It’s a little-known fact that the Shema used to be four paragraphs long. Back then, the first paragraph read was the Asseret Hadibrot. But then the time came when this was systematically opposed by the Sages. Why did they object to it? The Talmud says it was because of the “Jewish sectarians” who argued that only the Ten Commandments were binding, because only they were received by the Israelites directly from God at Mount Sinai. The other laws were received through Moshe, and this sect held that they were Moshe’s own invention, and therefore not binding. Our rabbis were opposed to giving special prominence to the Ten Commandments. So they removed them from the Siddur. But the story does not end there.
So special were the Ten Commandments to Jews that they found their way back. Rabbi Yosef Karo argued that the ban only applies to reciting them publicly during the service, so they could be said privately afterwards. That is where you find them today in most Siddurim – immediately after Shacharit.
Given that we do not say the Ten Commandments during public prayer, should we give them special honour when we read them from the Torah, whether on Shavuot, or in the weeks of Yitro and Vaetchanan? Should we stand when they are being read?
Rambam found himself involved in a controversy over this question. He received a letter from a member of a shul where the custom was to stand during the reading of the Ten Commandments. Then their new rabbi ruled that it was wrong to stand, and the community obeyed. Years later another man became the shul rabbi. This rabbi stood, and told the congregation to do likewise. Some did. Some did not, since their previous rabbi had ruled against. Who was right? Rambam had no doubt. Exactly the logic that barred it from the daily prayers should be applied to the reading of the Torah. The Ten Commandments should be given no special prominence. The community should stay sitting. Thus ruled Rambam. However, sometimes even great rabbis have difficulty being heard. Then as now, most communities – even those in Rambam’s Egypt – stood.
So despite strong attempts by the Sages, and even Rambam, to ban any custom that gave special dignity to the Ten Commandments, Jews kept finding ways of doing so. They brought it back into daily prayer by saying it privately, and they continued to stand while it was being read from the Torah despite Rambam’s ruling.
Ordinary Jews had a passion for the Ten Commandments. They were the distilled essence of Judaism. They were heard directly by the people from the mouth of God himself. They were the basis of the covenant they made with God at Mount Sinai, calling on them to become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. That is why they were originally said immediately prior to the Shema, and why despite their removal from the prayers Jews continued to say them – because their recital constituted a daily renewal of the covenant with God. That too is why Jews insisted on standing when they were being read from the Torah, because when they were being given, the Israelites “stood at the foot of the mountain.”
Jews kept searching for ways of recreating that scene, by standing when they listened to it from the Torah and by saying it privately after the end of the morning prayers. Despite the fact that they knew their acts could be misconstrued by heretics, they were too attached to that great epiphany – the only time in history God spoke to an entire people – to treat it like any other passage in the Torah. The honour given to the Ten Commandments was the custom that refused to die.
Around the Shabbat Table
Questions to Ponder
How might the experience of receiving these laws as a group have affected Bnai Yisrael?
How do you think it felt to hear God’s voice on Har Sinai? Why did it make such a lasting impression?
What does the Shema debate tell us about the relationship between written Torah and the Oral Tradition?
On the Parsha
Written by Sara Lamm
Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
The Parsha in a Nutshell
Two pivotal moments in Jewish history take place in Parshat Yitro. First, Moshe’s father-in-law Yitro advises him to appoint a team of leaders, to help him with his workload. Second, Bnai Yisrael stand at Har Sinai and become a holy nation. It happens on the sixth of Sivan, seven weeks after Yetziyat Mitzrayim, when they receive the Ten Commandments. The entire people are there to hear God’s voice, although the intense nature of this direct Divine revelation leads the people to request that all further teachings be delivered through Moshe.
Philosophy of Rabbi Sacks
Delving Deeper
At the heart of Jewish tradition lies an enduring love for the Ten Commandments, revealing how ordinary Jews have, time and time again, found ways to honour these Divine words despite rabbinical restrictions.
Initially part of daily prayers, they were removed by rabbis who worried that sectarians would use their special status to claim they were the only binding laws. Yet the Jewish people’s deep connection to these commandments—the only laws heard directly from God at Mount Sinai—proved stronger than official rulings. They continued finding creative ways to preserve their special place in tefilah by reciting them privately after services or standing during their Torah reading.
