YITRO part 1 EX 18:1-20:23 Previous Section, skip to part 2, part 3, Torah Lesson Plan, or YHVH Homepage
Who was Yitro/Jethro? He was the high priest of Median. The Torah says of him that he knew all the idols of the world. he said. "Now I know that Hashem is greater than 'all' the gods (18:11)" He was a true master of his profession. Is there anything more contrary to Hashem than an idol? This is also the reading where the Heavens come down to earth by way of the revelation at Mount Sinai and Mattan Torah (the giving of the Ten Commandments). Why did Hashem give the Holy Torah within a chapter named after the Highest priests of the Idols? We should also ask; Why did he even receive a chapter named after him within the Holy Torah?
To resolve these issues, lets look a bit into the state of the world before "Mattan Torah." The world was know as the 2000 years of man. It was not until Abraham Avinu (the patriarch), in the reading of Lech Lecha, that Hashem said; Get yourself up… There is a new order to things for you and your descendants (relatively speaking, that's what was said). That is when the 2000 years of Torah began (for those wondering, we are now living within the 2000 years of Moshiach, and then we will have 1000 years of Shabbat, a total of 7000 years, par to the 7 days of Creation. It is true that before the giving of the Torah, man did perform the Mitzvot (Commandments), however, they were performed within another realm. For example, Jacob performed the mitzvah of binding tefillin on the arm by way of placing the posts before Lavan’s sheep, and so on. The Mitzvot performed in those times, did not affect the material world in the same manner that they do today. The creation was not yet complete enough for the Mitzvot to function in their intended way. Their impact was not of global order, but rather of a personal nature. The affect was directly understood, and manifested within the one performing the Mitzvah. When Hashem created the world, He did so with the intention of receiving from the world Mitzvot, the positive actions of man. For example, it was the will of Hashem to have something to act upon, Hence the creation.
However, that which He created does not produce it's own light, for there is no existence outside of Hashem, He is One, and therefore, He sustains us, we do not sustain ourselves. Much like the Sun, it produces it's own light, and it shines it onto the moon. The moon does not have a light source of it's own, therefore, all it can do is reflect that which it receives. But since the moon is different from the sunlight, the light which it reflects is also different, it has within it a small identifying factor of its own. Such is the creation. Hashem lights us and sustains us with His light, and in return we reflect this light by way of the Mitzvot. He in return receives the Mitzvot, and returns it enriched and rejoiced, because His will is being fulfilled. Much as what we find in the first Book of Torah "God had not sent rain upon the earth and there was no man to till the soil, but mist would ascend from the ground and water the surface of the earth (Gen 2:5-6)" We see here that it is Hashem who sends the rain, but then we see the insertion of man, and we see that the verse tells us that it is the earth which sends up.
In other words, just as explained above; Hashem sends the sustenance, man works it, and this causes it to ascend in a simple form (mist), Hashem receives the mist, and then returns it as much needed rain (sustenance). Before Mattan Torah, this process was not completed, there was no complete unity with the above and the below. As we see in Tehillim (Psalms 115:16) "The heavens are the heavens of G-d, and the earth He gave to man." At Mattan Torah, Hashem sent us a Polaroid of Himself, The Torah. He gave us a way to interact and conceive Him, each man according to his own intellect and desire. If one wishes to perceive Him more, he should advance his understanding by way of studies, because the understanding of each man is his own personal limitation. It is for this reason that a small child may believe you if you tell him that there is a monster under his bed, for a child's understanding has no set limitations (boundaries).
Now that the upper worlds descend onto the lower worlds, the lower world, in response, ascends towards the upper worlds, for it is the way of all that is created to move towards it's sustenance, there is a wedding, a bond, a union. There are now 613 (actually 620 - this will be explained in the next lesson below) ways of recognizing and bonding with Hashem. There are now 613 ways in which the upper worlds, and the lower worlds can communicate, so to speak. These 613 ways are the 613 Mitzvot of the Torah. There are 248 positive Mitzvot, in relation to the 248 organs of the human body, and there are 365 negative Mitzvot, relating to the 365 physical solar days (of the current solar calendar) and 365 veins and bones in the human body, signifying all that is physical. The "thou shalts…" and the "Thou shalt nots…" In other words, by performing the 248 positive Mitzvot, we are strengthening our organs and our bond and closeness to Hashem, and we are becoming enfused with the Divine light. For each one of the 365 negative Mitzvot which we do not uphold (Heaven forbid) we are strengthening our earthly ties and thus distancing ourselves from the bond with Hashem. The Mitzvot are the organs of the king. Just as the organs are one with the life force of our existence, they are separate as well. They are not us, nevertheless, without them, we cease to exist within the mundane. Such are the organs of Hashem, the Mitzvot, they, by no means are Hashem, however, they are the existence, and bond between the lower and upper worlds.
