Parashat 17 Portion 59 – Yithro – Shemot 18:1-20:26

Haftarah: Yesh 61:1-6

Second Writings: Luke 4:16-30

Blessing for the Torah Reading:

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,

v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe,

you have selected us from among all the peoples,and have given us your Torah. Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)

It remains a great source of amazement to the ancient and modern Jewish sages how the most important Torah portion in the Torah – The Mattan Ha Torah – The giving of the Torah - could be named after the gentile – Yithro.

This Torah portion reminds us once again that righteous gentiles could play a critical role in these days to cause the Torah to flourish among Jews and non- Jews once again – may it be His will in our time for this to happen.

The name Yithro comes from a root word “yeter” (S3499) which can also mean “remnant.” Will there be a Torah observant ex-gentile remnant in the last days that will bring excellence to the earth and usher in a genuine Messianic Revival?

Listen carefully to the following prophetic word give to us from the Torah:

It is said of Yithro in Bamidbar 10:29-31: “And Moshe said … We are journeying to the place about which YHVH said,I will give it you; come with us, and we will do you good … And he [Yitro] said to him, I will not go; but I will depart to my own land, and to my kindred. And he [Moshe] said, Leave us not, I pray you; for you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, והיית לנו לעינים and you may be to us instead of eyes.”

Rashi (Bamidbar/Numbers10:31) reads, “You will be our guide … Another explanation: [the passuk is in] the future tense—If anything should be hidden from our eyes, you shall enlighten us.

Could the use of this future tense refer to an end time Torah observant ex-gentile bride of Messiah?

Yithro represents all the priesthoods of this world that are in strife and opposed to the One Torah and One Elohim of Yisrael (Midyan means “strife” S4080)

Exo 18:1  And Yithro, the priest of Miḏyan, Mosheh’s father-in-law, heard of all that Elohim had done for Mosheh and for Yisra’ĕl His people, that יהוה had brought Yisra’ĕl out of Mitsrayim.

Exo 18:2  And Yithro, Mosheh’s father-in-law, took Tsipporah, the wife of Mosheh – after he had sent her back,

Exo 18:3  and her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gĕreshom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land,”

With the name Gershom Moshe indicated that he had always been a sojourner in this world – even before his flight from Mitsrayim/ Egypt – because a tzaddik’s true world is not from this world.

The verb “garish” is also associated with the name “Gershom.” This verb means to divorce yourself from something, in the case of a “ger” it is one who has divorced himself from his culture and religion and has taken on the faith and culture of Avraham Yitzchak and Yakov and the Torah of Moshe.

Exo 18:4  and the name of the other was Eliʽezer, for he said, “The Elohim of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

Eliezer comes from two Hebrew words “El” which can mean “Elohim” and it can also mean “strength or mighty.” “Ezer” “means aid or helper.”

“Eliezer can either mean Elohim is my help or my help or aid is mighty”  This reminds us of the ministry of the Ruach Ha Kodesh (the Set apart Spirit).

We who have responded to the call to return to our ancient roots know that if YHVH had not helped us we would not have been where we are today.

Exo 18:5  Yithro, Mosheh’s father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Mosheh in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of Elohim.

Exo 18:6  And he had said to Mosheh, “I, your father-in-law Yithro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”

Note in vs 2,5&6 The Torah repeats that Yitro brought back Moshe’s family. The Torah wants to draw our attention to this fact because it is repeated three times. From this we may deduce that Moshe’s family do not consist only of the 12 tribes of Yisrael. Moshe had possibly become estranged from his family because his wife may not have wanted to embrace the Torah.

