Marriage and the Parsha

Yisro
(Exodus 18:1-20:23)
Rabbi Yirmiyahu Benyowitz
In last week's portion, the Jews leave the Egyptian bondage and are miraculously saved from the Egyptian pursuit. In the meantime, the Al-mighty allows the waters of the Yam Sof (Red Sea) to crash down on their pursuers. The climax of this page in history is reached in this week's parsha. The giving of the Ten Commandments at Sinai is the event that supercedes all others.  The Torah is represented by the Ten Commandments.

Hashem Himself conveys the first two commandments. The other eight were related to Hashem's emissary - Moshe Rabbeinu and then repeated to the Jewish people. The Talmud (tractate Berachos 12A) tells us that the Ten Commandments were read daily along with the Kriat Shema (recitation of Shema). This custom was stopped on account of the Sadducies, who applied very literal understanding to Torah. The Rabbis did not want people to think that they are obligated in keeping only the commandments mentioned in the Ten Commandments.

Nonetheless, we are told that all of the Torah is contained within the Ten Commandments albeit in hidden form. It was for this reason the custom was established in the first place. Why was it necessary to encapsulate the entire Torah in these few words?

When Hashem spoke to us, it forged that special relationship which already existed between the Al-mighty and our forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov.  Rabbi Nissan Alpert explains that we are being taught a very important lesson about that relationship. The Torah is a single unit and our relationship with Hashem is only possible when we accept the Torah in its entirety. Observing the "fun" Mitzvot of Pesach and Succah, without the obligations of the don'ts of Shabbat, difficulties of keeping the Sabbatical, etc. is not an option.

Hashem's special bond to His chosen people is often likened to the bond between Choson and Kallah. The Luchot (the tablets) and the Ten Commandments which were engraved on them are the Ketubah (marriage contract). Marriage has many "fun" parts, but, it includes as well some mundane and some drudgery. It is a package deal. The commitment is through thick and thin.

It is our Bracha to you, our Choson and Kallah, that you preserve the optimism and excitement of your wedding to carry you through the boring times and refuel it during the many joyous times together.

Copyright 2001 Rabbi Yirmiyahu Benyowitz and MyJewishWedding.com

This week's parsha

Shemot 18:13. Lifnei Haelokim. After slaughtering sacrifices, they feasted in front of Elokim. Where was this – there was no Mishkan yet? See Siporno who explains that the Mizbeiach constructed by Moshe after the decisive victory over Amalek was the Mizbeiach for these sacrifices and that was the location of the seuda with Yisro.

Shemot 18:13-25. It is hard to understand why Moshe would think that he should be the sole source of judging the Jewish people and answering their questions. While it is true that he was the conduit of Torah transmission and seemingly understood the concept of mesorah to be his specific conveyance, we know that Chazal tell us that Moshe would tell the Torah over to Aharon and he would convey it to the broader Jewish people as a miturgimun. Why would this intermediazation be OK for the conveyance of mesorah but not for the first judgements? Also was Yisros idea not something that Moshe thought of, but ruled out? Is it possible Moshe thought that in some way this was Tziyvuy Hashem?