Found in our Parsha, Ma’amad Har Sinai is one of the events we are commanded to remember every day; it is one of the six remembrances that Bnei Ashkenaz recite every day after Shacharit, while Bnei Sepharad have ten remembrances. The Torah says:
Look out for yourself and guard your life exceedingly, lest you forget the words your eyes witnessed, and lest they are removed from your mind, all the days of your life; you will make them known to your children and to your grandchildren. The day you stood before Hashem, your G-d, at Chorev, when Hashem said to me, ‘‘Assemble for Me the people, and I will let them hear My statements, so that they will learn to fear Me all the years that they are living on the land and will teach their sons.’’
The Zohar and Yitro’s Merit
The Zohar asks, what merit did Yitro have that this Parsha of Matan Torah was named after him? To understand this, we need to study the opening Pasuk along with the commentary offered by Rashi.
And Yitro, the priest of Midian, Moshe's father-in-law, heard of all that G-d had done for Moshe and for Yisrael His people, that the Lord had brought Yisrael out of Egypt.
What news did he hear that led to him coming to Moshe? Rashi says, it was the splitting of Yam Suf and the war with Amalek, and it led to Yitro coming and converting.
The Gemara says (Zevachim 116a), when the Torah was given to Bnei Yisrael, the voice of Hakadosh Baruch Hu went from one end of the world to the other, and all the kings of the idolaters were seized with trembling in their palaces and sang praises: They all gathered around Bilaam and said to him: "What is this tumultuous noise that we heard? Perhaps a flood is coming to the world?!" He replied: “Hakadosh Baruch Hu has already sworn that He will not bring a flood to the world.” The nations suggested He might bring a flood of fire rather than water, to which Bilaam assured them Hakadosh Baruch Hu would not destroy the world. Bilaam explained that the noise they heard is related to a precious treasure that has been hidden in Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s treasury for 974 generations before the world was created, and He now desires to give it to His children. Immediately, they responded in unison.
The question arises – how exactly did they hear about Kriyat Yam Suf and the war with Amalek, given that they did not have the technology we have today? Another question, asked by the Maharam Schick, is why Yitro needed to come – he could have stayed in Midian and converted there!
How the World Heard of the Miracles
First, we need to know that the question of how they knew about Yam Suf is not so difficult because Chazal say that all the waters in the world split. So, if a person in Switzerland was sitting in a bathtub and suddenly the water split to both sides and he remained dry, and his wife was cooking soup and the water in the pot split into two – one person told another, and the second told the third, and the third told the fourth, and thus the matter became well known. But, how did they know about the war with Amalek? The answer is found in two Midrashim.
And Moshe said to Yehoshua, "Choose for us men, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of G-d in my hand."
What does it mean that Yehoshua was to “choose for us men"? What kind of men should be chosen exactly? The Chizkuni says, it is those born in the second month of Adar who have no fear of witchcraft, for there is no constellation in it, and the people of Amalek are sorcerers and have power in the twelve constellations; when there is no constellation, witchcraft does not succeed. Additionally, Chazal say, Moshe Rabbeinu went and stopped the sun for them – and by doing so, he disrupted their entire system of sorcery. Therefore, if the sun stood still, everyone saw it! Everyone knew about the war with Amalek because the sun stood still!
The Origin and Motivation of Amalek
Seemingly, why did Amalek come from a distance of 1600 kilometers to fight with Bnei Yisrael in Rephidim, when they had neither oil or water sources to capture? The Gemara says (Sanhedrin 99b), Timna was a royal princess who wanted to convert; She came to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov and asked them to convert her, but they did not accept her. She went and became a concubine to Eliphaz, the son of Eisav, because she said, "It is better to be a maidservant to this nation, the descendants of the forefathers (Eliphaz was the grandson of Yitzchak) than to be a noblewoman to another nation, the sons of Seir!" Amalek was her descendent.
The Hadar Zekenim from the Ba’alei Tosafot writes based on the Midrash, when Eisav saw that Eliphaz did not fulfill his command to kill Yaakov, he went to Amalek, the son of Eliphaz, and told him to kill his brother. Amalek agreed to his grandfather Eisav's words and swore to kill him. When Timna heard this, she warned him as she had warned Eliphaz, but he didn’t accept her words. She said to him, "A terrible debt is owed to the descendants of Avraham – they will be enslaved and oppressed, but if Yaakov is killed, that debt will fall upon you and the descendants of Eisav instead." Therefore, he waited until after the bondage in Mitzrayim was fulfilled and they left, and only then he came to fulfill his oath.