Commentary: N Lawrence

18:2–3, There is indication here that Moses divorced his wife after their altercation over the circumcision of their sons in 4:24–26. The phrase sent away/back in verse two is shilluach/ (shin-lamed-lamed-vav-chet, shil-loo’-akh), which according to Strong’s and Gesenius can refer to divorce. Shilluach is from shalakh/ (shin-lamed-chet), a basic verb meaning “to send” (note passive participle ie an action which was done to her ie she received her marching orders) where in Isaiah 50:1 and Jeremiah 3:1 the prophets use it referring to YHVH’s divorce from the House of Israel/Ephraim. Though rabbinical commentators Rashi and Hirsch fail to note the possibility of Moses’ divorce (Jewish Torah commentators tend to gloss over the faults of their great  heroes), Baal HaTurim notes this possibility in his commentary. Yet in Exodus18:2, YHVH still views Zipporah as Moses’ wife. What’s going on here? Zipporah seems to have evidenced reluctance at obeying YHVH’s command to circumcise their sons (4:25), so did Moses put her away (divorce her), as a result? Was Moses, the human “savior” of Israel from Egypt and an antetype (prophetic forerunner) of Yeshua the Messianic Savior (Deut 18:15–19), having to deal with a rebellious wife even as Yeshua  had to deal with his rebellious wife Israel and eventually had to put her away? “Perhaps we see in this week’s and next week’s Torah portion how Moshe takes her back. We read  in Numbers 12:1 how Moshe took another wife (Kushite woman)”

In next week’s Torah portion we read in Mishphatim - Exo 21:10  “If he takes another wife, her food, her covering, and her marriage rights are not to be diminished.

Maybe there is a prophetic reference here to the gentile part of the Bride of Messiah. If one part of the gentile bride is not acceptable to him, he may take another gentile bride without diminishing the rights of the first one.

This may explain why so many non Torah observant Christians are blessed today, but in reality they do not want to part of a Torah observant bride and subsequently will not be included as the Bride of Messiah. They will be like spiritual concubines.

Exo 18:7  And Mosheh went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their welfare, and they went into the tent. Exo 18:8  And Mosheh told his father-in-law all that יהוה had done to Pharaoh and to the Mitsrites for Yisra’ĕl’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how יהוה had delivered them. Exo 18:9  And Yithro rejoiced for all the good which יהוה had done for Yisra’ĕl, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Mitsrites. Exo 18:10  And Yithro said, “Blessed be יהוה, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Mitsrites and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Mitsrites. Exo 18:11  “Now I know that יהוה is greater than all the mighty ones, indeed in the matter in which they acted proudly, above them.” Exo 18:12  Then Yithro, the father-in-law of Mosheh, brought a burnt offering and other slaughterings unto Elohim. And Aharon came with all the elders of Yisra’ĕl to eat bread with the father-in-law of Mosheh before Elohim.

There was no temple in Yerushalyim and so offerings could be made to YHVH in other places.

Exo 18:13  And it came to be, on the next day, that Mosheh sat to rightly rule the people. And the people stood before Mosheh from morning until evening. Exo 18:14  And when the father-in-law of Mosheh saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit by yourself, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?” Exo 18:15  And Mosheh said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to seek Elohim. Exo 18:16  “When they have a matter, they come to me, and I rightly rule between one and another, and make known the laws of Elohim and His Torot.” Exo 18:17  And the father-in-law of Mosheh said to him, “What you are doing is not good. Exo 18:18  “Both you and these people with you shall certainly wear yourselves out. For the matter is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it by yourself. Exo 18:19  “Now listen to my voice. Let me counsel you and Elohim be with you: Stand before Elohim for the people, and you shall bring the matters to Elohim. Exo 18:20  “And you shall enlighten them concerning the laws and the Torot, and show them the way in which they should walk and the work which they do. Exo 18:21  “But you yourself, seek out from all the people able men, who fear Elohim, men of truth, hating unfair gain. And place these over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. Exo 18:22  “And they shall rightly rule the people at all times. And it shall be that they bring every great matter to you, but they themselves rightly rule every small matter. So, make it lighter for yourself, for they shall bear with you. Exo 18:23  “If you do this word, and Elohim shall command you, then you shall be able to stand and all this people also go to their place in peace.”

