Yitro Parashat

This week’s parashat is the 5th parashat in the book of Shemot also called Exodus, and is called Yitro which means ‘His Excellence’.

Bullet Point Summary

– Yitro Moshe’s father-in-law took Moshe’s wife and 2 sons and went to him when he heard all YHWH did
– Moshe told Yitro all that YHWH did for them and Yitro rejoiced and blessed YHWH
– The next day all the people came before Moshe to judge matters and Yitro asked him why
– Yitro said he shall appoint judges that fear Elohim, men of truth who hate coveting to help him
– Moshe appointed judges and they judged the small matters and he judged the great matters
– Yisra’el came to Mount Sinai and Moshe went up to talk with YHWH
– YHWH tells Moshe to tell the people if they shall obey Him they shall be His people
– Moshe told the people all YHWH said and they said all he has spoken we will do
– YHWH told Moshe to sanctify the people for the third day when YHWH will speak to the people
– On the 3rd day there was thunder, lightning, and a thick cloud on the mountain and the voice of a trumpet
– YHWH called Moshe up to the mountain and warned him not to let the people break through
– Elohim spoke all these words saying I am YHWH who brought you out of Egypt
– You shall have no other elohim before me
– You shall not have, make, or worship any idols
– You shall not take the name of YHWH in vain
– Remember the sabbath, 6th days you shall work but the 7th day is the sabbath of rest
– Honor your father and mother
– You shall not murder
– You shall not commit adultery
– You shall not steal
– You shall not lie
– You shall not covet
– The people saw the thunderings and told Moshe he should speak to Elohim and they would listen to him
– Moshe drew near to the thick darkness and YHWH told him to tell Yisra’el not to make elohim of silver and gold
– YHWH commands Moshe how to build an altar for Him
Haftarah – YHWH prepares to send YeshaYahu to the people

Parashat Text with Readers and Daily Portions (Reader 1 Starts on Saturday Evening)

Yitro “His Excellence”
Ex 18:1 – 20:26 , Is 6:1 – 7:6,9:6-7

Reader 1 (Saturday Evening Portion)

Exo 18:1 When Yitro, the priest of Midyan, Moshe’s father in law, heard of all that Elohim
had done for Moshe, and for Yisra’el His people, and that YHWH had brought Yisra’el out of
Mitzrayim;
Exo 18:2 Then Yitro, Moshe’s father in law, took Tzipporah, Moshe’s wife, after he had sent
her back,
Exo 18:3 And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have
been a stranger in a strange land:
Exo 18:4 And the name of the other was Eli’ezer; for the Elohim of my father, said He, was
my help, and delivered me from the sword of Par’oh:
Exo 18:5 And Yitro, Moshe’s father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moshe into
the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of Elohim:
Exo 18:6 And he said unto Moshe, I, your father in law Yitro am come unto you, and your
wife, and her two sons with her.

(Sunday Morning Portion)

Exo 18:7 And Moshe went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him;
and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.
Exo 18:8 And Moshe told his father in law all that YHWH had done unto Par’oh and to the
Mitzrayim for Yisra’el’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and
how YHWH delivered them.
Exo 18:9 And Yitro rejoiced for all the goodness which YHWH had done to Yisra’el, whom
He had delivered out of the hand of the Mitzrayim.
Exo 18:10 And Yitro said, Blessed be YHWH, who has delivered you out of the hand of the
Mitzrayim, and out of the hand of Par’oh, who has delivered the people from under the hand
of the Mitzrayim.
Exo 18:11 Now I know that YHWH is greater than all elohim: for in the thing wherein they
dealt proudly He was above them.
Exo 18:12 And Yitro, Moshe’s father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for Elohim:
and Aharon came, and all the elders of Yisra’el, to eat bread with Moshe’s father in law
before Elohim.

Reader 2 (Sunday Evening Portion)

Exo 18:13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moshe sat to judge the people: and the
people stood by Moshe from the morning unto the evening.
Exo 18:14 And when Moshe’s father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is
this thing that you do to the people? why sit you yourself alone, and all the people stand by
you from morning unto even?
Exo 18:15 And Moshe said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to
enquire of Elohim:
Exo 18:16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and
another, and I do make them know the statutes of Elohim, and His laws.

