Torah Portion

Laws Of The Covenant:
Man's Code Of Conduct

oral, a pact between God and the
patriarchs.
At Mt. Sinai, the covenant
Shabbat Yitro:
was written and was between God
Exodus 18:1-20:23;
and the entire people Israel. Moses
received the Ten Commandments for
Isaiah 61-7:6, 9:5-6
Israel. As the nation grew and flour-
ished, additional rules enhanced and
expanded the spirit of the decalogue.
he parshah opens with the
Our sages tell us that God offered
arrival of Yitro, Moses'
the
law to several other nations. They
father-in-law; Zipporah, the
all
refused
it because they would have
wife of Moses; and their
had
to
desert
their sinful ways. Only
two sons Gershom and Eliezer at the
after
they
refused,
did God give the
camp of the Israelites.
law
to
Israel,
who
promised
to obey.
Yitro expresses his delight at the
The
sages
also
relate
that
when
goodness of God to the children of
God
spoke
the
words
on
Mt.
Sinai,
Israel. He observes Moses, continual-
70
lan-
he
divided
his
voice
into
ly judging and rendering justice for
guages so that all mankind might
his people. Yitro asks Moses what he
hear and understand.
is doing, why he is the lone judge
The Ten Commandments,
with people all around from morning
engraved
on two tablets, naturally
to night. Moses answers his father-in-
divide
into
two parts. The first five,
law, "Because people come to me to
between man and
ben
adam
lMakon,
inquire of God. Whenever they have
ben adam
God;
the
second
five,
any disputes they come to
rchavayro,
between
man and
me and I decide between a
his
fellow
man.
man and his neighbor; and
The First Commandment,
I make them, know the
"I am the Lord your God
rules and instructions of
who
brought you out of the
God."
land
of
Egypt, out of the
Yitro cautions Moses that
house
of
bondage," recog-
he will wear himself out
nizes
the
existence of God
with a work load too heavy
—
the
God
of freedom.
for one person. Yitro put
According
to
Talmud and
forth a plan by which
RUTH E
Midrash,
Chapter
20, verse
Moses will represent the
GOLDSTEIN
3
is
the
beginning
of the
people before God and
Special to The
Second
Commandment,
instruct them on God's
Jewish News
"You shall have not other
rules and commands; he
gods
before me." This com-
will select capable, religious,
mandment
emphasizes our
honest men and appoint them to
duty
to
worship
God
alone, in spirit
supervise groups of thousands, hun-
and
not
through
images.
dreds, fifties and tens. They will act
The Third Commandment, "You
as judges in ordinary cases and refer
shall
not take the name of the Lord
special matters to Moses. In this
your
God in vain," forbids us to use
manner, the judges will share the
His
name
to swear to lies, frivolity or
work with Moses, lessening his bur-
insincere
statements
or acts.
den.
"Remember
the
Sabbath
day to
Moses heard Yitro and implement-
keep
it
holy,"
the
Fourth
ed his ideas. The plan, designation of
Commandment, exhorts us to renew
authority, is as important today as it
our
lives through religious experi-
was in Moses' time.
ences
of prayer and learning. Shabbat
Commentators feel this chapter
observance
unites Jewish people. If
has been included in the Torah to
we
do
not
observe
Shabbat, Jewish
contrast the good Yitro did for Israel
life
will
cease
to
exist
in time.
with the harm inflicted on them by
The
Fifth
Commandment,
Amalek in last week's portion.
"Honor your father and your moth-
Three months after departing
er,"
is an extension of the fourth law.
Egypt, the Israelites reached the foot
By
observing
Shabbat, we honor
of Mt. Sinai, marking the beginning
God.
Our
parents
stand in lip of
of our spiritual history as it was here
God;
therefore,
by
honoring
them,
that the covenant between God and
we
also
are
honoring
Him.
By
Israel was reached.
respecting and honoring one's par-
Previously, the covenant had been
ents, man builds respect for himself
and
society.
Ruthe Goldstein is president of the
The
last five commandments,
Congregation Shaarey Zedek Sisterhood.

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