What about the story of the Ten Commandments resonates with you today?
Parsha Activity
What's Your Story?
Family members take turns selecting an object - it could be something meaningful like a Kiddush cup, or something very ordinary like a rubber band. Each person then either shares the object’s true family history or invents an elaborate, funny “family story” about it. Others can add to the tale, making it even more entertaining.
What one tradition or object from your life would you most want to pass down to future generations?
A Story for the Ages
An Eternal Scroll
In Romania, many years ago, there lived a kind man named Yaakov who had beautiful orchards and vineyards. He was so thankful for all his blessings that he decided to use some of his wealth to have a special Torah scroll written. He invited a holy scribe to live on his farm for a whole year to write it perfectly, letter by letter.
But then dark times came during World War II. Yaakov’s son Shaul knew he had to protect this precious Torah scroll. He carefully wrapped it and buried it deep in the ground to keep it safe from those who wanted to destroy it.
Sadly, by the time the war ended, Shaul was the only person from his family to have survived. But there was one other survivor – the Torah scroll he had buried. Shaul returned home and retrieved the Torah. He was dismayed to see that some of its letters had faded from being underground, but he knew that it was still holy and special. He wrapped it up again, and kissed it.
Years later, Shaul and his new family had the chance to escape to Israel, but they were told that they could only take 15 pounds of belongings. How could they decide what to bring? Shaul and his wife said farewell to most of their things, and packed just some clothes and this special Torah scroll. Safe in Israel, they started their life again, almost from scratch, and although they were very poor, Shaul worked hard to have the Torah restored for his son’s Bar Mitzvah.
Today, this Torah scroll sits in a place of honour in his grandson Rabbi Yaakov’s home. Why did they choose to devote so much to this scroll? Because it teaches us something beautiful: Torah values life, not just on parchment but in our hearts and actions, passed down from generation to generation.
What object in our home tells an important story about our family?
What story do the Ten Commandments tell about the Jewish people?
On the Haftara
Written by Rabbi Barry Kleinberg
Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
A summary
The Haftara in a Nutshell
Isaiah 6:1-7:6 and 9:5-6 (Ashkenazim) Isaiah 6:1-13 (Sephardim) Isaiah 6:1-13 and 9:5-6 (Yemenites)
In Isaiah 6:1–7:6 we read the description of the prophet Isaiah’s (Yeshayahu’s) vision of God on His heavenly throne, surrounded by seraphim (angels, described in some detail) proclaiming His holiness. Isaiah feels unworthy, but then a seraph touches his lips with a coal from the altar, a symbol of cleansing. God calls for a messenger, and Isaiah volunteers, receiving a commission to warn Israel of coming judgment for their stubbornness.
In Isaiah 7, King Achaz faces threats from Retzin king of Aram and Pekah king of Israel. Isaiah assures him that these enemies will not prevail and urges trust in God.
Isaiah 9:5–6 foretells the birth of a child (probably Achaz’s son Chizkiyahu) who will bring peace and establish an eternal, just kingdom. This child is described with titles like “Mighty God is Planning Wonders,” “Eternal Father,” and “Prince of Peace,” indicating Divine intervention and hope for Israel’s future.
Do you know of any midrashic stories where hot coals touch a person’s lips?
Points to Ponder
How does Jewish practice allow for times when we should be spiritual and other times when we need to be more mundane?
How can we see God’s purpose in our everyday (mundane) lives?
Tanach Connections
Parsha and Haftara Links
At first glance it is unclear why the Haftara is made up of what appears to be 3 distinct sections from the book of Isaiah. The first section (Chapter 6) leaves Isaiah with the task of doing God’s work on earth.
The second section (Chapter 7) he accomplishes this work with his mundane advice to Ahaz to stand firm against his enemies. In the final section (Chapter 9) the climax is reached when God’s message is carried to all, when justice will be achieved in the kingship of Achaz’s son Chizkiyahu.
Following this structure, the distinct parts of the Haftara are brought together as a miniature view of God’s plan, mixing the visionary with the earthly elements.
