Yitro
Ex. 18:1 - 20:23
Précis: Following last week’s trip through the Red Sea, Moses is reunited with his father-in-law Jethro (“Yitro”) and with his family. Yitro acknowledges God, gives wise advice to Moses about delegating responsibility, and Moses appoints assistants (judges). The Israelites come to the foot of Mount Sinai where, in the ultimate transcendental experience, Revelation takes place as the “Ten Utterances” (Commandments) are spoken to the People by the very Voice of God.
Abravanel, a 15th century Spanish commentator of note, states “After the admonition not to harm your fellow man in deed, neither his body (You shall not murder), nor his wife (You shall not commit adultery), nor his goods (You shall not steal), comes the admonition not to harm him by word of mouth…This includes, besides bearing false witness, one who mocks his fellow man, slanders and denigrates him, insults him publicly and the like.”
Here, at the summation of the 10 Commandments, we have a reminder of what the Tradition considers one of the basic ethical mandates of our religious life: restraint in speech and in the conduct of interpersonal relations. To denigrate another is the equivalent of the talking of life, with the taking of property, and with the interference with the marriage of others
It seems remarkable (if not totally ironic given the nature of our current public discourse) that these Commandments were revealed to the Israelites at Sinai more than 3,000 years ago. At that time, they demanded that the Israelites act with civility, truthfulness, and honesty. Can we not find the ways and the means to honor these same Commandments?
