Yitro 5772

This week’s parashah is called Yitro, the name of Moses’ father-in-law, who arrives at the Israelite encampment.  The first version of the Decalogue (so-called Ten Commandments, see my commentary on Parashat Ki Tissa) appears in this parashah, which begins as follows:  “I the Lord am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage” (Ex. 20:2). 

Unlike the following nine “commandments”, which clearly establish what should or should not be done for their fulfillment; this one does not tell us what is expected of us, in the literal sense.

The study of comparative texts suggests that this passage is similar to the prologue of the ancient vassalage treaties of the Hittites, where the Lord reminded his subjects of his benevolent deeds, before proclaiming their obligations. 

However, throughout history, several scholars have posed a different interpretation, trying to extract a Mitzvah from the first “commandment”.

We find an example of this in Rambam (Maimonides, Spain, 12th century), who in his Sefer haMitzvot begins by affirming that the first of the 613 precepts is to believe in God, based on our verse:

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (Germany, 19th century), in his Torah commentary, explains this verse similarly: 

Both Rambam, by placing the “belief in God” as the first of all the mitzvot, and Hirsch, by using the concept of “yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven” (which is followed by the “yoke of the precepts”), understand that faith occupies a central place in the Jewish experience, always provided it is associated to the “works of faith”.  For both, faith is the source from which the entire scaffolding of the mitzvoth arises.

From this perspective, we may affirm that the First “Commandment” is what gives the theoretical framework to the other nine.  The others constitute lines of conduct, which emanate from the theoretical statement of the former.

And in this sense, we can also turn the equation around and say that, only to the extent that we fulfill the last nine “Commandments”, are we capable of honoring the first one.  In other words, our faith is ultimately expressed through our actions; in the words of Rabbi Abraham J. Heschel (USA, 20th century):  “We do not have faith because of our deeds; we may achieve faith by means of holy works” (God in Search of Man).

Perhaps because of this, Jewish tradition emphasizes actions more than creed, for when the time comes to choose between the two, undoubtedly the former take priority.

This premise is marvelously outlined in the words that Rabbi Hiyya (Tiberias, beginning of the 3rd century) attributes to God Himself:  “Better that they (the children of Israel) abandon Me, and continue to observe My laws” – explaining immediately after – “because through observance of My laws they will return to Me” (Jerusalem Talmud, Hagigah 1:7).

“I the Lord am your God.”  May our daily actions bear witness to this.

Shabbat Shalom,

Gustavo