By Shalom Olensky
This week in the Torah:
Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, formerly a pagan priest and governor of Midian, now blesses G-d for all the wonders He has wrought the Jews. Jethro acknowledges G-d as the Supreme Being above and greater than all else. This is followed by G-d giving the Torah to the Jews at Mt. Sinai.
Zohar:
Jethro’s acknowledgement of G-d made it possible for G-d to give the Torah.
Rashi:
Jethro came to the Jews because he heard of the splitting of the sea and of the war with Amalek.
Questions:
What praise is there for Jethro in the Torah’s description of his aforementioned former lifestyle? Why was G-d’s giving of the Torah dependent on Jethro? Why the aforementioned emphasis of the splitting of the sea over all the other miracles of the Exodus? And “the war with Amalek”? Was it not the victory over Amalek that impressed Jethro?
Preface:
The true negation of idolatry involves great intellect. For idolatry implies that Divinity is attributed to many and sophisticated powers. Negating idolatry means understanding that every power and intermediary between G-d and us, is really nothing. It is but the “chisel in the hand of the Craftsman”.
Answers:
Jethro’s extensive involvement in idolatry means that he knew great knowledge of the different powers throughout the universe. This is great wisdom, although idolatrous. When he converted to the faith in one G-d, he transformed all that knowledge into holy wisdom.
The giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai involved the fusion of physicality and spirituality. Therefore this was aptly prefaced by Jethro’s conversion of the formerly profane into holiness.
Jethro knew this was possible because of the transformation of sea into dry land, which represents a spiritual metamorphosis as well. Jethro also knew that he was needed to complete this process from the fact that there were still forces of evil such as Amalek who attacked the Jews – “the war with Amalek.”
Lesson:
Man’s mission on Earth is to utilize the spiritual strength from study and prayer each morning, to bring holiness into the ordinary as well, by seeing and knowing G-dliness in the ordinary as well.
(Based on Likkutei Sichos Vol. 11, Yisro)