We can see a similar vision unfolding in this week’s Parsha. In the first section (Shemot 18) Yitro gives down-to-earth advice to Moshe on how to administer justice. The second section (Shemot 19) contains the preparation for the revelation at Sinai and the giving of the ten commandments. The final section (Shemot 20:21-23) reverts to the mundane matter of the building of the altar.
Both the Parsha and Haftara teach us that neither the individual prophet, nor the Jewish People as an entity can live on a high visionary plane. At some point, they must come down to earth and engage with the world if they are to fulfil God’s purpose. “For the first time in history, we can fulfil God’s great challenge to Abraham, God’s great challenge to Isaiah.”
Putting the Prophets into Context
The Book of Isaiah
Rabbi Sacks drew parallels between three great leaders found in Tanach, Moshe, Yeshayahu, and Yirmiyahu. He wrote that there were three characteristics that made all of them great leaders.
The first point is that they were all prophets of hope. Even in their darkest moments they were able to see through the clouds of disaster to the clear sky beyond. They were not optimists. There is a difference between optimism and hope. “Optimism is the belief that things will get better. Hope is the belief that if we work hard enough, together we can make things better.”
The second characteristic that made Moshe, Yeshayahu, and Yirmiyahu different was that they delivered their criticism with love. Isaiah said in the name of God perhaps the loveliest words ever spoken to the Jewish people:
“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, My unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor My covenant of peace be removed.”
Third, Moshe, Yeshayahu, and Yirmiyahu were the three Prophets who, more than any others, spoke about the role of Jews and Israel in the context of humanity as a whole.
Quote of the Week
“Great leaders are great not just because they care for their own people – everyone except a self-hater does that – but because they care for humanity.”
How can we elevate everyday activities to the level of the spiritual?
Written as an accompaniment to Rabbi Sacks’ weekly Covenant & Conversation essay, the
Family Edition
is aimed at connecting teenagers with his ideas and thoughts on the parsha.
With thanks to the Schimmel Family for their generous sponsorship of Covenant &
Conversation, dedicated in loving memory of Harry (Chaim) Schimmel.
“I have loved the Torah of R’ Chaim Schimmel ever since I first encountered it. It
strives to be not just about truth on the surface but also its connection to a
deeper truth beneath. Together with Anna, his remarkable wife of 60 years, they
built a life dedicated to love of family, community, and Torah. An extraordinary
couple who have moved me beyond measure by the example of their lives.” — Rabbi
Sacks
The Custom That Refused To Die
Family Edition
Yitro
Inspired by the teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
Download PDF
Main Essay
Yitro
The Custom that Refused to Die
Read More >
Read In
Share
The Summary
This is an abridged version of the essay The Custom that Refused to Die, written by Rabbi Sacks in 2012.
It’s a little-known fact that the Shema used to be four paragraphs long. Back then, the first paragraph read was the Asseret Hadibrot. But then the time came when this was systematically opposed by the Sages. Why did they object to it? The Talmud says it was because of the “Jewish sectarians” who argued that only the Ten Commandments were binding, because only they were received by the Israelites directly from God at Mount Sinai. The other laws were received through Moshe, and this sect held that they were Moshe’s own invention, and therefore not binding. Our rabbis were opposed to giving special prominence to the Ten Commandments. So they removed them from the Siddur. But the story does not end there.
So special were the Ten Commandments to Jews that they found their way back. Rabbi Yosef Karo argued that the ban only applies to reciting them publicly during the service, so they could be said privately afterwards. That is where you find them today in most Siddurim – immediately after Shacharit.
Given that we do not say the Ten Commandments during public prayer, should we give them special honour when we read them from the Torah, whether on Shavuot, or in the weeks of Yitro and Vaetchanan? Should we stand when they are being read?
Rambam found himself involved in a controversy over this question. He received a letter from a member of a shul where the custom was to stand during the reading of the Ten Commandments. Then their new rabbi ruled that it was wrong to stand, and the community obeyed. Years later another man became the shul rabbi. This rabbi stood, and told the congregation to do likewise. Some did. Some did not, since their previous rabbi had ruled against. Who was right? Rambam had no doubt. Exactly the logic that barred it from the daily prayers should be applied to the reading of the Torah. The Ten Commandments should be given no special prominence. The community should stay sitting. Thus ruled Rambam. However, sometimes even great rabbis have difficulty being heard. Then as now, most communities – even those in Rambam’s Egypt – stood.