When we perform a Mitzvah, we release within it the Divine spark of creation which rises by way of our effort, and, in-turn, creates a similar response from above to below. Little by little, Mitzvah by Mitzvah, making the distance between the upper and the lower less and less separate. Causing a merging of both worlds. This is similar to what we find in Jerusalem, in the Temple, within the Holy of Holies. (where the Holy Ark rested) It had to be constructed according to certain measurements. However, if we analyze the measurements within the Torah, we will see that they are exactly the same size as the Ark which was placed within it, nevertheless, there still remained a space of 10 cubits when the High Priest entered. How is this possible? Within that there was a merging of the Infinite with the finite, therefore, both worlds could exist. This is the concept of the Divine four letter Name of Hashem, YHVH, as He said "I was, I am, and I will be" This Divine Name is beyond the limitations of creation, space and time. We see the same features within the measurements of Noah’s ark, this is how all those animals could fit, for space was of no relevance. Also we see that when Jacob rested his head on the rocks, in the place of the future Holy Temple, the following day the distance between him and Lavan's house shortened, and one of the ten miracles of the Holy Temple was that no matter how many people where bunched together, when it came time to prostrate to Hashem, the space between them grew so that there would be ample space. Again, all these examples, and there are more, allude to the merging of the Divine Name with His creation. Infinite merging with finite.
Let's now look at the first Commandment which was given. "Anochi Hashem Elokecha" "I am Hashem your Lord" As we have learned before, the Name (attributes) by which we understand God as Elokeem is a plural Name, however, God is by no means plural. Elokecha represents judgment, nature, that which is openly obvious of God. His many (plural) natural laws and rules. One may say, "Do not put your hand into boiling water or you will be punished by God." If one is stubborn and chooses to disobey, he will be burned. This is a natural punishment and it is one that we chalk up to science, however, it must not be overlooked, that the principle cause for the burn is due to one of the many conceptions of Elokeem, Nature. It is in actuality the visible understanding of Hashem and His judgments which causes the punishment, or the reaction to our action. When Joseph went to Pharaoh and said "It is Elokeem...", the Pharaoh understood. He could relate to Hashem in that fashion. Let's look at the other name, the Divine four letter name which we translate as Hashem, YHVH . Since this Name defines God as being merciful, and therefore above judgment and above all of creation, When this Name was mentioned to Pharaoh, he answered "I do not know this Hashem." This Name was beyond the understanding of Pharaoh.
We now can return to the first verse of the Ten Commandments, the first word out of the Divine's, so called, mouth; Anochi, or "I am." This represents His inner source, His true self, that which comes before all of creation and wisdom. Hence, the order of how it was said... Anochi, Hashem, Elokecha, i.e., from my essence, to the emanation, YHVH, and then to my revealed self.
Now that we understand the concept of the possible merging of the two worlds after Mattan Torah, and the different levels of how Hashem is conceived, we can begin to understand the reason why the complete opposites are needed in order to unite and make one.
A Midrash teaches us that the word "Anochi" is not a Hebrew word, but rather an Egyptian word. This presents us with another interesting paradox, because Scriptures also inform us that the Egyptian language is the furthest removed language from the Holy language (Hebrew). So how can something so Holy as Anoch, or the Essence of Hashem simultaneously be the furthest thing from His Blessed Holiness?
The world was created by way of 32 paths, 22 being the Hebrew alphabet and 10 being the Sefirot (for those familiar with the esoteric), and then there are 70 variations of other languages, of which Egyptian is the furthest removed.
Just as Yitro (Jethro - Moses’ Father in law) was the Prince of Median, and a non-Jew, just as the wedding between the Holy and the mundane took place within a chapter named after the prince of the pagans, and now we see that even God, to describe His Holiest of Holiest, truest of truest essence, uses a word furthest removed from the Holy language, we begin to grasp the makings of a very esoteric understanding.
One must "Know Him in all His ways." In other words, we must bring the lowest of creation to it's highest order. Whatever we see around us, whatever position we find ourselves in, it is our Godly duty to elevate it, find the kedusha (Holiness) within, and utilize it for that nature. The Alter Rebbe writes in his Tanya, that it is our freedom of choice which decides whether to use a mundane thing towards Holiness or wickedness. This applies to thought, speech and deed, the three garments of the soul, as well as to all material products, ranging from our television to our cars, the choice is ours. Jethro ended up converting to Judaism, our Moshiach originated within the midst of an incestuous relationship between Lot and his daughter, and the creation was placed opposite (so to speak) of Holiness. Hence the meaning of the Hebrew word Kedusha (Holiness) "separate."
At Mattan Torah, the two opposites united in such a way (Torah and it's Mitzvot) that we may continue the process ourselves. It is our duty to bring Moshiach by way of desire; It is our duty to unite the upper and the lower by way of desire. For what greater way is there to show our true love for Hashem then through free will and proper actions. To say "I love Hashem" is no great feat, for this is inbred, we were born with such recognition, it comes natural. However, the struggle between that knowledge and bringing it forth into action, is the common everyday struggle of man. Conquering sin, each moment of difficulty, doing what is right, these are the greatest gifts one can give his Creator. Because each man truly knows within his heart the effort that such a conquest takes, so each person can understand the gifts true value.
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