In this week’s Parshah Yitro, we see that Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law, does not understand the true purpose of the exodus from Egypt and sees it as a physical salvation of the people of Israel only. In his eyes, such salvation is worthy of all blessings and praise, and he does bless and say, “Blessed is the Lord” and acknowledges His greatness. But after a short time, he returns to his place – “and goes to his land.”

This teaches us that even understanding the greatness of the Lord does not leave an impression that can last long.

Immediately after the announcement of Yitro’s departure, the Torah tells of Israel’s arrival at Mount Sinai, where they first hear of the true purpose of the exodus: “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

Actually, the great innovation of “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” was first spoken to Moses, when God tried to persuade him to go to Pharaoh:

“Therefore, say to the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of Egypt, and I will deliver you from the hand of the Egyptians. I will bring you out of bondage, and I will redeem you with a mighty hand, and with great judgments. And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be your God: and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of Egypt. And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you as an inheritance: I am the Lord”.

But when Moses went with this revolutionary innovation to the children of Israel, the people did not listen and therefore did not understand:

“And they did not listen to Moses out of bitterness of spirit and hard labor.”

At that time, the children of Israel did not receive this special message and apparently were not able to digest it. Therefore, Moses and Aaron led the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt when the children of Israel did not at all understand the purpose and the divine plan for them.

From their perspective, the exodus from Egypt is the exodus of slaves who leave for freedom, and even salvation from death to life, nothing more.

However, when Israel first camped before Mount Sinai, Moses went up the mountain and received a special message for the Israelites. This short message, less than three verses long, was delivered to Moses with care and precise words, for it begins with the words “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the Israelites,” and ends with the words “These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites” – that is, you shall tell them exactly as you heard from me.

What is in this message? It says:

“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you with you to me. And now, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession above all peoples, because all the earth is mine. And you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”.

A Jew of a later generation may wonder about the strictness in delivering these things. On the surface, these things seem trivial – of course, it is God’s known will that the people of Israel listen to his voice and keep his words, and thereby they will be a holy people and separate from other nations.

But truly, there is a revolutionary innovation in these verses, and they say things that until that time you had hardly ever heard of. This is the first time that the people of Israel hear the “divine plan” that stands behind Israeli history, from the choosing of Abraham to the Exodus from Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea – the creation of a complete people who will receive Torah and commandments, and thereby become the special people of the nations in the eyes of God.

Until now, the children of Israel have been the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the fathers with whom God made a personal covenant and promised them a great seed who would inherit the land. Now, God, the Holy One, announces that the seed of the fathers will become a people who will receive Torah and commandments from God, and thanks to this special Torah, which will bring great innovation and a real cultural revolution to the world, will become the chosen people of all nations.

Are we fulfilling our duties in this holy mission?

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Refael Cohen