Yitro

📜 The Story

Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, heard about all the miracles God did for Israel: taking them out of Egypt and splitting the sea. So he came out to the desert, bringing Moses' wife Zipporah and their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Moses was very happy to see him. He went out to meet him, bowed, kissed him, and told him everything God had done for Israel.

Jethro saw that Moses sat from morning until night, judging all the people's problems by himself, while everyone waited in a long line. Jethro gave him good advice: choose honest men who fear God, and put them in charge of groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Then only the hardest cases would come to Moses, and everyone else would get help quickly. Moses listened and did what Jethro said.

In the third month after leaving Egypt, the Israelites came to Mount Sinai and camped across from the mountain. God gave Moses a message for the people: 'You will be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' All the people answered together, 'We will do everything God has said.' Moses told them to spend three days getting ready, to keep themselves pure, and not to touch the mountain.

On the third day there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud blast of the shofar (ram's horn). The whole camp shook with fear. Mount Sinai was covered in smoke, because God came down on it in fire, and the mountain shook hard. God called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

Then God spoke the Ten Commandments to all the people: I am the Lord your God. Do not have any other gods. Do not use God's name for nothing. Remember Shabbat (the Sabbath) and keep it holy. Honor your father and mother. Do not murder. Do not be unfaithful in marriage. Do not steal. Do not lie about others. Do not want what belongs to someone else. This was the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.