Remember what Amalek did to you on the way, when you came out of Egypt: how he met you on the way and attacked your rear, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear G-d.
Rashi says, we find here the language of cold and heat; Amalek cooled them and made them lukewarm from their boiling heat, for all the nations were afraid to fight with them, and Amalek came and started a war and showed the way to others. It is like a boiling bath that no creature can enter, and a wicked person came and jumped into it – even though he was scalded, he cooled it down for others.
Yitro’s Urgency and Public Declaration
The sefer Netiv HaTorah says, Yitro feared that he too might be caught in coldness and indifference, so as soon as he heard these two things – Yam Suf and Amalek – he hurried to join Bnei Yisrael and convert. He declared publicly and loudly: Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, for in the matter in which they dealt arrogantly against them. Yitro knew who was greater among the gods and who was not because he was familiar with every idolatry in the world and worshiped them all! Imagine the Pope giving a speech on Sunday before all his followers worldwide and saying, "Gentlemen! Shema Yisrael! Know that this is the last time I’ll speak here. Tomorrow, I’m leaving Italy and going to Jerusalem to convert at the Beit Din of the Badatz!" What a commotion this would cause in the world! Yet, this is what Yitro did, leading to many who worshiped idolatry to come and ask for more info. And for this reason, the Parsha was inscribed in the Torah under his name and he occupies the beginning of the Parsha containing Matan Torah. It was a reward to Yitro for the act of sanctifying Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s name throughout the world!
Yitro’s Advice to Moshe Rabbeinu
With this, I would like to address one topic in the Parsha – the advice Yitro proceeds to give Moshe Rabbeinu:
Now listen to my voice. I will give you advice and G-d be with you. You must be G-d’s representative for the people, and bring their causes to G-d.
Rashi says, he recommended Moshe be their messenger and advocate between them and Hakadosh Baruch Hu, asking judgments from Him.
You shall enlighten them as to the statutes and laws, and impart to them the path in which they must walk, and the deeds they must do.
Yitro then gives perplexing instructions, advising Moshe to teach the people the statutes and laws and to show them the path to follow and the deeds to perform. What is this path he must show them? And why is it necessary to explain "the way they must walk and the work they must do" when the same Pasuk already states, "you shall teach them the statutes and the laws"? Are these not one and the same?
Interpretations of Yitro’s Advice
The Torah Sheleimah writes that this serves as a hint to marking graves – placing lime (stone) as a sign on graves so that those who eat Terumah will avoid walking there. The Midrash (Sechel Tov) says these words refer to beit chayeihem – meaning, guiding them on when to go to shuls and yeshivot and when to appear before Hakadosh Baruch Hu at the Mikdash. There is another interpretation of beit chayeihem, however. According to Rashi (Shabbat 10a), it is Torah and Tefillah, both necessary for life, healing, peace, and sustenance. This same explanation applies to Moshe Rabbeinu, as the people came to him from morning until evening to ask him questions. The Ramban writes: Moshe replied to his father-in-law that they need to stand by him for a long time each day because they come to him for many things – to pray for their sick and to inform them of what they have lost. The Gemara, in two places, brings a teaching of the Pasuk from our Parsha. The first (Bava Kama 99b):
Rav Yosef taught: “And you shall show them” refers to the core of their existence. “The way” refers to acts of kindness. “They must walk” refers to visiting the sick. “Wherein” refers to the burial of the dead. “The work” refers to conducting oneself in accordance with the law. “That they must do” refers to conducting oneself beyond the letter of the law.
Here, Rashi says beit chayeihem refers to Torah study. However, in the Gemara’s other learning (Bava Metzia 30b), he says:
“This is their livelihood” – to teach them a trade by which they can earn a living. The words "statutes and laws" are written earlier in the Pasuk.
