The Torah portion this week is perhaps one of the most ‘dramatic’ and central in all of the Torah, ‘Yitro,’ (Exodus chapters 18 through 20), named because it first mentions Yitro (aka ‘Jethro’, Moses’ father-in-law), but which also includes the first ‘mass download’ of the Ten “Debarim” — ‘words’, or ‘sayings’, from the Hebrew, but often called the Ten Commandments in English. Even if people like to argue about how to number them, or whether some of all even still apply.

And yet again, the first words of the first of all of them is “Anochi YHVH Eloheka!”.

On Erev Shabbat, Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa goes into that, and more:

During the Sabbath day ‘more-in-depth’ study, Mark can’t help but note that there’s without question something VERY vital in this parsha — even if too many men who think they know what “God SHOULD have Written instead” would prefer to tickle the ears of gullible people with ‘unsound doctrine’ — but, at the same time, if we understand the times and the seasons, might get overlooked amid worries about mass genocide, empty store shelves, and World War 3.

Don’t make that mistake.

The Sabbath day teaching explains why.


“Yitro: The Ten Debarim – and the Truly Nasty – why NOW It Matters More than Ever”

The combined two-part podcast is here: