TORAH PORTION HILLEL DAY SCHOOL Welcomes Parents of Prospective KINDERGARTENERS Of RABBI RICHARD HERTZ Special to The Jewish News 1ST GRADERS S TO COME JOIN IN OUR ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1991 Classroom Visits — 7:15 p.m. Program — 8:00-9:00 p.m. at HILLEL DAY SCHOOL 3 2 2 00 Middlebelt/Farmington Hills 8 5 1-2 3 94 Tables • Desks Wall Units Bedrooms Dining Rooms 12 Years' Experience & Expertise in the Design of Affordable Laminate, Lucite & Wood Furniture For Appt. Call Muriel Weisman 661.3838 d My Belongs To RIO Wooden Trains, Construction Sets, Track Bridges, Tunnels, Vehicles & More 74Fc Dal Viodfterd & 7s, Soldies SItsfr 10-5 3947 W. 12 Mile Rd. • Berkley Mon.-Sat. 10.5 • Friday Don't walk in pain! We take care of painful corns, bunions, callouses, diabetic foot, arthritis and hammer toes. House calls, transportation , available at no extra charge. FREE GIFT on First Visit DR. CRAIG BROD FOOT SPECIALIST 5755 W. Maple, Suite 111 . West Bloomfield We accept most insurance as full payment. No out of pocket expense to you. Call for an appointment. 855-FEET (855-3338) \ 46 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1991 A Caring Man Gave Wisdom To A Leader 543.3115 COATS UNLIMITED Sterling Heights Sterling Place 37680 Van Dyke at 16 1/2 Mile 939-0700 Oak Park Lincoln Center, Greenfield at 10 ,h Mile 968-2060 West Bloomfield Orchard Mall, Orchard Lake at Maple (15 Mile) • 855-9955 CLASSIFIED GET RESULTS! Call The Jewish News 354.5959 ome commentaries say the opening chapter of this sedra about Jethro is in sharp contrast with the harm the Amalekites had in- flicted upon the Israelites in the previous chapter. Who was Jethro that he was so honored as to have a sedra of the Torah bear his name? When Scripture says that Moses went out to meet Jethro as he was approaching the camp, the Torah showed an example of Moses' nobili- ty of character. Though he ob- viously held eminent rank, he did not deem it beneath his dignity to go out and meet his father-in-law, who had befriended him in his own time of distress. What did Moses tell Jethro when they went into the tent? He told him all the Lord had done: How He had exacted punishment from the Egyp- tians for the wrongs they had done to Israel; the ex- periences of the Red Sea and the war against Amalek; and the hunger and thirst in the wilderness and how the Lord delivered Israel by displaying his special protection. Jethro felt sympathy. He did not re- joice over the destruction of the Egyptians, but rather over the deliverance of Israel. "Now I know," Jethro said. "Now I am conviced of God's greatness over all the gods." Jethro watched Moses engage in administering justice from morning until evening. This was Moses' regular daily practice in ad- judicating civil disputes. "What you are doing is beyond your strength and physical endurance," Jethro said. Jethro urged Moses to place able men who feared God and hated unjust gain as rulers of thousands, rulers of hun- dreds, rulers of fifties and rulers of ten. Thus Moses set up a judicial system and established the tests of in- tegrity for a judge in Israel. Moses had these men take all of the judicial cases that came before him. The hard causes they brought to Moses; the smaller matters they judged among themselves. The commentators are keenly aware of the way in which Moses was told to select judges. They should be men of physical strength, able Richard Hertz is rabbi emeritus of Temple Beth El. to stand the strain of office, men with powers of leader- ship, possessing virtues that enable them to fear God and not fear their fellow men. They should be men who in- spire confidence and whose word is relied upon. They should hate bribes and op- pression, and be eager to secure the rights of the oppressed. By de-centralizing authori- ty and delegating respon- sibility, Moses was able to organize his administration of leadership. By this new in- stitution, the people were able to more directly and pro- mptly obtain justice in their own part of the camp. The name of Jethro is the cause of some confusion in Scripture. In chapter three Yitro: Exodus 18:1-20:23, Isaiah 6:1-7:6,9:5-6. and chapter 4:11 he is called Jethro; but in Numbers 10, he is called Reuel. In Judges 4, Hobab is referred to as the father-in-law of Moses. Moreover, the Torah describes Moses' father-in-law as a Mi- dianite, whereas in Judges 1:16 and 4:11, he is termed a Kenite. To add to the difficul- ty, Jethro is characterized as a mature man with seven grown daughters, one of whom, Zipporah, became Moses' wife. He gave Moses the kind of advice about organizing a judiciary that could only have been from so- meone of experience and wisdom. Hobab, on the other hand, is characterized as a young, vigorous man. Jethro's role in the develop- ment of Judaism is uncertain, though his comments and ad- vice about the organization of a judicial system must have come from someone well ac- quainted and experienced in heading an ethnic tribe as well as a man of religious commitment and maturity. Later in the Torah, Moses asked his father-in-law to join Israel permanently in the conquest and settlement of Canaan. He refused the in- vitation and departed in peace to his own land, though still remaining on warm and friendly terms with Moses. This week's Torah portion honors Jethro by calling the sedra by his name. The story is interesting because it demonstrates the wisdom a caring father-in-law gives to a great son-in-law. El