over them [Israel] leaders over thousands, leaders over hundreds, leaders over fifties, and leaders over tens.
22And they shall judge the people at all times, and it shall be that any major matter they shall bring to you, and they themselves shall judge every minor matter, thereby making it easier for you, and they shall bear [the burden] with you.
23If you do this thing, and the Lord commands you, you will be able to survive, and also, all this people will come upon their place in peace.”
What I notice here is Jethro acknowledges Hashem’s role in all of this. And in verse 23, he alludes to IF. “If you do this thing, and the Lord commands you…” Jethro isn’t telling Moses to take HIS advice – he is encouraging Moses to focus on Hashem. This is beautiful advice!
How will Moses respond? We will have to wait until tomorrow! In the mean time I reflect on how Moses MIGHT react.
Will Moses get defensive? Or will he receive Jethro’s advice fully?
Some of this has to do where Moses is at internally, doesn’t it? I see three options:
- If Moses judges himself, and his judgment aligns with Jethro, then he will receive the advice from Jethro positively.
- If Moses judges himself, and his judgment does NOT align with Jethro, then he will react poorly.
- If Moses is CURIOUS instead of judgmental? Moses will reflect and consider – contemplate.
And this? Our takeaway I think.
I wrote in my commentary on Genesis, the path to freedom is Curiosity and Not Judgment. Today, the path to freedom is DEEPENED by moving from Curiosity to CONTEMPLATION
What is the difference?
Curiosity asks the questions and allows for answers.
Contemplation takes the possible answers and digs into them like a sandbox to discover what resonates most deeply.
This is the path to freedom from slavery.
What are your thoughts?
Here is my commentary from the past two years:
Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 15 Shevat, 5783
Today is Tu B’Shevat! May this day be a fulcrum of turning our lives from harshness to kindness.
It is interesting to me that today we read about judgment. Not judgment from Hashem’s perspective – but from Moses. He is struggling and overwhelmed with judging the people.
This brings Jethro in to establish the modern judicial system.
I wonder what the connection is between the fulcrum of Harshness and Kindness, and the idea of Judgement?
I think I go inward. Inside me. I ask myself; “does my judgement impact whether I respond in harshness or kindness?” And “who am I judging here? Them? Me?”
I think it begins with judging our own hearts. If we judge our own hearts with empathy, compassion, and kindness? Then we will turn the external to kindness.
If we judge ourselves harshly? Then I wonder if we will turn the external to harshness.
And when. We are burned out from judging? My guess is we will tend to be on the side of harshness; to ourselves. To others.
And we often need those in our lives who can remind us not to judge ourselves harshly. And to listen to others’ feedback; which is genuinely positive.
And above all else? Consult with Hashem!
What are your thoughts here?
Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for Shevat 15, 5782
It’s Tu B’Shevat! A holiday of trees! Today is ALSO the day in Kabbalah that the month of Shevat turns around; from Din (Harshness) to Chesed (Kindness).
May this Torah study be a tree planted in all of our lives that moves us from Harshness to Chesed!!!!
Todays portion begins with the conversation between Jethro and Moses.
In the day after the Day of Atonement, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the second set of tablets, Moses sat down to judge the people.
Jethro sees this happening and grows concerned about the impact this has on Moses. He’s worried about Moses’ self care.
Moses tells Jethro, “because people come to me to seek God(‘s teachings). If any of them has a claim, he comes to me, and I judge between a man and his fellow. I make known the statutes of God and His teachings.”
So basically Nachmanides writes there were three reasons which people came;
- So that Moses would pray for them (seeking God)
- To settle monetary disputes
- To teach them Torah
Because Moses was the only one fulfilling these responsibilities, people had to wait from morning until evening
Jethro tells Moses that this isn’t good. Moses is going to wear himself out.
In addition, Jethro knew this practice wasn’t sustainable. At some point Moses wouldn’t be there. And what would the Jews do then?
He tells Moses “listen to me, I’ll give you advice, but let God be in agreement with you on this matter.” And then offers him the idea that he should keep representing the people before God and bring their disputes to God. But, he should ALSO seek Devine inspiration to find people (financially independent) who fear God, people of truth (the Torah says man, but we learned in last weeks Haftorah portion there were female judges like Deborah) and people who hate monetary gain (Um. Yeah, you’d have to be financially independent to get there). Jethro tells Moses to appoint these people as judges with different levels of responsibility – over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
He tells Moses they will judge the people on a full time basis, and if a matter arises that’s major they will bring it to Moses. This will make it easier for Moses, and also prepare the people for when Moses isn’t there.
Jethro tells Moses to consult with God, and that way it will be settled.
Let me close with a “spiritual vitamin” from the book I’m reading;
“Torah means instruction, or guidance, because the Torah is your guide in life. The Torah makes you constantly aware of your duties in life; it gives you a true definition of your life’s purpose, and it shows you the ways and means of attaining this goal.”
My takeaways from todays portion.
- We need more Jethro’s in our lives. People who look at us and are concerned that it is too much for us to bear on our own. I am really fortunate to have many Jethro’s in my life. One checked in with me this morning (without realizing that was going to be what was going to happen) and helped me confirm that I was in a good place, but to focus on my self care. That is incredibly important.
- The Torah IS. A guide to life. And if we read it and listen to the lessons our lives with be better. That does NOT mean to just see the Torah as a set of rules to follow. That’s not it’s purpose. The torah is guidance. It’s not a cosmic law.
What are your thoughts?
No responses yet