This is a pivotal moment in history, hard to overstate its importance. Second only to Creation, this is the Birth of a unique nation, the formation of a physical and spiritual covenant with the Creator.
Setup/Context:
Shemot: Birth of the Jewish people; redemption of a nation, construction of
the Mishkan.
The 1st Revelation of Torah occurs in Parshas Yisro.
Beshalach - Elim, 12 springs, 70 date palms
Water from the rock, water at Maror
Yam Suf - sea dry land -
Wet/dry cycle for Tu-b'Shevat
[About the wet / dry thing: Note all the occurrences of water against dry: dry land in the middle of Yam Suf, water from the rock, thirst and the quenching of at Maror - juxtapose with the natural process of wetting and drying that occurs with a seed to split its shell and allow the sprout to emerge - and the result is Tu'b Shevat, the tree holiday, the meditation on the sprouting seed underground]
Overview: Yitro hears about Yam Suf, and Amalek. He comes to Moses, says Baruch HaShem. Revelation at Har Sinai to Klal Yisroel
Items: Juxtaposition of Yitro and Amalek as a reminder about the different types of people.
Yitro's hearing is the hearing that made an inner change. Rabbi Moshe Alshech, 16th cent Sfat kblist, says: "Yitro was a person who was willing to listen and to learn. If a person is willing to open his ears and his eyes, to look, to listen and to learn, then he can change." The person who hears, and does something about it, is on the right path.
Yitro says Baruch HaShem [18:10], also see Isaiah 6:3 Haftarah. Yisro's Baruch is an example of joy in another's success. Baruch is knee, as in our supplication, also in G-d's bestowal of life [G-d "kneels" to us below, to bestow Blessing (Marcia Prager)]
Zipora (bird), Mose's wife at the well (2:21), circumcision incident (4:24-27), Yisro brings her to Moses (18:2). Zipora is showing her fidelity to HaShem, And to Moses and his mission.
Prior to receiving the Torah there are 3 days of purification; 3 days before Shabbes and 3 after; Shabbes the center of the week.
Exodus 20:15: The entire people saw the thunder and the flames; the sound of the shofar and the smoking mountain. See also Haftarah: Isaiah 6:9. Rabbi Akiva says they saw what is heard and heard what is seen, switching the senses around. Volitional hearing, hearing with the control of seeing.
Parallel between this story and the story of Jacob and the angel. In both, the protagonist is travelling from a pagan father in law to meet a brother. Jacob leaves Lavan to meet Esav, Moses leaves Yitro to meet Aaron.
Similarity between the angels on Jacob's ladder and Moses "ascending and Descending Har Sinai. (19:16) "The Chayos ran to and fro like the appearance of a flash." Yehezchel 1:14
"The Sefer Yetzirah is stating that the Sefirot can only be visualized for an instant, and then they vanish.
The great Kabbalist, Rabbi Moshe de Leon (1238?1305), best known as the publisher of the Zohar, offers an interesting analogy. "When the Sefirot are seen in a mystical vision, their appearance is like sunlight reflected on a wall from a bowl of water. As long as the bowl is absolutely still, the reflected image is clear, but the slightest vibration causes it to break up and oscillate. Similarly, a clear vision of the Sefirot would be possible in theory, but only if the mind were absolutely still and calm.""
Compare to this: "When Ha Kadosh BaruchHu presented the Torah at Sinai, not a bird chirped not a fowl flew, not an ox lowed, not an angel ascended, not a seraph proclaimed "Kadosh." The sea did not roll and no creature made a sound. All of the vast universe was silent and mute. It was then that the Voice went forth and proclaimed, "I am HaShem, Your G-d!" (Shemos Rabbah 29:9)
Sforno (Obadiah ben Jacob 1475-1550) says that at Natan Torah the Olam ha Ba is joining Olam ha Zeh, lifting us out of time. Midrash that all Jews were/are at Matan Torah; recreated on Shabbes and in T'fila and Torah study.
Lifted out of time, we bond with 33 centuries of Jews. We bond with all of the Jews of today, and all the Jews to come. The best possible political statement is to Keep Shabbes.