(Monday Morning Portion)

Exo 18:17 And Moshe’s father in law said unto him, The thing that you do is not good.
Exo 18:18 You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you: for this
thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it yourself alone.
Exo 18:19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give you counsel, and Elohim shall be with you:
Be you for the people to Elohim-ward, that you may bring the causes unto Elohim:
Exo 18:20 And you shall teach them ordinances and laws, and shall show them the way
wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
Exo 18:21 Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear Elohim,
men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and
rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
Exo 18:22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great
matter they shall bring unto you, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier
for yourself, and they shall bear the burden with you.
Exo 18:23 If you shall do this thing, and Elohim command you so, then you shall be able to
endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

Reader 3 (Monday Evening Portion)

Exo 18:24 So Moshe hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
Exo 18:25 And Moshe chose able men out of all Yisra’el, and made them heads over the
people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

(Morning Portion)

Exo 18:26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto
Moshe, but every small matter they judged themselves.
Exo 18:27 And Moshe let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.

Reader 4 (Tuesday Evening Portion)

Exo 19:1 In the third month, when the children of Yisra’el were gone forth out of the land of
Mitzrayim, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
Exo 19:2 For they were departed from Refidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and
had pitched in the wilderness; and there Yisra’el camped before the mount.

(Wednesday Morning Portion)

Exo 19:3 And Moshe went up unto Elohim, and YHWH called unto him out of the
mountain, saying, Thus shall you say to the house of Ya’akov, and tell the children of
Yisra’el;
Exo 19:4 You have seen what I did unto the Mitzrayim, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings,
and brought you unto myself.
Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you
shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Exo 19:6 And you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the
words which you shall speak unto the children of Yisra’el.

Reader 5 (Wednesday Evening Portion)

Exo 19:7 And Moshe came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces
all these words which YHWH commanded him.
Exo 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that YHWH has spoken we will
do. And Moshe returned the words of the people unto YHWH.
Exo 19:9 And YHWH said unto Moshe, Lo, I come unto you in a thick cloud, that the people
may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever. And Moshe told the words of the
people unto YHWH.
Exo 19:10 And YHWH said unto Moshe, Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and
tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes,
Exo 19:11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day YHWH will come down in the
sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai.
Exo 19:12 And you shall set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to
yourselves, that you go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever touches
the mount shall be surely put to death:
Exo 19:13 There shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through;
whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet sounds long, they shall come
up to the mount.
Exo 19:14 And Moshe went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the
people; and they washed their clothes.
Exo 19:15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your
wives.

(Thursday Morning Portion)

Exo 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and
lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the shofar exceeding loud; so
that all the people that were in the camp trembled.
Exo 19:17 And Moshe brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with Elohim; and
they stood at the nether part of the mount.
Exo 19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because YHWH descended upon it
in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount
quaked greatly.
Exo 19:19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder,
Moshe spoke, and Elohim answered him by a voice.

Reader 6 (Thursday Evening Portion)

Exo 19:20 And YHWH came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and YHWH
called Moshe up to the top of the mount; and Moshe went up.
Exo 19:21 And YHWH said unto Moshe, Go down, charge the people, lest they break
through unto YHWH to gaze, and many of them perish.
Exo 19:22 And let the priests also, which come near to YHWH, sanctify themselves, lest
YHWH break forth upon them.
Exo 19:23 And Moshe said unto YHWH, The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai: for you
charged us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
Exo 19:24 And YHWH said unto him, Away, get you down, and you shall come up, you, and
Aharon with you: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto
YHWH, lest He break forth upon them.
Exo 19:25 So Moshe went down unto the people, and spoke unto them.
Exo 20:1 And Elohim spoke all these words, saying,
Exo 20:2 I am YHWH your Elohim, which have brought you out of the land of Mitzrayim,
out of the house of bondage.
Exo 20:3 You shall have no other elohim before me.
Exo 20:4 You shall not make unto you any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is
in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 You shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them: for I YHWH your
Elohim am a jealous Elohim, visiting the lawlessness of the fathers upon the children unto
the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my
commandments.
Exo 20:7 You shall not take the name of YHWH your Elohim in vain; for YHWH will not
hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shall you labor, and do all your work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of YHWH your Elohim: in it you shall not do
any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant,
nor your cattle, nor your stranger that is within your gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is,
and rested the seventh day: wherefore YHWH blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exo 20:12 Honor your father and your mother: that your days may be long upon the land
which YHWH your Elohim gives you.