So despite strong attempts by the Sages, and even Rambam, to ban any custom that gave special dignity to the Ten Commandments, Jews kept finding ways of doing so. They brought it back into daily prayer by saying it privately, and they continued to stand while it was being read from the Torah despite Rambam’s ruling.
Ordinary Jews had a passion for the Ten Commandments. They were the distilled essence of Judaism. They were heard directly by the people from the mouth of God himself. They were the basis of the covenant they made with God at Mount Sinai, calling on them to become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. That is why they were originally said immediately prior to the Shema, and why despite their removal from the prayers Jews continued to say them – because their recital constituted a daily renewal of the covenant with God. That too is why Jews insisted on standing when they were being read from the Torah, because when they were being given, the Israelites “stood at the foot of the mountain.”
Jews kept searching for ways of recreating that scene, by standing when they listened to it from the Torah and by saying it privately after the end of the morning prayers. Despite the fact that they knew their acts could be misconstrued by heretics, they were too attached to that great epiphany – the only time in history God spoke to an entire people – to treat it like any other passage in the Torah. The honour given to the Ten Commandments was the custom that refused to die.
Around the Shabbat Table
Questions to Ponder
On the Parsha
Written by Sara Lamm
Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
The Parsha in a Nutshell
Two pivotal moments in Jewish history take
place in Parshat Yitro. First, Moshe’s father-in-law Yitro advises him to appoint a team of leaders, to help him with his workload. Second, Bnai Yisrael stand at Har Sinai and become a holy nation. It happens on the sixth of Sivan, seven weeks after Yetziyat Mitzrayim, when they receive the Ten Commandments. The entire people are there to hear God’s voice, although the intense nature of this direct Divine revelation leads the people to request that all further teachings be delivered through Moshe.
Philosophy of Rabbi Sacks
Delving Deeper
At the heart of Jewish tradition lies an enduring love for the Ten Commandments, revealing how ordinary Jews have, time and time again, found ways to honour these Divine words despite rabbinical restrictions.
Initially part of daily prayers, they were removed by rabbis who worried that sectarians would use their special status to claim they were the only binding laws. Yet the Jewish people’s deep connection to these commandments—the only laws heard directly from God at Mount Sinai—proved stronger than official rulings. They continued finding creative ways to preserve their special place in tefilah by reciting them privately after services or standing during their Torah reading.
Parsha Activity
What's Your Story?
Family members take turns selecting an object - it could be something meaningful like a Kiddush cup, or something very ordinary like a rubber band. Each person then either shares the object’s true family history or invents an elaborate, funny “family story” about it. Others can add to the tale, making it even more entertaining.
What one tradition or object from your life would you most want to pass down to future generations?
A Story for the Ages
An Eternal Scroll
In Romania, many years ago, there lived a kind man named Yaakov who had beautiful orchards and vineyards. He was so thankful for all his blessings that he decided to use some of his wealth to have a special Torah scroll written. He invited a holy scribe to live on his farm for a whole year to write it perfectly, letter by letter.
But then dark times came during World War II. Yaakov’s son Shaul knew he had to protect this precious Torah scroll. He carefully wrapped it and buried it deep in the ground to keep it safe from those who wanted to destroy it.
Sadly, by the time the war ended, Shaul was the only person from his family to have survived. But there was one other survivor – the Torah scroll he had buried. Shaul returned home and retrieved the Torah. He was dismayed to see that some of its letters had faded from being underground, but he knew that it was still holy and special. He wrapped it up again, and kissed it.
Years later, Shaul and his new family had the chance to escape to Israel, but they were told that they could only take 15 pounds of belongings. How could they decide what to bring? Shaul and his wife said farewell to most of their things, and packed just some clothes and this special Torah scroll. Safe in Israel, they started their life again, almost from scratch, and although they were very poor, Shaul worked hard to have the Torah restored for his son’s Bar Mitzvah.
Today, this Torah scroll sits in a place of honour in his grandson Rabbi Yaakov’s home. Why did they choose to devote so much to this scroll? Because it teaches us something beautiful: Torah values life, not just on parchment but in our hearts and actions, passed down from generation to generation.