Exo 18:24  And Mosheh listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he said.

Exo 18:25  And Mosheh chose able men out of all Yisra’ĕl, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. Exo 18:26  And they rightly ruled the people at all times – the hard matters they brought to Mosheh, but they rightly ruled every small matter themselves. Exo 18:27  And Mosheh sent off his father-in-law, and he went away to his own land. Exo 19:1  In the third month after the children of Yisra’ĕl had come out of the land of Mitsrayim, on this day they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. Exo 19:2  For they set out from Rephiḏim, and had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Yisra’ĕl camped there before the mountain.

At all their other encampments, the verse says vayachanu ("and they camped," in the plural); here it says vayichan ("and he camped," in the singular). For all other encampments were in argument and dissent, whereas here they camped as one man, with one heart. (Mechilta; Rashi)

This period of time coincides with Shavuot – or Pentecost.

Unity was present at the outpouring of the Ruach.

Act 2:1  And when the Day of the Festival of Weeks had come, they were all with one mind in one place.

Act 2:2  And suddenly there came a sound from the heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

Act 2:3  And there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and settled on each one of them.

Act 2:4  And they were all filled with the Set-apart Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them to speak.

Act 2:5  Now in Yerushalayim there were dwelling Yehuḏim, dedicated men from every nation under the heaven.

Act 2:6  And when this sound came to be, the crowd came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

Exo 19:3  And Mosheh went up to Elohim, and יהוה called to him from the mountain, saying, “This is what you are to say to the house of Yaʽaqoḇ, and declare to the children of Yisra’ĕl:

Exo 19:4  ‘You have seen what I did to the Mitsrites, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.

Exo 19:5  ‘And now, if you diligently obey My voice, and shall guard My covenant, then you shall be My treasured possession above all the peoples – for all the earth is Mine –

Exo 19:6  ‘and you shall be to Me a reign of priests and a set-apart nation.’ Those are the words which you are to speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl.”

Why covenant? Because YHVH wants something!  What does He want?

1. Treasured Possession.

A special people or “am segulah” this was a very special treasure above all other treasures a person would possess.

A peculiar people for purity and good works, for character and for actions –

Tit 2:14  who gave Himself(Yahshua) for us, to redeem us from all lawlessness * (Torahlessness) and to cleanse for Himself a people, His own possession, ardent for good works.² Footnotes: ^*Lawlessness is a synonym for sin (1 John 3:4), Mt. 1:21, Acts 3:19 & 26, Acts 26:18, Rom. 6:1-22, Eph. 2:1-10, 1 John 3:8, Titus 3:5. ²Mt. 16:27.

2. Reign of priests.

Then it says in the Hebrew that you shall become to Me a “Mamlechet Kohanim” or kingdom of priests. YHVH not only wants to reveal Himself to the world but He wants to reproduce His life here on earth through a set apart people. Yisrael  is called by YHVH to be a nation of priests.

3. Set Apart Nation.

 “goy kodesh” or nation of set apart ones to YHVH.

Isa 62:11  See, יהוה has proclaimed to the end of the earth: “Say to the daughter of Tsiyon, ‘See, your deliverance has come; see, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.’ ”

Isa 62:12  And they shall be called, “The Set-apart People, the Redeemed of יהוה.” And you shall be called, “Sought Out, a City Not Forsaken.”

1Pe 2:9  But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a set-apart nation, a people for a possession, that you should proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light,

Exo 19:7  And Mosheh came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which יהוה commanded him.

Exo 19:8  And all the people answered together and said, “All that יהוה has spoken we shall do.” So Mosheh brought back the words of the people to יהוה.

Exo 19:9  And יהוה said to Mosheh, “See, I am coming to you in the thick cloud, so that the people hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” And Mosheh reported the words of the people to יהוה.

Exo 19:10  And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Go to the people and set them apart today and tomorrow. And they shall wash their garments,

Exo 19:11  and shall be prepared by the third day. For on the third day יהוה shall come down upon Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people.

