I am so grateful for Waze. 

I have a terrible sense of direction and being told something is East of that or South of the other makes me shake my head in confusion. 

(It only works in Manhattan where there is a grid.)

Navigating through new terrain is really a challenge for me and many a time I break into a sweat and my breath becomes a  bit ragged as I consider whether to go left or right.

My husband has tried to help me with this challenge with some wonderful advice, by suggesting that once I have ascertained which way I should go, I should then do the opposite, as that is most probably the way to go.

Thank goodness for GPS.

This week’s Torah portion is called Yitro. It is named after the father in law of Moses who was a religious leader at the time. 

The Zohar, foundational book of Jewish mysticism, teaches that Yitro was the highest ranking priest of idol worship. All the other priests were waiting to see his reaction to the miracles that had occurred and they would follow his lead. 

When Yitro heard about the splitting of the sea and the Jewish people successfully overcoming their first battle against the nation of Amalek, he left his home and joined the Jewish nation on their journey. 

Yitro’s reaction was unique. 

Despite the fact that the entire civilized world knew of the miracles that had occurred they were not moved to action. 

Yitro took the miraculous phenomena to heart.

And then he took it one step further by actively joining the Jewish people. 

He clearly knew which way to go. 

He teaches us that it’s not enough to hear about cataclysmic events, they must inspire us to  move forward on the right path. 

Yitro also teaches us another lesson. 

As he drew near to the encampment of the Jewish people, the Parsha describes a seemingly minor detail. 

Moses had been separated from his family and now Yitro was going to bring them to rejoin Moses. 

The Torah mentions that Yitro sent a message to Moses saying

“I, your father in law Yitro,  am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her”. This Parsha contains within it the Ten Commandments, the Gd given principles that will shape humanity forever. 

Why does the Torah take the time to share the seemingly irrelevant “telegram” that Yitro sent in advance of his arrival?

The Seforno, 16th century commentator answers that the purpose of communication was just to inform Moses that they were coming. As opposed to just barging in, and appearing unexpectedly, without warning, Yitro made sure to politely communicate his arrival. 

His mother taught him well. 

Perhaps this Seforno is difficult to understand. 

Of course one would not unexpectedly intrude on a friend or neighbor, but a long lost family member? 

Wouldn’t Moses have been thrilled to see his family?

The Seforno understands from this communication that  we need to take extreme care to be thoughtful and polite with everyone, even with family members. 

Yitro understood this nuance and therefore was courteous and wanted Moses to have the opportunity to be prepared so he sent him a message in advance. 

This is therefore a proper preamble to the giving of the Ten Commandments. 

The Torah is our GPS system, it provides the wisdom we need to navigate the nuances of daily life. If we follow the wisdom within, and note the signposts and directions supplied, we will find our way to the solutions we need to live an uplifted and meaningful life. 

The Torah can only be given in such an environment, where the care and a nuanced, deep concern for another’s feelings is paramount. 

Even in the smallest details. 

The Chazon Ish, the 20th century Jewish leader, was expected at a community event. When he did not appear a delegation was sent to his home to fetch the elderly sage. They were surprised to see the Rabbi deep in conversation with a couple. They were even more surprised when they realized the conversation was focused on the seemingly mundane details regarding the inventory of the store the couple was hoping to open. 

Finally the conversation concluded and the Rabbi escorted the couple to the door. After they left, the Rabbi  explained to the waiting delegation that this young couple he had spent so much time with were Holocaust survivors who had married in a DP camp and recently arrived in Israel. They had very little money and needed advice regarding establishing a business. They were about to open a haberdashery store and wanted to review the inventory they hoped to purchase. 

The Rabbi took their confidence very seriously and reviewed each item carefully. 

He realized he had kept people waiting but it was his responsibility to help ensure the financial security of these people who had endured so much. And he concluded his explanation by saying that all the people who were waiting for him were equally responsible for the couple’s welfare and by waiting patiently they shared in the mitzva of ensuring the financial security of these survivors. 

The Torah points out that being a sensitive person is necessary to being able to properly accept and have a relationship with the Torah. Then, with the Torah as our guide,  we can undertake the journey and find our purpose...even without Waze. 

We won’t be lost. 

Shabbat Shalom and so much love!