From the Rabbi

One can imagine when the nations of the world heard about the miraculous Exodus and redemption of the Jewish People as they left Egypt. Perhaps these individuals sat down to read their morning newspaper as they cradled a fresh cup of coffee in their hands. The headlines likely read, in big bold letters: Red Sea Miraculously Splits Open as Newly Liberated Nation of Israel Crosses to Safety. During the Ten Plagues, they probably saw the following headline: Egypt Afflicted with Bloody Nile as Pharaoh Stubbornly Refuses to let the Israelites Go Free. These people from over 2000 years ago probably read the articles with great interest, and then went out to tend to their farms or their flocks, as they commenced their long day in the fields. By the time they got home, exhausted from a long day’s work, they likely completely forgot about the morning’s headlines as they went to sleep. 

Similarly, for many of us, when we read something inspiring, or hear something impactful, we smile, momentarily feel excited and happy, and then we carry on with our day as usual. 

Not so with Yisro. The Parsha begins, this week, by telling us “When Yisro, the priest of Midian, Moshe’s father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moshe, and for Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt…Yisro, Moshe’s father in law, came, with his sons and his wife to Moshe into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God.”

Yisro did not just read about his incredible story. He did not just allow the news to enter in one ear, and leave out the other ear. He literally changed his life, as he leaves his dwelling place to go join up with his son-in-law Moshe, and the Jewish nation. 

I have often wondered why this week’s parsha, perhaps the most seminal parsha in the Torah in which every single member of the Jewish People literally hears G-d speak at Mt. Sinai as He reveals Himself to our entire Nation and gives us the Torah– why is this Parsha named after none other than Moshe’s father-in-law Yisro– the idolatrous priest who was the world renowned expert on everything idolatry-related? 

Perhaps the answer is that he taught us the fundamental lesson of how to process inspiration. When we hear something meaningful– when we get inspired– the time to act is not tomorrow, or the next day. Those days will never come. When we are inspired, the time to act is right now. We cannot delay, because we will inevitably lose the inspiration and remain stagnant. 

Parenthetically, it is like, theoretically, if your football team hosts an AFC Championship Game against a much inferior opponent. The time to step up, win the game by kicking a measly field goal and advance to the Super Bowl is NOW.  Who knows the next time such an opportunity will come? But, I digress. 

Yisro teaches us that when we are blessed with inspiration, we must act immediately.

May we all be blessed not only with regular jolts of inspiration, but also with the ability to act immediately when the inspiration comes our way. 

A Good Shabbos to all!