Exo 19:12  “And you shall make a border for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch the border of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall certainly be put to death.

Exo 19:13  ‘Not a hand is to touch it, but he shall certainly be stoned or shot with an arrow, whether man or beast, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, let them come near the mountain.”

Exo 19:14  And Mosheh came down from the mountain to the people and set the people apart, and they washed their garments.

Exo 19:15  And he said to the people, “Be prepared by the third day. Do not come near a wife.”

Exo 19:16  And it came to be, on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain. And the sound of the ram’s horn was very loud, and all the people who were in the camp trembled.

Exo 19:17  And Mosheh brought the people out of the camp to meet with Elohim, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

Exo 19:18  And Mount Sinai was in smoke, all of it, because יהוה descended upon it in fire. And its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and all the mountain trembled exceedingly.

Exo 19:19  And when the blast of the ram’s horn sounded long and became louder and louder, Mosheh spoke, and Elohim answered him by voice.

Aliyah Sheviee 19:20-26

We have been taught to memorize prayers and scriptures but these ten sayings or the “aseret ha divarot” is one of the most important scriptures of all to memorize. In these 10 sayings is contained all the essence of Torah (see further explanation at the end of this aliyah)

Exo 19:20  And יהוה came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And יהוה called Mosheh to the top of the mountain, and Mosheh went up.

Exo 19:21  And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Go down, and warn the people, lest they break through unto יהוה to see, and many of them fall.

Exo 19:22  “And let the priests who come near יהוה set themselves apart too, lest יהוה break out against them.”

Exo 19:23  And Mosheh said to יהוה, “The people are not able to come up to Mount Sinai, for You warned us, saying, ‘Make a border around the mountain and set it apart.’ ”

Exo 19:24  And יהוה said to him, “Come, go down and then come up, you and Aharon with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to יהוה, lest He break out against them.”

Exo 19:25  And Mosheh went down to the people and spoke to them.

Exo 20:1  And Elohim spoke all these Words, saying,

Exo 20:2  “I am יהוה your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, out of the house of slavery.

Exo 20:3  “You have no other mighty ones against My face.

Exo 20:4  “You do not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth,

Exo 20:5  you do not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, יהוה your Elohim am a jealous Ěl, visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

Exo 20:6  but showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands.

Exo 20:7  “You do not bring¹ the Name of יהוה your Elohim to naught, for יהוה does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to naught. Footnote: ¹Or lift up, or take.

Exo 20:8  “Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart.

Exo 20:9  “Six days you labour, and shall do all your work,

Exo 20:10  but the seventh day is a Sabbath¹ of יהוה your Elohim. You do not do any work – you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. Footnote: ¹There are other Sabbaths, but this is the weekly Sabbath.

Exo 20:11  “For in six days יהוה made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore יהוה blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.

Exo 20:12  “Respect your father and your mother, so that your days are prolonged upon the soil which יהוה your Elohim is giving you.

Exo 20:13  “You do not murder.

Exo 20:14  “You do not commit adultery.

Exo 20:15  “You do not steal.

Exo 20:16  “You do not bear false witness against your neighbour.

Exo 20:17  “You do not covet your neighbour’s house, you do not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, or whatever belongs to your neighbour.”

Aseret Ha Divarot -  The Ten Sayings.

The first saying is the cornerstone and foundation and most important saying of all – there is no one like YHVH.

Now there are ten sayings and two tablets. In Hebraic thinking and life that which is heavenly appears on the right hand side and that which is meant to be the earthly expression of that which is heavenly appears on the left hand side.

Let us consider that the first saying is on the right hand tablet -  saying number one. What is the corresponding saying on the left hand tablet? It is the sixth saying.  “You shall not murder”.

When we compare the first saying with the sixth saying we conclude that when you believe or proclaim that there is anyone besides YHVH who is powerful and perfect enough to deliver us from all forms of bondage we are as good as murderers because we misrepresent who He is.

