The Sacred Order Israel today

Jethro had a parsha named after him in the Torah.

Many verses in the parsha are devoted to his words.

Its importance is further emphasized by the fact that the affair of Jethro precedes the great affair of Mount Sinai.

Why did Jethro win such a prestigious place?

Jethro comes to visit the Israel camp.

While there he witnessed the routine of people's lives and Moshe's function as a leader and judge.

In front of Moses' tent a huge crowd of people lurks, and Jethro wonders: "What is this thing that you are doing to the people. Why are you sitting alone and all the people are torn to pieces."

Moses explains to Jethro that the people come to him "to seek God," and also to judge one another according to the laws of God.

Jethro understands the paramount importance of Moses' occupation, but recognizes a tremendous difficulty in performing such a role by only one person for an extended period of time, and says to Moses:

And immediately he offers Moses a hierarchical legal system in which Moses will bring the word of the people to God and outline to the people "the way they will walk in it and the deed which they will do."

For the purpose of conducting the trials between one man and another, Jethro offers Moses to appoint worthy people who will be "ministers of thousands", "ministers of hundreds", "ministers of fifty" and "ministers of tens" who will be available to judge the people at all times.

Accessibility and prompt treatment of disputes between a man and his friend will prevent, on the one hand, the collapse of Moses under the burden, and on the other hand: "And all this people for their place will come in peace."

That is, once the conflict is resolved, each person will be able to continue his other pursuits in peace (according to the interpretation of the Ramban).

Jethro turns out to be an excellent organizational man.

It becomes a divided and dispersed people into an organized community.

The advancement of the Jethro affair to Mount Sinai can teach that in order for Israel to be worthy of receiving Torah - they must act as a healthy community, a community that has order and justice.

Only in this way "will all this people, in their place, come in peace." 

The regular Avraham, a lawyer, lives in Ashkelon.

Lover of literature and the Bible. Married, father of two children and grandfather of seven grandchildren

Vocabulary

Will come to its place in peace

Jethro proposes a reorganization of the legal system and tells Moses - if you do so, "and all this people in their place will come in peace" (Exodus 18:22).

Ibn Ezra explains it this way - when Moses alone judges the people, the justice system may not always be available.

That is why sometimes people who come to the door of Moses will return home in conflict.

Only when the system can give an answer - "Now everyone will come to their place that they have encamped in peace."

When there is a solution to the conflict, anyone can get an answer and return home satisfied.

Jethro's words signify his proposal to bring order to the chaos, to turn chaos into peace and quiet.

Hence the expression in Hebrew is used for a problem that comes to its good solution - "after efforts everything comes to its place in peace". 

Writing: Daniel Shereshevsky

In collaboration with 929 - an Israeli cultural project led by Rabbi Bnei Lau, which makes the Bible accessible in open discourse www.929.org.il

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