Hi,

Hope you enjoyed Purim!

… The Jews are in the desert.  And they keep Moshe busy.

Day and night!

They come to him to judge disputes.  To answer questions.  (Exodus, 18:13-27)

… Moshe’s father in law, Jethro, is concerned about Moshe’s welfare.

(There are such fathers in law!)

He tells Moshe, “What you are doing is no good.  You’ll wear yourself out… 

You can’t do it alone”!  (18:17)

And he tells Moshe to make a system.

To choose judges.  Let them judge the ordinary cases.

And Moshe will be like the Supreme Court. He’ll judge the “biggies”.  

… It seems like one of those stories we’d be tempted to skip.

Why do we need to know this?

But this story tells us something very important.

About Moshe.

What he was and what he was not.

Because Jethro’s idea doesn’t seem like rocket science!

It seems pretty obvious.

But Moshe needed to be told.

… Was Moshe a “legislative genius”?

The kind of person that could have come up with the Torah on his own?

That could have presented the Jewish People with this incredible legal system?

It doesn’t look like it.

But what about Moshe was unique?

His spiritual greatness!  And his character!

And that’s why G-d taught the Torah to Moshe.

And Moshe transmitted the Torah to the Jewish People.

… Sometimes I’ll suggest that someone do some Torah learning at CTN.

They’re response?

“No thanks Rabbi.

Organized religion is not for me!”

And what do I say?

“Don’t worry.  We’re not organized!”

All the best,