Here, Rashi says beit chayeihem refers to teaching them a trade, and he immediately refers to the opening words of the Pasuk, regarding the statutes and laws. Rav Shlomo Wolbe adds something wonderful about this (Da’at Shlomo, Maamarei Yemei Ratzon). According to Rashi's opinion that Moshe needed to teach them a trade, Yitro says to Moshe: "The people will come to you, and you will inform them which trade suits them. You’ll direct David to be an optician, Yaakov to be a banker, Shlomo to be a bus driver, and Daniel to be a pharmacist." He then asks: What is the need to inform them of a trade – let each one find a trade and learn it! Do they really need Moshe to direct them?" Furthermore, who needs a trade in the desert – wasn't the Torah given to those who ate only manna?! For 40 years in the desert, people studied Torah from morning until evening – they ate manna, drank from Miriam's well, and their clothes grew with them, and the clouds laundered them! What professions were even needed during this period?! What about marrying off children – where would the money come from? No problem. They would buy a tent for five hundred shekel, and that would be the end of the story. What about the wedding? Very simple. They’d get married in the courtyard of the Beit Midrash – Moshe would officiate, and everyone would bring their portion of manna and eat!
Moreover, Chazal say (Bechorot 5b) there was no one among Bnei Yisrael who didn’t have ninety Libyan donkeys loaded with silver and gold from Egypt! If we convert these ninety Libyan donkeys to what we have today, it is like ninety Brinks trucks fully loaded! Who needs to go to work?! At most, you would direct the truck, “Backward... now forward... a little to the right... perfect, park it there!” Another proof that they had plenty of money is found in last week’s Parsha, where we’re told Moshe led Bnei Yisrael from Yam Suf – he led them against their will because they were too busy with collections. The Egyptians adorned their horses with gold, silver, and precious stones, and Bnei Yisrael found them in the sea, and these spoils were greater than the spoils of Egypt! So, why did they need to learn a trade if they weren’t lacking money?
The Upside-Down World and True Value
Let's delve into the explanation. The Gemara (Pesachim 50a) tells the story of Rav Yosef, the son of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, who fell ill and fainted – he had a cardiac arrest and was in a state of clinical death.
When he regained consciousness and his heart started beating again, his father asked him: "What did you see in the World to Come?" Rav Yosef replied: "I saw an upside-down world! Those who are esteemed in this world are lowly in the World to Come – you wouldn't believe what's going on there! I knew a Jew here who seemed righteous – with payot, a suit, etc., everyone who passed by would kiss his hand; I was sure that when I came up, I would see him sitting in the front row in Gan Eden – at most the second or third row. But when I got there, I saw him sitting in the sixtieth row! And those who are lowly in this world are esteemed in Olam Haba! I went down to see who was in the second row, and do you know who I saw?! David the shoemaker from Alharizi Street! I didn't recognize him because he always had nails in his mouth! I came back shocked, simply unbelievable!" Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him: "My son, you saw a clear world!"
At first glance, Rav Yosef's words are not understood; he returned from above and said he didn't understand what was going on there – "I was sure rabbis would be in the front row, shoemakers in the back row – I got there and saw the exact opposite!” It seems unclear – did Rav Yosef not know that there are impostors? What didn't he understand?! Did he think that everything that appears glamorous in this world is truly glamorous – didn't Chazal say man sees with the eyes, but Hakadosh Baruch Hu sees into the heart?
Remembrance and Individual Purpose
In the Rosh Hashanah Mussaf section of Zichronot – Remembrances, we say:
For the remembrance of all that is formed comes before You: the dealings of man, and the decree of his fate, and the misdeeds of man’s actions, the thoughts of man and his schemes, and the motives for the deeds of man.
Bnei Ashkenaz also recite this in Ya’aleh Veyavo: "May our remembrance and our charge rise, come, reach, be seen, be accepted, be heard, be remembered, and be recalled, etc." What does zikhronenu u’fikdonenu mean? To understand this, we first need to address another wonderful point.
Banners, Angels, and Individual Missions
The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 2:3) states that at Matan Torah, Hakadosh Baruch Hu descended with 220,000 angels. The Midrash describes how Bnei Yisrael, seeing the banners carried by the angels, desired similar banners of their own. Hakadosh Baruch Hu granted this request at Sinai. Immediately, Hakadosh Baruch Hu informed Bnei Yisrael and said to Moshe, “Go, make them banners as they desired."
The Maor VaShemesh questions the nature of this desire – why did Bnei Yisrael long for banners specifically and did this desire reflect a deeper aspiration to serve Hakadosh Baruch Hu like the angels? And what is the nature and significance of these banners?
