As we arrive at Parshat Yitro together, we are struck by the quiet boldness of the moment that leads into revelation. Before the thunder and the commandments, the Torah pauses for a conversation with an outsider, a seeker, Moshe's father-in-law who watches closely and speaks honestly. Yitro reminds us that wisdom does not belong to one people or one voice, and that leadership requires humility as much as vision. Moses, poised between worlds and shaped by many cultures, listens and learns, allowing human judgment, shared responsibility, and communal buy in to take root before divine law is given. It feels deeply intentional that Torah cannot be received in isolation, but only within a system that values people, process, and perspective.

As the Ten Statements follow, we feel the tension between awe and closeness, between coercion and choice, playing out in our own lives as well. God introduces Himself not as creator of the universe but as the One who took us out of Egypt, grounding faith in lived experience rather than abstraction. We are reminded that law without relationship is hollow, and relationship without responsibility is fragile. Reading Yitro this way, we are invited to honor wisdom wherever it appears, to stay open to voices beyond our own circles, and to remember that covenant is renewed not only at the mountain but every time we choose to listen, to judge fairly, and to take part in shaping a living tradition together.

For more reading, here is this year's blog post about the parsha:

https://miko284.com/2026/02/05/like-a-bird-tzipor-a-for-parashat-yitro/