Parasha Yitro

The more I study and prepare Parashas the more I realise that the depth of hidden gems within each of the them is beyond comprehension.  Your has so much from the reason why it is named Yitro to the last sentence in the parasha.  Exodus 20:23 - You should most certainly not make alongside of me gods of silver, or gods of gold for yourselves.  This verse alone could d have us writing and discussion for quite some time, the subject gods alone is substantial.

Let us address something entirely different though, and if you come to this shabbat service I will even go deeper talking about pottery, vessels and kilns.  However what I want to address here is something very important, and they point I want to focus on is on the subject of covenant.  It is in this Torah portion that HaShem enters into covenant with B’nei Israel, traditionally translated as children of Israel.  First of all it cannot be children as we know as children are under the control and authority of their parents and are too small to make decision for themselves.  However B’nei should be better translated as “sons of," HaShem specifically instructed to count B’nei from 20 years and above, men that can judge for themselves and can be men of war, part of the tribes.  

That’s just for starters, and contrary to popular belief the covenant that HaShem made with the sons of Israel, is not the law, actually that is also a badly translated word, Torah is not Law.  No, the Torah and the mitzvots are not the covenant, not even the ten commandments.  Ask anyone to name the covenant and they will probably say the ten commandments.  What the actual covenant that B’eni Yisrael entered into was the following , Exodus 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the YHVH hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the YHVH. That is it that is the covenant, to do all that HaShem commands and instruct, the Torah describes the conditions and terms, it is the contract, sort of speak, but the covenant is obedience, pure simple and unadulterated. Obedience is the covenant, no frills, no bells and no whistles.  

Then as Yeshua said the core of the Torah is Sh’ma Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad and love your neighbour as yourself. So keeping the covenant we were given a table of contents, the ten commandments, these in turn encapsulates 613 mitzvoth, 245 +ve (positive) and 365 -Ve (negative).  The most interesting part of all this is that even the ten words, can be further condensed to love your neighbour as yourself! That is the whole Torah the rest is commentary go and learn it, these were wise words from our sages.

One point to ponder on this parasha, when we surrendered to, and came into covenant with Yeshua, did the covenantal requirements changed from that of Mt Sinai?