Parshat Yitro: The unified commitment

It is quite uncommon for the entirety of the Jewish people to agree about something. I would venture to bet that all of the Jews agree to the historical and national significance of the Land of Israel, but not all Jews agree as to the validity of the State of Israel (this disagreement is a shame).

All Jews agree that Hebrew is a Jewish language. But not all agree that it’s “the” Jewish language. (ditto)

Moshe tells G-d’s words to the people, “And the entire nation responded, united, and they said, ‘All that G-d has spoken we will do!’ And Moshe returned the words of the people to G-d.” (19:8)

The Midrash (Pesikta) notes that “they did not answer thus in adulation or with flattery, one answering for the other. Rather they answered united with one heart. Even though we have not heard all of the things (all that He has commanded us – Midrash Sechel Tov adds) – we will do them.”

A very rare unified voice!

Were they really unified?

The Alshich explains that there are two schools of thought in understanding their collective declaration. Either they believed Moshe’s words because G-d had spoken them – everything that you have said in G-d’s name we will do. Or, all that G-d has surely (‘vadai’) said we will do – as long as we know it’s from Him, to the exclusion of what you have said of your own accord. In other words – we want to hear it specifically from Him.

The Alshich notes that Moshe understood them to mean the first interpretation (unified with Moshe), while G-d understood they had in mind the second interpretation (unified in not wanting to hear from Moshe). G-d’s response, therefore, was “to come down in a cloud” (19:9), because they don’t believe you, Moshe, and I want them to believe you. My coming in the cloud is so they can hear Me speaking to you.

The whole premise of these “possibilities” is disturbing, particularly in light of the verse right before the Az Yashir song, “And they believed in G-d and in Moshe his servant.” (14:31)

Perhaps it goes back to the question made famous by the Marx Brothers, “Who are you going to believe? Me, or your own eyes?” They believed in Moshe at the Sea. But they still didn’t believe him at Sinai. Until, apparently, the cloud came down on the mountain.

Rabbenu Bachaye notes the Talmudic tale of G-d lifting the mountain over them (Shabbos 88a), explaining that the pressure was to accept the Oral Law. But the Written Law was accepted willingly, with a great desire, with joy and gladdened hearts.

It is known, however, that despite all these acceptances and promises, it is literally impossible for any person to fulfill all of the mitzvot of the Torah. Some are only for men, some for women, some for Kohanim, some for Leviim, some only for Yisraelim. [To bring one simple example: Many people never get divorced and thus never write a get.] The Meshech Hokhmah notes that the acceptance here is to do the mitzvot that are relevant to each individual’s circumstance. Otherwise, the acceptance is to learn about and understand the details of the commandments one cannot fulfill.

What is included in “all that G-d has spoken?” Is it everything that was said until that point? Was it a commitment to what will soon be spoken, exchanged between Moshe and G-d, and subsequently heard by the people? Did it include all that would be recorded in the Tanakh (24 books of the Bible)?

According to the Talmud (Berakhot 5a), all of the ideas recorded in the Bible were given over at Sinai to be recorded in written form later on. This idea is elaborated upon in the Machzor Vitri (Chapter 424).

One of the important teachings of the Torah is “not to desecrate My name” (Vayikra 22:32). One of the important teachings recorded in the Prophets is, “He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord demands of you; but to do justice, to love loving-kindness, and to walk discreetly/humbly with your G-d” (Micha 6:8).

With the “yeshiva break” behind us, as life returns to its normal routine, it is incumbent upon us to ask ourselves if in our travels we demonstrated our commitment to “Do all that G-d said,” “not to desecrate G-d’s name,” and “to walk humbly with our G-d.”

When away from home, some people tend to let the “doing all G-d said” part of our lives slide a bit, some tend to be loud and obtrusive, to call attention to themselves, or forget that when not in one’s usual environment, one does not blend in and go unnoticed. On the contrary, we are more scrutinized than in our home environments because we are clearly visitors. (Your choice to believe me or your own eyes!)

If we are truly committed to doing all G-d said, we must take a very careful “cheshbon hanefesh” (reflection) and resolve to be models of “Kiddush Hashem” (sanctifying G-d’s name) behavior, wherever future journeys may take us.

Following the thought of the Meshech Hokhmah, these are commitments we can all relate to, as they are incumbent upon all of us. Hopefully, united, we can all agree on this one!