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So, we are free! We are saved from the Egyptians! We are trekking to the land that will be ours! And we are worried, and afraid, and disobedient, and complaining! What's going on here?

Moshe's family (his wife, children, and father-in-law) join him in the desert. This week's Parshah is called Yitro - that's the father-in-law's name. Moshe welcomes them, tells them all that has happened, and Yitro avows his belief in God.

Moshe spends all day, every day, settling disputes between people, telling them what the rules are that God is giving them. The Torah says that the people stand before Moshe all day and all evening.

- Why do you think there are so many disputes?

- What do you think they might be arguing about?

- Why can't they settle these disputes on their own?

- If you saw Moshe, settling disputes all day long - what might you advise him to do?

Yitro sees what is happening and tells Moshe he cannot continue to do this - that it is too much for one person, and will wear him out. He tells him he needs to appoint leaders at various levels beneath him - as Yitro puts it, "leaders over hundreds. leaders over fifties, leaders over tens." (This is both the first known case of burn-out in history, and the origin of management consulting.)

- If you were following Yitro's advice, how would you decide whom to choose as the leaders? What qualifications would you look for?

- Do you or others around you ever feel overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done? How do you or they deal with that? 

Yitro tells Moshe that he should select people who are people "of substance", people who obey God, people who are not interested in monetary gain. In other words, they need to be fair, willing to apply God's laws equally, and not bribable. Moshe follows this advice, and Yitro heads back to his homeland.

God tells Moshe to tell the people that "if you obey me and keep my covenant, you shall be to me a treasure out of all peoples". And the people reply, "all that God has spoken, we shall do!"

- With all the fear and complaining - about having no water, no food, about the Egyptians chasing them - why do you think the people now say they will do as God tells them?

- Do you think they mean it?

And God also tells Moshe to tell the people to get ready, clean themselves up, and assemble at Mount Sinai in three days. God wants to speak to them directly.

- How would you have reacted to this?

- What do you think God wants to tell them?

On the third, the mountain is engulfed in smoke. There is thunder and lightning. A very loud blast of sound from a shofar can be heard, and gets louder and louder as the mountain shakes. God tells Moshe to ascend the mountain, and he does, taking care that the people stay behind where God has told them to. And the voice of God comes from the mountain and speaks the 10 Commandments:

1) I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

2) You will have no other gods, nor make images of gods.

3) You will not take God's name in vain - no falsely swearing in God's name, no using God's name to curse people, no doing bad things in God's name.

4) Remember Shabbat, and keep it holy.

5) Honor your father and your mother.

6) Do not murder.

7) If you are in a relationship, do not have affection for someone who is not your partner.

8) Do not steal.

9) Do not lie about what another person has done. 

10) Do not covet (wish you had what someone else has).

- Are all of these commandments still relevant today?

- Do we worship other gods today? If so, what are they?

- Which of these is hardest for you to obey? Why? How might you do better?

- Is there anything important that you wish were on this list? Is anything missing?

- How do you think the people reacted to hearing these at the mountain, amid the lighting and thunder and shaking and shofar sounds?

- Do you wish you had been there? Why or why not?

- And: What do you think the voice of God sounded like to the people listening?

These are just the first of many commandments that we will learn and study as we continue reading the Torah. More to come next week!

Shabbat shalom,

Dan