Parashat Yitro (Exodus 18:1 - 20:23)

A weekly Torah exploration for families by Michael S. Raileanu, M.A.Ed.

A weekly Torah exploration for families by Michael S. Raileanu, M.A.Ed.

We are on our way now to Mt. Sinai, Parashat Yitro, Exodus 18:1 - 20:23. The parasha opens with the arrival of Moses' father-in-law, Yitro, as well as Moses' wife Zipporah and his two sons, Gerhsom and Eliezer. The whole family is reunited again. But the best is about to come (You know, the Ten Commanments scene!)!

Why do you think Moses left his wife and kids with her family? Why shouldn't they have had to go through everything that Moses has gone through? Who do you think he was protecting?
In Ex. 18:7 we are told that Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, not his wife, not his kids, his father- in-law. Why? What is unusual about this? Why do we learn so little about Moses' life as a father and husband?
Yitro sees that Moses is tiring himself out judging all of the people and he tells Moses to appoint a set of judges to hear most of the cases. Why does Yitro have to be the one to deliver this bit of assistance? Why didn't God offer this advice? Why didn't Moses think of it himself?
In chapter 20 we get the Ten Commandments. Now, we all know that there are 613 commandments in the Torah; are these ten more important that the rest? Why or why not? Why do these ten come with such a big production? Shouldn't all of God's laws be delivered in this way? What would be the problem with all laws being delivered this way? Should all 613 come at one time? Why or why not?
Imagine that you are Isabella or Isadore Israelite standing at Sinai, how would you explain everything you saw to the generation that followed? You were a slave just a few weeks ago and now you are standing in God's holy presence. What is the best part of this? What is the hardest part? How might you have mentally or spiritually prepared yourself for this moment?