PARSHA FACTS

Concepts

Yisro comes to Moshe in the Desert
Ten Commandments

People

Yisro
Moshe

Places

Har Sinai

Objects

Lighting and Thunder

Mitzvos

17 mitzvos (3 positive and 14 prohibitions) in the Parsha
(Number 25-41 of 613 mitzvos in the Torah)

• 25. To believe in the existence of G-d.
• 26. Not to believe in any god other than HaShem.
• 27. Not to make a graven image.
• 28. Not to bow down in idol-worship.
• 29. Not to worship an idol in its customary way.
• 30. Not to swear in vain.
• 31. To sanctify Shabbos verbally.
• 32. Not to do any מלאכה on Shabbos.
• 33. To honor one’s father and mother.
• 34. Not to murder an innocent person.
• 35. Not to commit adultery.
• 36. Not to kidnap any person.
• 37. Not to bear false witness.
• 38. Not to cover what belongs to others.
• 39. Not to make sculptures of human form.
• 40. Not to build an altar of hewn stones.
• 41. Not to walk up by steps to the altar.

Sedra-Stats

17th of the 54 sedras; 5th of 11 in Sefer Shmos
Written on 138 lines in a Sefer Torah; ranks 46th
15 parshios: 4 open, 11 closed
Comparison Shmos to the other sedras:
75 pesukim - 47th of 54 (11th of 11 in Shmos)
1105 words - 46th
4022 letters - 46th

We Learn from this Parsha

“And Aharon and all the elders of Yisrael came to eat bread with Moshe’s father-in-law before G-d”
This teaches that whoever welcomes a Talmid Chachum it is as if one is welcoming the Shechinah.

Timeline

• 2448 Yisro arrives and makes suggestions regarding situation of judging the Jews
• Sivan Jews arrive at Har Sinai
• Sivan Moshe ascends Har Sinai; HaShem offers the Jews to be nation of G-d; The Jews answer that all that HaShem spoke, we will do
• Sivan Moshe delivers response of the Jews to HaShem; HaShem tells Moshe that He will address him & the Jews will listen; Moshe tells the Jews; they request that HaShem speak directly to them
• Sivan Moshe ascends and delivers response; HaShem commands three days of preparation and a boundary around HaSinai; the nation answers נעשה “we will do”; Moshe writes ספר הברית (Bereshis until Matan Torah)
• Sivan Moshe builds a mizbeach; Moshe builds a 12-stone monument; the first-born brings sacrifices; Moshe sprinkles half the blood on the mizbeach; Moshe reads ספר הברית; The nation responds נעשה ונשמע (We will do and we will listen); Moshe sprinkles the other half of the blood on the people
• Sivan Moshe ascends to receive the Torah; HaShem speaks the 10 Commandments