To explain this, let's learn another Midrash (Shemot Rabbah, 52:3) which tells the story of Rabbi Shimon ben Chalafta, who was very poor. One Friday, he had nothing to sustain himself. He went outside the city and davened, and a precious stone was given to him from heaven. He gave it to a money changer and sustained himself for that Shabbat. When he got home, he said, "We have Shabbat! Turn the hot plate on, everything is ready!" She asked him, "Where did this come from?" He replied to her, "Why are you asking questions – go with the flow! It's all from what Hakadosh Baruch Hu provided." She then said, "If you don't tell me where it's from, I won't taste anything – I'm not eating from it until you tell me where it's from!" So, he began to tell her, "I davened to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and it was given to me from heaven – I'll tell you the truth, I went to the forest and He sent me a precious stone!" She then added, "I won't taste anything until you promise to return it after Shabbat." He asked her, "Why – why return it?! We received it as a gift from heaven!" She answered, "Do you want our table to be lacking in Olam Haba and your friend's table to be full?" Rabbi Shimon went and informed Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi of the matter, and Rebbi said to him: "Go and tell her, if your table is lacking, I will fill it from mine." He went and told her, but she said to him, "Take me to the one who taught you Torah," and she said to Rebbe, "Does a person see his friend in Olam Haba? Doesn't each righteous person have his own world?! There, you can't give anything, only here!" When her husband heard this, he went and returned the stone.
Rabbotai, why did Hakadosh Baruch Hu need to give him a precious stone from heaven, only for him to return it and continue with the trial of poverty? What is the underlying message here?
The Individual’s Unique Mission
The Ramchal writes at the beginning of Mesilat Yesharim: "The foundation of piety and the root of perfect service is for a person to clarify and verify what his duty is in his world." Seemingly, the Ramchal should have said “what his duty is in the world," and as the Vilna Gaon said, there isn’t a single superfluous word in the Ramchal's writings. If so, why did he choose to write specifically "in his world"?
To understand this, let's study Rashi's words in this week's Parsha. But to understand his words, we need to introduce a preface. Hakadosh Baruch Hu comes to Moshe Rabbeinu and tells him to prepare the people for Ma’amad Har Sinai:
And Hashem said to Moshe, "Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments. And be ready for the third day, for on the third day Hashem will descend before the eyes of all the people upon Mount Sinai. And you shall set bounds for the people round about, saying, 'Beware of going up the mountain or touching its edge; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. No hand shall touch it, for he shall surely be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.'"
Seemingly, there is a difficulty here. The first Pasuk says, "Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death," and the next Pasuk says, "No hand shall touch it." It was already said that whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death, so why repeat "No hand shall touch it"? Was the thought that someone might touch it with their foot instead? Besides, it already says "they shall surely be put to death," so why say again "he shall surely be stoned"?
The Hadar Zekenim explains: It is necessary to warn again against any hand touching it, because the second warning is directed at one who thinks they can carry out justice against the first offender, by way of going to retrieve them and bringing them to die. Hakadosh Baruch Hu said to Moshe: "Tell them that it is forbidden to go up the mountain! But even if someone manages to go up, you are not allowed to chase after him!" Why? Once Ma’amad Har Sinai begins, nobody is allowed to chase after someone who snuck in. If he went up the mountain, let him go up – lo tiga bo yad. So, how will he be killed? ki sakol yisakel o yaro yireh – take stones and start throwing them at him to make him come down from the mountain. And if that doesn't help, shoot arrows at him from afar. This is just like the Kohen Gadol in the Kodesh Hakodashim on Yom Kippur – if he died, no one would enter inside, but they would tie a rope to his leg before he entered and then pull him out, or an angel would come and push him out.
Why was it necessary to warn them three days in advance about the prohibition to go up the mountain, couldn't it be done on the same day as Matan Torah began?! The Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh says, this commandment of setting bounds is only for the third day, and yet it was given in advance, so they’d honor it right away and accustom themselves to stay away from it for three days.
This means that the very statement about the prohibition to go up the mountain a few days before the event elevated the status of the place! After Moshe tells the people it is forbidden to touch the mountain, Hakadosh Baruch Hu returns and says: Pen-yeheresu el-Hashem lirot venafal mimenu rav; red ha'ed ba'am – If He already warned them with a double warning, why is yet another warning necessary here? Moshe Rabbeinu responds in kind: “Lo-yuchal ha'am la'alot – The people cannot come up to Har Sinai, for You warned us!” The Hadar Zekenim explains, Moshe initially did not warn Bnei Yisrael about the commandment of setting bounds around Har Sinai, only about...