On the Haftara
Written by Rabbi Barry Kleinberg
Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
A summary
The Haftara in a Nutshell
Isaiah 6:1-7:6 and 9:5-6 (Ashkenazim)
Isaiah 6:1-13 (Sephardim)
Isaiah 6:1-13 and 9:5-6 (Yemenites)
In Isaiah 6:1–7:6 we read the description of the prophet Isaiah’s (Yeshayahu’s) vision of God on His heavenly throne, surrounded by seraphim (angels, described in some detail) proclaiming His holiness. Isaiah feels unworthy, but then a seraph touches his lips with a coal from the altar, a symbol of cleansing. God calls for a messenger, and Isaiah volunteers, receiving a commission to warn Israel of coming judgment for their stubbornness.
In Isaiah 7, King Achaz faces threats from Retzin king of Aram and Pekah king of Israel. Isaiah assures him that these enemies will not prevail and urges trust in God.
Isaiah 9:5–6 foretells the birth of a child (probably Achaz’s son Chizkiyahu) who will bring peace and establish an eternal, just kingdom. This child is described with titles like “Mighty God is Planning Wonders,” “Eternal Father,” and “Prince of Peace,” indicating Divine intervention and hope for Israel’s future.
Points to Ponder
Tanach Connections
Parsha and Haftara Links
At first glance it is unclear why the Haftara is made up of what appears to be 3 distinct sections from the book of Isaiah. The first section (Chapter 6) leaves Isaiah with the task of doing God’s work on earth.
The second section (Chapter 7) he accomplishes this work with his mundane advice to Ahaz to stand firm against his enemies. In the final section (Chapter 9) the climax is reached when God’s message is carried to all, when justice will be achieved in the kingship of Achaz’s son Chizkiyahu.
Following this structure, the distinct parts of the Haftara are brought together as a miniature view of God’s plan, mixing the visionary with the earthly elements.
We can see a similar vision unfolding in this week’s Parsha. In the first section (Shemot 18) Yitro gives down-to-earth advice to Moshe on how to administer justice. The second section (Shemot 19) contains the preparation for the revelation at Sinai and the giving of the ten commandments. The final section (Shemot 20:21-23) reverts to the mundane matter of the building of the altar.
Both the Parsha and Haftara teach us that neither the individual prophet, nor the Jewish People as an entity can live on a high visionary plane. At some point, they must come down to earth and engage with the world if they are to fulfil God’s purpose. “For the first time in history, we can fulfil God’s great challenge to Abraham, God’s great challenge to Isaiah.”
Putting the Prophets into Context
The Book of Isaiah
Rabbi Sacks drew parallels between three great leaders found in Tanach, Moshe, Yeshayahu, and Yirmiyahu. He wrote that there were three characteristics that made all of them great leaders.
The first point is that they were all prophets of hope. Even in their darkest moments they were able to see through the clouds of disaster to the clear sky beyond. They were not optimists. There is a difference between optimism and hope. “Optimism is the belief that things will get better. Hope is the belief that if we work hard enough, together we can make things better.”
The second characteristic that made Moshe, Yeshayahu, and Yirmiyahu different was that they delivered their criticism with love. Isaiah said in the name of God perhaps the loveliest words ever spoken to the Jewish people:
“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, My unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor My covenant of peace be removed.”
Third, Moshe, Yeshayahu, and Yirmiyahu were the three Prophets who, more than any others, spoke about the role of Jews and Israel in the context of humanity as a whole.
Quote of the Week
“Great leaders are great not just because they care for their own people – everyone except a self-hater does that – but because they care for humanity.”
Leadership at a Time of Crisis, Masei, Covenant & Conversation, Lessons in Leadership series
Further Ponderings
How can we elevate everyday activities to the level of the spiritual?
Written as an accompaniment to Rabbi Sacks’ weekly Covenant & Conversation essay, the Family Edition is aimed at connecting teenagers with his ideas and thoughts on the parsha.
With thanks to the Schimmel Family for their generous sponsorship of Covenant & Conversation, dedicated in loving memory of Harry (Chaim) Schimmel.
Music, Language of the Soul
< PreviousComing Soon
More on Yitro
Deed and Creed
To Thank Before We Think
Particular Paths to a Universal God
Mount Sinai and the Birth of Freedom