The Nation of Israel is lauded for its high degree of devotion by accepting the Torah without knowing what was in it. On the other hand the rational responses given by the other nations of the world seems to portray a more responsible approach. Rabbi Carmell probes to the roots of the differences in thought and intent.
The Sages teach that us that one reason we went to exile was to pick up the high souls of non-Jews that have potential for becoming Jewish. Hear what the Torah's deeper attitude is towards gentiles. Join Rabbi Ari Kahn he explores the Torah's portrayal of different non-Jews to show all the parts of the completed puzzle that will eventually fall into place.
Yisro was the ‘Priest of Midian.’ One opinion said he was the top idol worshipper, the other said a very strong leader. And why would Moshe willingly allow his first born son be raised without Jewish training? Then there was the ultimate chutzpah of Amalek’s attack from behind. And what advice did Pharaoh get from his three advisors. One was Bilam who said to exterminate the Jews. The second was Yisro who told Pharaoh he doesn’t stand a chance, and the third was Job, who was neutral, but as a result he was forced to lose everything he had. Why such a heavy judgement?
Why was the story of Yisro's conversion to Judaism taken out of its historical order, and placed instead before the giving of the Torah was related? In order to understand the answer in its full depth, we need to explore what catalyst caused Yisro, one of the most respected religious personalities of the world at the time, to leave behind his prestige to follow G-d. And what does this teach us about the Torah's ability to address all kinds of people, and the myriad character traits within them?
Yisro was terribly confused by two news items that reached him regarding the Jewish people. The first was G-d's all powerful strength in ushering the Jews out of Egypt, and the second was about how vulnerable the Jewish nation was against the Amalekites - which seems to show a chink in G-d's total control. Hear how Moses was able to bridge Yisro's disparate ideas, as well as teach us the enormous amount we can accomplish if only our goals were united.
Accepting the Torah is a big proposition when we take into account all of the myriad laws and expectations that comes along with. Rabbi Wagensberg helps dissipate our overwhelmed feelings as he guides us on the Jewish way of taking things little by little in order to reach the greater goals we set before ourselves.
Yisro's fears about not measuring up to the Jewish Nation's high standards after they crossed Yam Suf are the same emotions we can expect when setting our sights on greater goals. Rabbi Wagensberg compares our initiatives to the same steps Yisro took when he elevated his own ability to soar.
Have you ever been put in a position where your integrity was put to the test? If you would only divulge private information about a coworker, you would be able to hold on to your job and even get a raise. What is the right course of action? In this talk, Rabbi Wagensberg teaches us about the iron will we need to maintain, in order to do the right thing.
What did Yisro 'hear' that attracted him to the Jewish camp in the desert? Rav Noah explains the following: 'You are either with the Jews, or against them.' As we gain clarity on the harsh negativity most people have towards Jews, a new power is created to help you make positive changes in your life.
Why should a person avoid the privilege of presiding over a court case, or shy away from handing down a judgment? Rabbi Zweig takes us back to Yisro's wise counsel in the desert regarding judges, and pins down the function of a judicial personality. This rule also applies to much of our own interpersonal relationships.