Shabbat
Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
February
2-3, 2018 / 18 Shevat 5778
Shabbat
Yitro
Torah:
Exodus 18:1 - 20:23 Haftarah: Isaiah 6:1 - 7:6; 9:5 - 9:6
“Standing
at Sinai”
Dear Friends,
What really happened at Mount Sinai more than 3,000
years ago? Some say that the Ten
Commandments were given. Some say that
the Torah, the Five Books of Moses, was revealed. Others say that that the whole world of
Jewish learning, including the whole Hebrew Bible and the Talmud, were given to
the People of Israel.
Of course, we will never know exactly what
happened. However, the experience of
coming together at the foot of the mountain was so powerful that the Children
of Israel became more than a people that day; they became a nation. Something very special happened. It had to be more than a flashy and
impressive audio-visual presentation. It
had staying power. It was transformative. The element that made the experience was the
introduction of Jewish text, learning, wisdom, law, heritage, and
tradition. That element was Torah, the
center of Jewish life.
While it is easy to focus on the cultural aspects
of Jewish identity in our daily life, we must remember the importance of Torah
study and Jewish learning as the true glue that holds our people together. On this Shabbat, commit yourself to studying
Torah and reading Jewish literature.
Share the wisdom with family and friends. Like our ancestors so long ago, receive the
world of Torah and be transformed.
Shabbat Shalom,
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