This week's Torah portion recounts the story of the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. Curiously, though, it is not named "Sinai," or "Ten Commandments," or even "Moses," but "Yitro," or "Jethro," referring to the father-in-law of Moses, who helped him delegate judicial authority.
The Ten Commandments include an injunction to honor your mother and father. It does not mention mothers- or fathers-in-law. Therefore it is even more curious that the portion is named for an in-law. It could be a sign that in-laws are to be included in the general category of honored parents.
Another possibility is that the Torah is telling us that in-laws have a different, but no less important, role to play. We all know the jokes about fraught relationships with in-laws; these can be difficult relationships, and usually lack the intimacy of relationships between biological parents and children.
At the same time, in-laws can offer their own unique insights, and are worth learning from, even if there is some emotional distance -- and even if, as in this case, Jethro is from a different group, and practiced (at one point) a different religion. The Torah is telling us that in-laws deserve a special kind of respect.
This is the portion that all journalists should love: the Torah tells the story of the 12 spies, only two of whom tell the truth when the other ten shade it in a negative away (perhaps to suit a political agenda that is opposed to Moses).
It's not that the ten "lying" spies misconstrue the facts about the Land of Israel; rather, they interject their opinions that the land is impossible to conquer, which strikes unnecessary terror into the hearts of the people.
We have many examples of such fake news today -- from the Iranian propaganda outlets spreading false claims that they are winning the war, to California politicians spreading false horror stories about ICE raids in L.A.
The people realize, too late, that they have been fooled, and once they are condemned to die in the desert, they try to rush into Israel -- only to be defeated by the inhabitants, as the spies predicted that they would be.
But as consolation, God gives the people new commandments -- focused on things they must ...
This week's portion discusses the procedure for lighting the menorah, the holy seven-branched lamp, in the Tabernacle (and later the Temple). It also describes an episode where the people crave meat, and God punishes them by giving it to them in excess. We also read the story of Miriam, Moses's sister, who is punished with the spiritual skin blemish of tzara'at for speaking about her brother, thus violating the prohibition against lashon hara (evil tongue).
I heard a fantastic sermon this week about the lighting of the menorah: that while only the priests were qualified to clean and purify the menorah, anyone could light it. A reminder that each of us can inspire others along the way.
This week we study the vow of the Nazirite; a reminder that sometimes trying to be too holy is excessive, and the best we can do is to be the best that we are.
https://www.chabad.org/parshah/torahreading_cdo/aid/2495720/p/complete/jewish/Naso-Torah-Reading.htm
