Parshas Yisro
Shemot 18.1 - 20.23

Moshe Our Teacher ©

By Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk

This study of the weekly parsha is dedicated in loving memory to Mr. Mordechai and Mrs. Augusta Litman, may they rest in peace.

In Parshas Yisro we read, Vih Heez Har Taw {caution / enlighten} Eht Hehm {Them} Ehs - Hah Chu Keem {from Aleph to Tav [in] the statutes} Vih Ehs - Hah Toh Rohs {and from Aleph to Tav [in] the Laws} Vih Hoh Dah Taw {and impart} Law Hehm {to them} Eht - Hah Deh Rehk {from Aleph to Tav [in] the [Jewish] path} Yayl Choo {[that] they must walk} Baw {in it} Vih Ehi - Hah Mah Ah Seh {and from Aleph to Tav [in] the deed... action... practice...} Ah Shehr {that} Ya Ah Soon {they must do}. Shemot 18.20

Caution / enlighten them from Aleph to Tav[in] the statutes and from Aleph to Tav[in] the Laws and impart to them from Aleph to Tav[in] the [Jewish] path [that] they must walk in it and from Aleph to Tav[in] the deed... action... practice that they must do.

Caution / Enlighten them [in every one of] the statutes and [in every one of] the Laws and impart to them [everything in] the [Jewish] path [that] they must walk in it and [in every one of] the deeds... actions... practices that they must do.

Here we have shown the impact of the most common Word in Torah, Eht, which consists of the letters Aleph and Tav. The Aleph is the first letter of the Aleph Bet {Hebrew Alpha Bet} and the Tav is the last letter of the Aleph Bet.

The delineation here is very great and very important. Beyond any verse in Torah this clearly establishes five points. First, it establishes Moshe as the teacher of B'nei Yisroel. Second, it establishes the instruction of Moshe. Beyond this important fact, we observe the third point, that as Jews we are to walk in the Jewish Path. The Jewish Path is NOT an 'if' or a 'choice'. It is a requirement for every Jew!! The Torah Says, ...and impart to them [everything in] the [Jewish] path [that] they must walk in it... In addition to these two extremely important facts we must reexamine the first word of this verse, Vih Heez Har Taw. Now Rashi interprets Vih Heez Har Taw to mean {enlightenment}. This is also correct because in the center letters of Vih Heez Har Taw are the exact order for the letters of the word Zoh Hahr {brightness... light... brilliance... / to enlighten}. So this is the source from which we add the meaning enlighten.

Now the fourth point is incredibly significant. The fourth point is the foundation to Jewish Teaching: Be extremely thorough! Jewish education is predicated upon thoroughness... The Eht which represents everything from the Aleph to the Tav is representative of this absoluteness. Nothing can be left out. Nothing can be omitted! All points and facts must be included. This fact is reinforced by the very last word of this verse Ya Ah Soon {they must do}. The actual root word is Aw Soo {do}. However, with the Nun added to the conclusion, Aw Soo becomes Ah Soon. The significance is great. Rabbi Elie Munk interprets this to mean that one should go beyond the strict letter of the law.

The fifth point {fact} is that Moshe recorded every detail about observing the Statutes... the Law... the Jewish Path... and the Deeds... Actions... and practices every Jew is required to observe in the Torah of Hashem. While other books may be instructive the Torah is the ONLY BOOK where we can learn of our obligations as Jews and as Spiritualists. This is why we as Jews and as Spiritualists MUST be so very careful not to be drawn to other books. We must be absolute in our observance of Torah. If other books or teachings differ with our Torah then we must recognize their inferiority the Torah.

Wishing you the best!

Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk