Parsha Yitro

Chp. 18 verses 1 - 7: Introduction, Yisro hears what Hashem has done for Moshe and the Israelite's; that He brought them out of Egypt. He goes out to the desert and brings Moshe his wife and two sons, who had remained in Median. He sends a message to the camp that they have come to see him. So Moshe accompanied by the whole nation go out to greet Yisro. He bows, they kiss, they exchange greetings and then they go into the tent.

Chp. 18 verses 7 -13: Moshe greets his father-in-law. He tells him all that Hashem had done for the sake of Israel and how He had saved them. Yisro rejoiced and said "Blessed be the L-rd." He said that now he knew that Hashem was greater than any other god. He brought sacrifices to Hashem and Aaron and all the elders ate a meal with him before Hashem. The next day he watched as Moshe sat and all the people brought their cases before him from morning until evening.

Chp. 18 verses 14 - 27: Yisro sees that the people are standing and waiting to be judged by Moshe, from morning to evening. Yisro tells him that what he is doing will wear on him and the people. He then advises him to appoint judges of 1000, 100, 50 and 10, to help him to judge the people. Moshe consults with Hashem and appoints 78,600 able men from all of Israel to judge the people. So that the people could be judged at all times. The hard cases he judged and the easy ones they did. Moshe sent his father-in-law away and he went back to his land.

Chp. 19 verses 1 - 12: Three months after the Jews leave Egypt they reach the wilderness of Sinai. They camp before the mountain. Moshe goes up to the mt. and Hashem calls to him to tell the house of Jacob and the children of Israel, that He had carried them on the wings of eagles and brought them to Him. That if they would keep His covenant that they would be His treasure . They would be a kingdom of priest and a holy nation. Moshe told them what Hashem said and they answered "all that Hashem has spoken we will do.

chp. 19 verses 13 - 25: Continues with the warning from Hashem not to touch the Mt.. Moshe goes down from the Mt. to purify the people and he tells them to separate from their wives for three days. On the third day in the morning there was thunder and lightning and a thick cloud on the Mt.. They heard the sound of the shofar and the people trembled. Moshe brought the people out to meet Hashem and they stood under the Mt..Hashem descended upon the Mt. and he called Moshe to ascend the Mt.. He then told him to go dowm again and warn the people about coming to close to the Mt.. So he went down and warned the people.

Chp. 20 verses 1 - 5: Hashem spoke to Moshe and gave him the Ten Commandments. Introduction to the Ten Commandments. The first commandment, " I am the L-rd your G-d." The second commandment, "You shall not have other gods before me."

Chp. 20 verses 6 - 10: Continues with the Ten Commandments. The second commandment and the reward of those that keep Hashems mitzvoth. The third commandment, not to take Hashem's name in vain. Next the fourth commandment, "remember the Sabbath and keep it holy." That one should work for six days. The seventh day is for Hashem and one should not do any work. Not just you, but you are responsible for your son, your daughter, your male and female servant, your animal, and the stranger who is in your gate.

Chp. 20 verses 11 -14: Conclusion of fourth commandment of Shabbos. The fifth commandment, honoring your father and mother. Continues with the commandment not to kill, not to commit adultery, not to steal, not to bear false witness against your neighbor and not to covet your neighbor's house, wife, etc.

Lecture on the differences between the first set of tablets of the Ten Commandments and the second based on the writings of the Kli Yakar, and also why Moshe had to stay on the moutain for forty days and forty nights when he received the second tablets.

Chp. 20 verses 15 -23: All the people stood at Mt. Sinai and heard and saw the presence of Hashem. They trembled and stood a distance from the Mt. They said to Moshe that he should listen to the words of Hashem and tell them, least they die. He tried to convince them to hear the commands directly from Hashem but they stood afar and Moshe went up to the thick darkness to where Hashem was. He told Moshe to tell the people not to make images of gold or silver. That they should make a alter of earth for bringing sacrifices in the place that He would chose to make His name mentioned there. It would be there that He would bless them.