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Parashat Yitro: Exodus (18:1 - 20:23)

by Rabbi Richard Jacobi

Parshat Yitro spans Exodus 18:1 to 20:23, and includes the reuniting of Moses with his wife, sons and father-in-law, after which Jethro gave Moses advice about how to delegate judicial authority. This serves as a prelude to Sinai and the divine revelation, centred on the ten statements or commandments. The acceptance of the covenant leads to the first detailed instruction concerning the building of the altar, which paves the way for next week’s detailed rules.

While it is often said that “it is better to give than to receive”, this portion of the Torah gives us reason to consider other aspects of giving and receiving. Jethro gives advice to Moses, having watched his son-in-law run himself ragged trying to dispense justice to the Israelites. Jethro says it will benefit both Moses and the people – Moses will have less to do, the people will have less time wasted. Moses, over eighty years old at this time, is willing, despite his years, to take guidance. When it comes to advice, “it is easier to give than to receive”. Yet “Moses heeded his father-in-law and did just as he had said” (Ex. 18:24), delegating the work of judging to capable people.

Curiously, at the start of chapter 19, God seems to copy the style and content of the exchanges between Jethro and Moses. Just as Moses had related the story of the exodus to Jethro, God now tells Moses to remind the people of what God had done to the Egyptians, of how God had borne the Israelites “on eagles’ wings” in order to offer them a covenant (19:4). God suggests that the covenant will be mutually beneficial. If Israel kept the covenant, it would be a “treasured possession”, while God would gain an obedient ‘kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (19:6). It is, surely, easiest, when both parties give and receive.

Any enduring covenant has to be mutual, the parties to it must all feel that they benefit from it. Negotiators call this “win-win”. Wise negotiators know that any other agreement opens the door to resentments and conflicts, superficial agreement will always break down eventually. Revelation gave a massive kick-start to the wisdom we can bring to the negotiating table. In the week of the general election in Israel, we have to hope that whichever coalition becomes the government is formed by a covenantal equity. Further, we have to pray that they carry forward the mutuality of an enduring covenant into their negotiations with their neighbours.

Nearer home, we have to retain the principles of mutuality through enormously difficult economic times, when it would be easier to take what we can and hold on to what we’ve got, justifying this by the need to survive. The values of the covenant at Sinai balanced rights with responsibilities, giving with receiving. We must do the same today – giving where we can and should, and receiving only what we merit and earn. Then, as promised in the final paragraph of chapter 20, God “will come to you and bless you.”