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Parashat Yitro
Torah Portion: Exodus 18:1 - 20:231st
Chapter 18 1 Now His Excellency, the priest of Strife and father-in-law of Drawn Out, heard of everything Mighty had done for Drawn Out and for his people Persevere as Mighty, and how ETERNAL had brought Persevere as Mighty out of Double Straits. 2 After Drawn Out had sent away his wife Little Bird, his father-in-law, His Excellency, received her 3 and her two sons. One son was named Exile, for Drawn Out said, "I have become an alien in a foreign land"; 4 and the other was named Mighty Helps, for he said, "My father's Mighty was my helper; He saved me from the sword of Big House." 5 His Excellency, Drawn Outs father-in-law, together with Drawn Outs sons and wife, came to him in the desert, where he was camped near the mountain of Mighty. 6 His Excellency had sent word to him, "I, your father-in-law, His Excellency, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons." 7 So Drawn Out went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. 8 Drawn Out told his father-in-law about everything ETERNAL had done to Big House and the ones of Double Straits for the sake of Persevere as Mighty and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how ETERNAL had saved them. 9 His Excellency was delighted to hear about all the good things ETERNAL had done for Persevere as Mighty in rescuing them from the hand of those of Double Straits. 10 His Excellency then said, "Praise be to ETERNAL, who rescued you from the hand of Double Straits and of Big House, and who rescued the people from the hand of Double Straits. 11 Now I know that ETERNAL is greater than any other Mighty, for He did this to those who had mistreated Persevere as Mighty due to arrogance." 12 Then, His Excellency, Drawn Outs father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to Mighty and Light Bringer came with all the elders of Persevere as Mighty to eat bread with Drawn Outs father-in-law in the presence of Mighty. 2nd
13 The next day Drawn Out took his seat to serve as judge for the people and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Drawn Out was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?" 15 Drawn Out answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek knowledge of the will of Mighty. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me and I decide between the parties and inform them of the decrees and laws of Mighty." 17 Drawn Outs father-in-law replied, "What you are doing may not be the best approach. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear you out. The work is too heavy for you; you must not handle these things single handedly. 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice and may Mighty be with you. You must be the people's representative before Mighty and bring their disputes to Him. 20 Teach them the decrees and laws and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. 21 You shall discover capable men from all the people, men who fear Mighty, trustworthy men, who hate dishonest gain and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23 If you do this and Mighty so commands, you will be able to stand the strain and all these people will go home satisfied." 24 Drawn Out listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 He chose capable men from all Persevere as Mighty and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 26 They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Drawn Out, but the simple ones they decided themselves. 27 Then Drawn Out sent his father-in-law on his way and His Excellency returned to his own country. 4th
CHAPTER 19 1 In the third month after the Persevere as Mighty left Double Straits, on the very day, they came to the Desert of Thorns. 2 After they set out from Refreshments, they entered the Desert of Thorns and Persevere as Mighty camped there in the desert in front of the mountain. 3 Then Drawn Out went up to Mighty and ETERNAL called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Supplanter and what you are to tell the children of Persevere as Mighty: 4 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Double Straits and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Even though the whole earth is Mine, 6 you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to those who, Persevere as Mighty." 5: 19:7-19
(13 Verses) 8 The people all responded together, "We will do everything ETERNAL has said." So Drawn Out brought their answer back to ETERNAL. 9 ETERNAL said to Drawn Out, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear Me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you." Then Drawn Out told ETERNAL what the people had said. 10 And ETERNAL said to Drawn Out, "Go to the people and cleanse them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11
and be ready by the third day, because on that day ETERNAL will come down
on 12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13 He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.' Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain." 14 After Drawn Out had gone down the mountain to the people, he cleansed them, and they washed their clothes. 15 Then he said to the people, "Prepare your selves for the third day. Abstain from the women." 16 Then, in the morning of the third day there came to be thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Drawn Out then led the people out of the camp to meet with Mighty and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18
19 and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Drawn Out spoke and the voice of Mighty answered him. 6:
19:20-20:14 (20 Verses) 20
ETERNAL descended to the top of the 21 and ETERNAL said to him, "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see ETERNAL and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach ETERNAL, must consecrate themselves, or ETERNAL will burst out against them." 23 Drawn Out said to ETERNAL, "The people cannot come up this Mountain of Thorns, because You Yourself warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as sacred.'" 24 ETERNAL replied, "Go down, then come up with Light Bringer. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to ETERNAL or He will break out against them." 25 So Drawn Out went down to the people and told them.
1 And Mighty spoke all these words: 2 "I am ETERNAL your Mighty, who brought you out of Double Straits, out of the land of bondage. 3 "You shall not let stand another Mighty in My Face. 4 "You shall not make for yourself any idol or image in the form of anything in the heavens above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, ETERNAL your Mighty, am a jealous Mighty, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, 6 yet showing kindness to thousands of those who love Me and keep My commandments. 7 "You shall not misuse the name of ETERNAL your Mighty, for ETERNAL will not hold anyone guiltless who takes His name in a worthless way. 8 "Remember the Sabbath rest day by keeping it set apart. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath rest to ETERNAL your Mighty. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days ETERNAL made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore ETERNAL blessed the Sabbath rest day and made it to be separate. 12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land ETERNAL your Mighty is giving you. 13 You shall not commit murder. 14 You shall not commit adultery. 7th
15 "You shall not steal. 16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." 18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Drawn Out, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have Mighty speak to us or we will die." 20 Drawn Out said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Mighty has come to test you, so that the fear of Mighty will be with you to keep you from sinning." 21 The people remained at a distance, while Drawn Out approached the thick darkness where Mighty was. 22 Then ETERNAL said to Drawn Out, "Say this to those of Persevere as Mighty: 'You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from the heavens: 23 Do not make any Mighty ones to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves a Mighty of silver or a Mighty of gold. Haftarah
for Sephardim:
YesheYahu
(Eternal Saves) (Isa) 6:1-13 CHAPTER
6 1
In the year that King Strength of Yah (Uzziah) died, I saw the ETERNAL
seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the
temple. 2
Above Him were majestic beings (seraphs), each with six wings: With two
wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two
they were flying. 3
And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy (Holy=Qadosh
or Set-Apart) is the ETERNAL Almighty; the whole earth is full of His
glory." 4
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the
temple was filled with smoke. 5
"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of
unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips and my eyes have seen
the King, the ETERNAL Almighty." 6
Then one of the majestic beings (seraphs) flew to me with a live coal in
his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7
With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your
lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." 8
Then I heard the voice of the ETERNAL saying, "Whom shall I send?
And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am 9
He said, "Go and tell this people: "'Be ever hearing, but never
understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.' 10
Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close
their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." 11
Then I said, "For how long, O ETERNAL?" And he answered:
"Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are
left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, 12
until the ETERNAL has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly
forsaken. 13
And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But
as the hickory and the oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed
will be the stump in the land." |