פרשת יתרו

To me it appears, that the theme of this week’s Parsha is what it means to be a Jew and how a Jews should behave and conduct oneself.

It is interesting to note, that the chronological setting of this week’s Parsha begins after the Splitting of the Red Sea and concludes just after the Israelites hear the Ten Commandments. The Israelites, have only just become a nation - they’ve only just been redeemed from Egypt and haven’t even accepted the Torah! Yet, despite the youth of the nation, the Israelites with the help of the Jethro, establish a courts system.

This is the first example of how we should conduct ourselves; we must be logical and fair, we must have a Judiciary with numerous levels that allows all grievances to be heard and solved.  Furthermore, the Judiciary itself must be run by

“אַנְשֵׁי חַיִל יִרְאֵי אֱ־לֹהִים אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת שֹׂנְאֵי בָצַע” -

men of substance, God fearers, men of truth, who hate monetary gain,

(Exodus 18:21)

The next chapter of Exodus focuses on the Israelite’s preparation for the Revelation and G-d’s numerous proposals to the Israelites and the description of the relationship between the two.

The Torah recounts the Redemption from Egypt as

“וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים”

I bore you on eagles’ wings

(Exodus 19: 4)

Sforno interprets this phrase to mean that G-d elevated the Israelites, separating them from all other nations to be exclusively His.

The Israelites are then told

“וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה מִכָּל הָעַמִּים כִּי לִי כָּל הָאָרֶץ:”

you shall be to Me a treasure out of all peoples, for Mine is the entire earth.

(Exodus 19: 5)

Sforno explains that even though all the nations of the world are precious to G-d, the Israelites are different and hold a separate status. The Israelites are “more precious”

Most commentators give a similar interpretation to the next verse.

“וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ “

And you shall be to Me a kingdom of princes and a holy nation.

(Exodus 19:6)

However, Nachmonides explains that מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים means that we are a kingdom of servants, specifically - G-d’s servants.

The phrase וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ reiterates the fact that the Israelites are separate from all other nations. The root of the word  קָדוֹשׁ is ק.ד.ש and denotes being distinguished and separation. By accepting G-d’s covenant and following the Torah and the 10 commandments - (which are another example as to how we as Jews should conduct ourselves), the Israelites are different and separate.

Before most another nations in the world, the Israelites accepted upon themselves the Ten Commandments and the Torah - a moral code. Whilst immorality, murder, paganism and theft were rampant and considered the social norms among other nations - the Israelites accepted its prohibition. The Israelites were distinguished because of their moral code.


This theme of separation is seen again, in the last verse of the Sidrah.

“וְלֹא תַעֲלֶה בְמַעֲלֹת עַל מִזְבְּחִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִגָּלֶה עֶרְוָתְךָ עָלָיו:”

And you shall not ascend with steps upon My altar, so that your nakedness shall not be exposed upon it.’

(Exodus 20: 23)

At the time, these instructions went completely against the norm of what was religious worship. The usual religious worship of the time included numerous sexual rites and routines, however here, the sensitivity, modesty and once again, separation of the Israelites and Judaism is obvious.  There shouldn’t even be stairs to the Altar, lest the priest’s privacy be exposed to steps - inanimate objects!

However, what does all this mean for Jews and the embodiment of Jews - Israel, today?

Jews are different.

Israel is different.

The world constantly reminds us of this.

Just like

הקב”ה מדקדק עם הצדיקים כחוט השערה

G-d is meticulous in judging the righteous like a fine hair

so too, the world holds Jews and Israel to higher level. Some call this, a double standard.

This concept is demonstrated through international bodies like the United Nations.

40% of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s resolutions are against Israel. That’s more resolutions than all the resolutions given to all repressive countries combined!

Furthermore, Israel is said to be responsible for 46,000 deaths including casualties of war and has received 223 condemnations from the U.N.

In comparison to this, Nigeria, which is responsible for 1 million deaths, has not received any condemnations and North Korea, which is responsible for 2 million deaths, has received merely 10 condemnations.

Wait, what was that? 223 condemnations while North Korea only has 10?

We Jews, and Israel as a Jewish state, are constantly scrutinised by the world. The world is always waiting for us to slip up, so we can be demonised and de-legitimised. It’s because of this double standard and being held to a higher level, that we must act according to a certain standard - the standard of the Torah.


At time of its acceptance, the Ten Commandments were unique, and the Israelites were strange. However, nowadays, the Ten Commandments and Judeo-Christain values are the basis of all the liberal democracies in the world. Now, when the Ten Commandments are the foundation of numerous countries’ constitutions, kal vachomer-how much more so, should Israel and the Jews be its prime upholders.

We collectively must be the best people we can be and be a

“אור לגוים”

“light unto the nations”

We are separate.

We are different.

We must act accordingly.

We must be the example.

And only once we constantly act in this manner, can Mashiach come במהרה וימינו אמן.