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The first mitzvah is the obligation to know—with clear, reasoned conviction—that there is a living G-d, that He is the One Who brought us out of Egypt, and that our existence is bound to His ongoing hashgachah (providence) at every moment.
We are commanded to rest on the Shabbat. This commandment, which is repeated numerous times in the Torah, also applies to our livestock and slaves.
Parshas Yisro marks the transition from redemption to revelation, as the newly freed nation is shaped into a covenantal people bound by law, responsibility, and awe. Yisro, Moshe’s father-in-law, arrives after hearing of Hashem’s deliverance of Yisrael, recognizes Hashem’s supremacy, and offers counsel that transforms leadership from solitary burden into a structured system of justice shared by capable, G-d-fearing judges. The parsha then moves to the encampment at Har Sinai, where Yisrael is summoned into covenant and defined as a mamleches kohanim v’goy kadosh. Amid thunder, fire, and trembling, Hashem reveals Himself publicly and gives the Aseres HaDibros, establishing the foundations of faith, morality, Shabbos, human dignity, and social order. Overwhelmed by direct revelation, the people step back in fear, learning that Divine closeness demands boundaries, reverence, and disciplined approach. Parshas Yisro thus presents Torah not as abstract belief, but as lived structure—law joined to awe, freedom anchored by obligation, and holiness expressed through both ethical command and reverent restraint.
Each essay examines central themes in Torah and Halachah through classical and modern sources, tracing the development of ethical and spiritual concepts across the Parsha and the 613 mitzvos.
Readers are invited to engage critically and contemplatively — to explore how enduring principles of faith, law, and character formation continue to inform Jewish life today.
Access the most recent essays below, or view the complete collection in the Divrei Torah archive.
Tefillah—our daily connection to Hashem Yisborach—is more than routine.
Through prayer, we pause to reflect, give thanks, and ask with intention. Each word in the siddur holds eternal meaning, guiding us to align our hearts and minds. Explore the structure, purpose, and depth of Jewish prayer—one moment at a time.
Tefillah Section COMING SOON—our daily connection to Hashem Yisbarach—is more than routine.
Through prayer, we pause to reflect, give thanks, and ask with intention. Each word in the siddur holds eternal meaning, guiding us to align our hearts and minds. Explore the structure, purpose, and depth of Jewish prayer—one moment at a time. (The Tefillah section is under development)
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