Walk into almost any shul wherever one may be, and chances are one will see the “Ten Commandments[1]” on top of the aron kodesh. They are neatly…
Yitro: Who was at Sinai
What kind of book is the Torah and who is it meant for? Rashi begins his commentary to the Torah with the supposition that the Torah is primarily a…
Yitro: Justice and Judges
Famine, exile, dissent, descent, slavery, persecution, death and at last redemption. The Jewish people have crossed the sea – finally believing “in G…
Yitro: Man and G-d
In his categorization of mitzvot, the Rambam lists as the first mitzvah belief in G-d. He begins his monumental code by telling us that “…
Yitro: A Perfect Ten
In the Western world, the number ten represents perfection. Not surprisingly, this concept seems to be rooted in our biblical tradition. “In…
Yitro: The Essence of Torah
Fulfilling G-d's commandments is the essence of Torah. "If not for my covenant, day and night, the laws of heaven and earth, I would…
Yitro: Yes and No
Vayedaber Hashem el Moshe lei'mor is the most commonly occurring verse of the Bible. While it is usually translated as, “G-d spoke to…
Yitro: Honouring Parents, Teaching Children
The command to respect our parents, kibud av v'eim, is one that needs little explanation. It is the most rational and logical of mitzvoth, one…
Yitro: I Love My In-Laws
“Moses went to greet his father-in-law, bowing down low and kissing him” (Shemot 18:7). Unfortunately, relations between children…
Yitro: A Joint Project
What kind of book is the Torah and who is it meant for? Rashi begins his commentary to the Torah, with the supposition that the…
Yitro: Hear Ye, Hear Ye
"And Yitro, the priest of Midian, the father-in-law of Moshe, heard all that G-d did for Moshe and to Israel his people, that G-d had taken the…
Yitro: Day of Rest
The aseret hadibrot present two very different reasons why we are to keep Shabbat. In parshat Yitro, it is “because in six days, G-d made the…
Yitro: Nine Commandments
It is customary in most shuls to read the aseret hadibrot in what is known as ta'am elyon, the upper cantillation. Whereas the ta'am tachton (the…