This week’s parashah is titled “Jethro”.  (We have no “J” in Hebrew, and the widget and placard are direct transliterations - in case you are wondering.)  The parashah, of course, speaks of Jethro - Moses’ father-in-law - but only in Chapter 18.  It takes us from Moses’ reunion with Jethro, his wife, and his sons, through the initial mountaintop meeting between Moses and Adonai, through Moses’ relaying the first ten of our commandments to the Israelites, and on through their acceptance of Adonai’s terms, culminating with the instructions on building an altar out of unhewn stone, and without the need for steps up to it, as climbing those steps would possibly expose the Priest’s nakedness.  Phew!

        Up until this point in time, the Israelites were related to each other, but not yet a “Nation”.  There were other people who joined the Israelites in the Exodus from Egypt too.  I point this out because there is a difference between a family, a group of people, a mob, a gathering, etc..., and a “Nation”.

        Until a group forms a common lasting purpose, a need for rules and laws, and an agreed-upon responsibility to and for each other, it is merely a group, mob, etc...  Up until this point, the Israelites weren’t yet a nation.  When Adonai told Moses to ascend the mountain, Moses was told to relay to the “house of Jacob”, the “children of Israel”, that if they agree to the forthcoming covenant, and follow it, they will become “...to Me the most beloved treasure of all peoples, for Mine is the entire world.  You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.”  This was the first time of many in which the Torah records Israel not simply as “the children of”, but as a nation.  Not just a nation, but a kingdom of priests, a holy nation - this defines the purpose and destiny of the Jewish people for the first time as being examples for the world.  We were now told our purpose is to be a light unto the nations.

        To back up for a moment, remember this parashah began with - and is called - Jethro.  This was not the first time we learn about Jethro, who is the Priest of Midian.  We learned of his meeting with Moses and giving his daughter Zipporah to him as a wife in exchange for the kindness Moses showed at the well.  This was a reunion.  Moses, the leader of the Israelites, demonstrated in front of all his respect for his father-in-law.  Jethro had come, with Moses’ family in tow, because he had heard of the Israelites’ success in escaping their bondage in Egypt, and that this success was due to Adonai.  Jethro blessed Adonai, and his recorded conversation with Moses demonstrates Jethro’s respect, awe, and acceptance of Adonai as the one, true, and only G-d.

        Jethro was used to being a leader of people, and his discussion with Moses doesn’t just set the tone for a democratic form of leadership, it also sets the tone for the making of a nation.  All who left Egypt might just as well have considered the fact they were now free as an achievement of their goal, and having succeeded, could have chosen to then go their own way.  They didn’t.  They stayed together, recognizing this freedom was only the beginning of their destiny; further, they were grateful to Adonai, and wanted to learn what was required of them - how to serve Adonai.

        This is why without knowing what was expected of them, only that there was a covenant between their ancestors (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) and Adonai for the land of Canaan - Israel as it is known today - they told Moses, “Everything Adonai has spoken, we will do.”  This was before they actually knew what was required, then they said, “We will do, and we will hear”.  An odd sort of order, don’t you think?  This would be similar to today’s contract negotiations, whereby one tells the other party they will sign any agreement put forth, before knowing what they were agreeing to.  The Israelites trusted in Adonai, and they had faith what would be required of them would be purposed for the good of all.  They knew Adonai was a loving G-d, a merciful G-d, a healer, etc.

        After having agreed to do whatever was required of them, Moses went back up the mountain and brought back down the words of the Ten Commandments.  Not the written tablets just yet, simply a sort of summary of the requirements to come; were the Israelites still willing to keep their end of the covenant?

        Jethro automatically assumed and accepted that the children of Israel were a nation, as any reference to whether or not they even wanted to become a nation wasn’t discussed.  This leads me to believe Jethro’s viewpoint of us was we were already a nation.  Jethro’s advice to Moses to delegate authority was more along the lines of a nation under G-d, and governed by the people, i.e. a democracy - not a dictatorship or a monarchy.  Just to make another reference to affirm what I just wrote, when a king - or pharaoh - dies, the throne automatically goes to the king’s offspring, if he has any.  Moses had two sons, neither of whom was his successor; Joshua, a distant cousin, became the next leader.  Maybe even more importantly, Moses wasn’t given the title of Kohen Gadol - High Priest - and neither were his sons.  Perhaps of greater importance, the Nation of Israel’s purpose was and is to be a holy nation, a kingdom of priests.  This means that while secular leadership, a system of laws, etc., was necessary (as it always is to a nation), the Nation of Israel, the people of Israel, and the Jewish people’s purpose, destiny, and responsibility is to be holy, to teach the world how to be holy, and how to honor, love, and pray to G-d, because most importantly, THERE IS ONLY ONE G-D, AND ADONAI IS THE G-D OF EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING.  Which, by the way, Adonai tells Moses in no uncertain terms before commanding Moses to see if the children of Israel are willing to abide by the covenant.

        There is a world of difference between a group of people who share a common goal and a group of people who also desire to be responsible for and to each other.  To take care of each other and to do what is good for the group, rather than simply join together for an evil purpose, selfish too, but evil if the goal is all about the getting, and not about giving and sharing love, kindness, joy, and fairness, and placing the needs of the group above the needs of an individual, or individuals.  Yes, the PLO should be looked at as the latter type of group, for the only thing they want is the wiping out of the Jewish people, without regard for what is best for themselves as individuals.  They have no positive form of infrastructure, and spend any money they get on making weapons of destruction and inculcating their youth with hate.  They have no regard for human life, not even their own, as they have no problem sending their children to kill themselves as long as they take some Jewish people to the grave with them.  I could go on and on, but do yourself a favor and re-read this commentary, and think about it.

        Shabbat Shalom, I’d love to know what you think!

Priestly Nation

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