Guest Columnists

Moses wasn’t telling Yitro anything he didn’t know. Rather, he was trying to see if his father-in-law really possessed the mettle to join G‑d’s people.

"How do we break 'out of the box' and not end up like Mr. Smith, suggesting dumb ideas to the fisherman? Jethro, our parshah’s titular character, knew the answer"

G‑d’s compassion was not based on our “deserving” it. And that is the deep reality of compassion: It is not earned; rather, it is given.

Jethro (or Yitro or Yisro) was a Midianite priest and the father-in-law of Moses. He is mentioned three times in the Pentateuch, once in the Prophets and in numerous places in rabbinic literature. Let us learn what we can about this fascinating figure.

On my first trip to Israel in 1978, my traveling companion wanted to climb Mt. Sinai . . .

“And [Moses] was there [on Mount Sinai] with G‑d forty days and forty nights; bread he did not eat and water he did not drink” (Exodus 34:28). Very interesting. Have you ever tried it?

If G-d transcends all limitation and definition, and religion is a set of laws and rituals and a list of things that one must or must not do, why would the way to relate to G-d be to impose further restriction and definition on our already finite and constricted lives?

They entered me like tiny pieces of a puzzle that found the space, or impression, that was carved exactly to fit their dimensions. Then they would snap together, forming sentences and paragraphs and concepts...

Kabbalah was bursting colorfully in the air like a fireworks display...

One might reasonably suppose that since oxen and pits are facts of life, the Torah must implement laws to govern their many possible interactions. In fact, the situation is just the reverse . . .

Why did the Almighty choose the imagery of an eagle to describe His love for and providence over us? One question - five explanations

Ultimately, no one can change our lives but we. Just as alcohol can not solve one’s emotional challenges, inspiration can not take the place of effort.

If G‑d was trying to give His best credentials to His newly acquired nation, why would He choose to mention the exodus? Isn't the creation of the heavens and earth a far greater feat?

Personal well-being enhances public service. How does one strike that balance?

We are a nation that argues. A lot.

Finding the balance betwee the love and fear of G‑d.

Imagine the accomplishment of being present wherever you are, giving one hundred percent to your loved ones, your prayer, your study, your work, and your colleagues.

Do you ever fantasize about making a bold change in your life, perhaps starting a new career or moving to another city?

Yitro was a leader, scholar and a mystic; Moses was a fugitive on the run, and had not yet had a G-dly revelation. Yitro was an idolater, Moses a monotheist. How did the two get along?

Any successful speaker will tell you that you need to speak your audience's language. "When in Finland," the saying goes, "start with Finish." But why does G-d start the Ten Commandments in Egyptian?

Two sages of the Talmud debate whether the Jews actually saw heavenly thunder at the giving of the Torah.

When you delegate thoughtfully, you turn delegates into partners, not just employees.

Rabbinic enactments take us beyond the strict letter of the law, reflecting the deep, innate Jewish desire to cleave to God's ways.

On the plane of the soul there can be no criterion by which to determine who is higher and who is lower. As a result, it can truly be said that “all the people in the community are holy.”

For generations, the commentators have struggled with this story. : Why would Moses not have come to this realization on his own?