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In Parshat Yitro we have the momentous events of Mount Sinai, but they are preceded by a scenario in which Jethro, Moses' father in law, is presented in greater depth. And if we remember what directly precedes this, in the previous portion, we have the attack of Amalek. And all of this is against the backdrop of the midrash describing the nations quaking in their boots in the aftermath of the splitting of the Red Sea.
Rabbi Munk, in The Call of the Torah, notes this as a paradigm of the often contradictory way that the nations of the world react to the children of Israel, and Judaism in general. On the one hand we have Amalek who attempted to eradicate the Israelites alongside other nations who were terrified of them. Finally, you had Jethro, who so admired them that he rejected all his previous belief systems and adopted the Torah.
It is often confounding to hear great figures in the world and in history praise the Jews to no end while knowing how much vile anti-Semitism there is and has been. Why all the hullabaloo about a tiny nation which for the lion's share of history has had no sovereignty or power? These passages of last week's and this week's portions reveal this template that has been in existence since ancient times. Crazy as it sounds, it's possible to explain this phenomenon as a combination of all three emotions: fear and admiration creating hate in some instances.
We pray for the era of understanding of the Almighty wherein the admiration will increase to the point of triumph over fear and hate. As the prophet declares: כי מלאה הארץ דעה את השם
"the land will be filled with the knowledge of the Almighty''.
TriBeCa Synagogue has now fully reopened the office and service schedule.
This Shabbat we bless the new month of Adar; Rosh Chodesh will be next Friday and Saturday. The Molad, or Mean Conjunction, will be next Friday at 6:19am with 4 Chalakim.
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