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 have always and could again play a critical role to cause
the Torah to flourish again among Jews and non- Jews – may it be His will in our time for this to
happen – Rom 11:14.
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 together with a revived Jewish remnant, usher in the Messianic Torah
reign and bring “tikkun” restoration to all the earth?
Listen carefully to the following prophetic
word given to us from the Torah:
It is said of Yithro in Bamidbar
10:29-31 reads, “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.
Torah
Readings:
- 18:1-12
- 18:13-23
- 18:24-27
- 19:1-6
- 19:7-13 (Sefardim); 19:7-19 (Ashkenazim)
- 19:14-19 (S); 19:20 – 20:17 (v. 14 Heb.) (A)
- 19:20- 20:17 (v. 14 Heb.) (S); 20:18-21
(15-18 Heb.) (A)
- Maftir: 20:24-26 (21-23 Heb.) (S); 20:22-26
(19-23 Heb.) (A)
Haftarah: Isaiah
6:1-13 (Sefardim); 6:1 – 7:6; 9:6-7 (5-6 Heb.) (Ashkenazim)
Aliyah
Rishon 18:1-12
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.
It is well documented that Yitro was a Kenite. Kenites
were descendants of Cain. They were willing to associate and help the children
of Yisrael. Sadly their history is seldom spoken of. Some interesting research
has been done in this regard. Below is a quote from a book written by a scholar
who believes there was a believing remnant from the descendants of Cain that
remained true to the One Elohim of Yisrael. This remnant can be traced to the
Rechabites that still exist in places today.
The Kenite Hypothesis, which is based on clear teachings of the Bible, states that the ancient Hebrews did not know Elohim by the name YHVH (The four-letter Hebrew name of the Eternal One) until the time of the Exodus. This name is often translated as "the LORD" in Bibles. In the Kenite Hypothesis, it was the Kenites who first worshiped YHVH. Moses sojourned among the Kenites and among them he received the revelation that the Elohim of the Kenites, YHVH the same Elohim worshiped by his forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by a different name, that of El Shadday, meaning "Elohim Almighty." – Shemot/Ex 6:3 –“ Va yera
http://aramaicherald.blogspot.co.za/2011/10/secret-of-jabezthe-mystery-of-kenite.html
Here in lies a profound message there has always been a
faithful priesthood who have been partakers of the Abrahamic covenant that come
from outside the nation of Yisrael. These have been willingly grafted into the
Hebrew roots of the faith and have become citizens of the commonwealth of
Yisrael.
Exo 18:2 And
Yithro, Mosheh’s father-in-law, took Tsipporah, the wife of Mosheh – after he
had sent her back,
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 –“ 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.