Reader 7 (6th Day Friday Morning Double Portion)

Exo 20:13 You shall not murder.
Exo 20:14 You shall not commit adultery.
Exo 20:15 You shalt not steal.
Exo 20:16 You shalt not bear false witness against your neighbour.
Exo 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, you shall not covet your neighbor’s
wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor any thing that
is your neighbor’s.
Exo 20:18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the
shofar, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood
afar off.
Exo 20:19 And they said unto Moshe, Speak you with us, and we will hear: but let not
Elohim speak with us, lest we die.
Exo 20:20 And Moshe said unto the people, Fear not: for Elohim is come to prove you, and
that His fear may be before your faces, that you sin not.
Exo 20:21 And the people stood afar off, and Moshe drew near unto the thick darkness
where Elohim was.
Exo 20:22 And YHWH said unto Moshe, Thus you shall say unto the children of Yisra’el,
You have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
Exo 20:23 You shall not make with me elohim of silver, neither shall you make unto you
elohim of gold.
Exo 20:24 An altar of earth you shall make unto me, and shall sacrifice thereon your burnt
offerings, and your peace offerings, your sheep, and your oxen in all places where I record
my name I will come unto you, and I will bless you.
Exo 20:25 And if you will make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone: for
if you lift up your tool upon it, you have polluted it.
Exo 20:26 Neither shall you go up by steps unto my altar, that your nakedness be not
discovered thereon.

Haftarah (Shabbat Evening Portion)

Isa 6:1 In the year that king Uzziyahu died I saw also Adonai sitting upon a throne, high and
lifted up, and His train filled the temple.
Isa 6:2 Above it stood the serafim: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, and
with two he covered his feet, and with two he did fly.
Isa 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is YHWH Tsebeoth: the
whole earth is full of his glory.
Isa 6:4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of Him that cried, and the house was
filled with smoke.
Isa 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I
dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, YHWH
Tsebeoth.
Isa 6:6 Then flew one of the serafim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had
taken with the tongs from off the altar:
Isa 6:7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this has touched your lips; and your
lawlessness is taken away, and your sin purged.
Isa 6:8 Also I heard the voice of Adonai, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?
Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Isa 6:9 And He said, Go, and tell this people, Hear you indeed, but understand not; and see
you indeed, but perceive not.
Isa 6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and
convert, and be healed.
Isa 6:11 Then said I, Adonai, how long? And He answered, Until the cities be wasted without
inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
Isa 6:12 And YHWH has removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst
of the land.
Isa 6:13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and
as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be
the substance thereof.
Isa 7:1 And it came to pass in the days of Achaz the son of Yotam, the son of Uzziyahu, king
of Yahudah, that Retzin the king of Syria, and Pekach the son of Remalyahu, king of Yisrael,
went up toward Yahrushalayim to war against it, but could not prevail against it.
Isa 7:2 And it was told the house of Dawid, saying, Syria is confederate with Efrayim. And
his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with
the wind.
Isa 7:3 Then said YHWH unto Yeshaiyahu, Go forth now to meet Achaz, you, and
She’ar-Yashuv your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the
fuller’s field;
Isa 7:4 And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the
two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Retzin with Syria, and of the son
of Remalyahu.
Isa 7:5 Because Syria, Efrayim, and the son of Remalyahu, have taken evil counsel against
you, saying,
Isa 7:6 Let us go up against Yahudah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and
set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tav’el:
Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon
his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty Elohim, The
everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne
of Dawid, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with
justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of YHWH Tsebeoth will perform this.
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