We conclude that misrepresenting YHVH is one of the most serious offences any human being can commit.

If we don’t respond to this first saying appropriately we will fall into idolatry – that’s why we declare the “shema”

2. The second saying is that we must not have any other mighty ones before His face.

For centuries religious men have produced theological images of YHVH that are not true and then they have forced them upon others and then worshipped them in a manner of speaking.

The transgression of this saying brings destruction upon generation s of people. Why does it mention three to four generations? I believe it is possible that it takes at least three to four generations of our fathers returning to the Torah and ways of YHVH before we have a chance of coming out from under the power of idolatry. I also believe that in the past century there has been a faithful remnant who have laid a foundation for our restoration. We have had various revivals the birth of Israel as a nation the outpouring of the Ruach of YHVH in various places and a return to Torah by many Jews and ex gentiles.

If we compare the second saying to the seventh saying, we find that misrepresenting YHVH is like committing adultery.

3. The third saying is that we must not make the name of YHVH futile. The Hebrew word for “futile” can also mean emptiness, vanity and falsehood.

When we refuse to call YHVH by the names which He has given to us in His Word, we rob Him of the essence of who He is. This is the worst possible kind of theft and dishonesty. He has told us who He is and by what name is to be called yet we call Him by several other names. We may not exactly know how to pronounce His name but we have the Hebrew letters and transliterations of His name. Why go and call Him something completely different?

It is not up to mankind to give Him different names. His name contains great truths about who He is when we change the names we rob YHVH and others of the truth of who He is.

That is why the third saying is compared to the eighth saying – you shall not steal.

4. The fourth saying commands us to keep the Sabbath. This is compared to the ninth saying which says we are not to be false witnesses. I believe those who refuse to honour the Sabbath as YHVH has commanded are false witness of his truth and of who He really is.

5. The fifth saying is that we must honour our parents. It is easier to understand this command when we understand what a Hebrew parent was called to be. The Hebrew parent was to first provide a sound Torah foundation for their children (see the full shema). Then the parents were to provide and education and training in a life skill. The parents were also responsible for providing marriage partners for their children.

So if your parents did their duty then you would not break the tenth commandment - Exo 20:17  “You do not covet your neighbour’s house, you do not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, or whatever belongs to your neighbour.”

Exo 20:18  And all the people saw the thunders, the lightning flashes, the sound of the ram’s horn, and the mountain smoking. And the people saw it, and they trembled and stood at a distance,

Hebrew says “ ve kol ha am Rahim et ha kolot” means and the people SAW the voices.

How do you see a voice? The Torah was not meant just to be heard but also SEEN .Maybe this also refers to the time when Ruach was poured out like tongues of fire on the people. We must remember that the giving of the Torah and Shavuot (Pentecost) are on the same day.

Exo 20:19  and said to Mosheh, “You speak with us and we hear, but let not Elohim speak with us, lest we die.”

Exo 20:20  And Mosheh said to the people, “Do not fear, for Elohim has come to prove you, and in order that His fear be before you, so that you do not sin.”

Exo 20:21  So the people stood at a distance, but Mosheh drew near the thick darkness where Elohim was.

Exo 20:22  And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Say this to the children of Yisra’ĕl: ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken to you from the heavens.

Exo 20:23  ‘You do not make besides Me mighty ones of silver, and you do not make mighty ones of gold for yourselves.

Exo 20:24  ‘Make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall slaughter on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I cause My Name to be remembered I shall come to you and bless you.

Exo 20:25  ‘And if you make Me an altar of stone, do not build it of cut stone, for if you use your chisel on it, you have profaned it.

Exo 20:26  ‘Nor do you go up by steps to My altar, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.’

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet, v’chay-yeh o’lam nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH                                                                                                                                                                                                                             noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Blessed are you YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, Yahweh giver of the Torah – Ameyn

Please note these notes are under construction and are subject to correction and are in no way a final authority on any subject.