The sefarim teach that הזמן מעורר הקריאה, that what we read about in the Sefer Torah, arouses the matter to occur again. So, when we read about matan Torah, it means that matan Torah is happening. Therefore, this Shabbos is mesugal for making a kabbalah to receive, keep, and study the holy Torah.
But to receive the Torah, we should prepare for it. It states (19:3) הָא ֱלֹק ִים אֶל עָלָה ֶׁהוּמֹש הָהָר מִן 'ה אֵל ָיו וַיִּקְרָא, "Moshe ascended to Hashem, and Hashem called to him from the mountain..." The Or HaChaim says that Moshe had to take the first step. He had to go up to Hashem, and then Hashem spoke to him. Or HaChaim explains, כי לדעת לך ויש אותה למזמין אלא תקדים לא הקדושה בחינת, "You must know that kedushah doesn't come unless one prepares for it."
Certainly, if a person in our generation wants to receive the Torah this Shabbos, he should prepare his heart and desires. It is a kal v'chomer. If Moshe needed preparation to receive the Torah, certainly we should prepare ourselves for matan Torah.
The parashah begins יִת ְרוֹ וַיִּשְׁמַע, that Yisro heard, and Rashi writes קריעת ,ובא שמע שמועה מה עמלק ומלחמת סוף ים, "What did Yisro hear that it inspired him to come? He heard about Kriyas Yam Suf and the war against Amalek."
These two factors, the splitting of the sea and the war against Amalek, inspired Yisro to join the Jewish nation. The question that many meforshim deal with is why specifically did these two matters inspire Yisro to come? Many other miracles occurred at this time, such as the ten makos and yetzias Mitzrayim. But these didn't bring Yisro to the Jewish nation, only specifically the splitting of the sea and the war against Amalek, and this needs an explanation.
Furthermore, we can ask that it seems that only one of these two matters wouldn't inspire Yisro to join the nation in the desert. If it were only the war against Amalek, or only kriyas Yam Suf, Yisro would have remained home. It was the combination of both episodes that inspired Yisro to come, and this needs explanation.
The Shefa Chaim (Klausenberg Rebbe) zt'l explains that at kriyas Yam Suf, Hashem told the Jewish nation that they shouldn’t fight the war. (Shemos 14:14) וְאַתֶּם לָכֶם יִלָּחֵם 'ה תַּח ֲרִשׁוּן, "Hashem shall make war for you, and you shall remain silent." In contrast, when Amalek attacked, the Jewish nation was told that they should fight this war. As it states (Shemos 17:9) וְצֵא א ֲנָשִׁים ל ָנוּ בְּחַר ַֻׁעיְהוֹש אֶל ֶׁהמֹש וַיֹּאמֶר בַּעֲמָלֵק ה ִלָּחֵם, "Moshe said to Yehoshua 'Choose people for us and go battle with Amalek."
What is the difference? Why was the war against the Mitzrim held by Hashem alone, whereas in the war against Amalek, the Jewish nation had to participate?
The answer is that the goal of Pharaoh and the Mitzrim was to kill the Jewish nation or to bring them back into slavery. When the war is about gashmiyus matters, we can rely on Hakadosh Baruch Hu to fight our wars for us. However, when Amalek came to fight with the Jewish people, it was a war against their spirituality, as alluded to in the words (Devarim 25:18) בַּדֶּרֶ ךְ ָק ָרְך ֶׁראֲש (see Rashi). They wanted to contaminate and spiritually ruin Bnei Yisrael. When this is the situation, it isn't proper to say "Hashem will fight my wars for me." When it comes to spirituality, Klal Yisrael must stand up and fight the war themselves.
Yisro heard about kriyas Yam Suf and the war against Amalek, and he thought to himself, "Why did the Jewish nation go out to war against Amalek, while for the war against Mitzrayim, Hashem told them that they shouldn't go?" He understood that when it comes to ruchniyus, one must be active. This isn't a place for relying on Hashem alone; whoever can do something must act. When Yisro understood this, he understood that if he wanted a spiritual life, if he wanted to live according to Hashem's will, he had to act. It wasn't the time to stay home and to trust that Hashem would somehow teach him what he has to do. Action on his part was required. This is the reason he came to join the Jewish nation.
The Satmar Rebbe zt'l told a mashal of two people at the foot of an escalator. One of them took just one more step than the other. The one who took the extra step put his foot on the escalator and went up to the next floor. The one who didn't take this step remained below.
The mashal teaches the importance of taking even just one step in the right direction. It seems small and insignificant, but it can be the difference between reaching much higher levels.
This idea is demanding and also encouraging. It is demanding because we discover the importance of seeking to improve. Every step of improvement is essential. It is also encouraging, because sometimes all it takes to reach new and higher levels is just one step in the right direction.
It states (Shemos 3:4, and see Sforno) סָר כִּי 'ה וַיַּרְא הַס ְּנֶה מִת ּ וֹךְ א ֱלֹק ִים אֵל ָיו וַיִּקְרָא לִרְאוֹת, "Hashem saw that he turned aside to see; and Hashem called out to him from the bush." Here, too, Moshe took the first step. He wanted to understand why the bush was burning and not being consumed. He knew that it was a message from heaven, and he wanted to know what it meant. That is when Hashem called out to him. This is because man must make the first step towards spirituality, and then Hashem helps him.
