Parashas Yisro: "Make for Me an altar of earth"

 

 

"Make for Me an altar of earth"

(Exodus 20:21)

 

Shevat 19, 5786/February 6, 2026

 

 

Parashat Yitro begins and ends with scenes that can be best described as down to earth. All that transpires in between is anything but. Yitro opens with a family reunion, as Yitro, Moshe's father-in-law, arrives at Israel's Mount Sinai encampment, bringing with him his daughter, (Moshe's wife), Tzipporah, and her two sons by Moshe, Gershom and Eliezer. Moshe is informed and promptly goes out to meet his father-in-law, bowing before him and kissing him. One feels the warmth of family relations as the two sit down to discuss all that has happened since last they met. Yitro is overjoyed by Israel's miraculous salvation by the hand of HaShem, the G-d of Israel, and in his joy cries out "Baruch HaShem - May G-d be blessed!," an utterance that has since become shorthand for gratitude for all that good that G-d has done and constantly does for us, each and every moment of our lives. The family get-together grows as Aharon and the elders join Moshe and Yitro for a festive meal and offerings to G-d. The atmosphere being conveyed is so inviting that we, reading these words some three thousand and five hundred years later, feel as if we were among the honored guests. 

 

The end of parashat Yitro is a type of reprise of the opening scene, albeit on a slightly more exalted level: "HaShem said to Moshe: Thus shall you say to the children of Israel: You yourselves saw that I spoke to you from the very heavens: With Me, therefore, you shall not make any gods of silver, nor shall you make for yourselves any gods of gold. Make for Me an altar of earth and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your sacrifices of well-being, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you." (Exodus 20:21-22) In essence, an invitation by HaShem, to yet another family gathering. 

 

What takes place in between these two homey scenes is, of course, the prelude to and the presentation of the Ten Commandments. HaShem has meticulously planned this occasion, presenting detailed instructions to Moshe as to how the people are to prepare, and preceding His one time, personal, direct pronunciation of the Ten Commandments to Israel with thunder and lightning, thick clouds, smoke and trembling earth, and an ever increasing sound of an unseen shofar, unseen, yet, nevertheless, visually perceived by the people: "All the people saw the thunder and lightning, the blare of the horn and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they fell back and stood at a distance." (ibid 20:15) Yes, Israel was terrified by HaShem's display of celestial grandeur, and justifiably so. This was no simple light and sound show. This was not CGI or AI generated. This was G-d playing with His creation like a child plays with a toy. The earth was shaking beneath their feet and the sky was smouldering above their heads. Of course the people were terrified. HaShem's intention was not, of course, to simply frighten the people for fright's sake. HaShem wanted to gain the people's attention. Not just some of the people, but all of the people. Not just the menfolk, but the women, too. Not just the elders, but the young folk, also. Not just the educated or the sophisticated, but the simple folk, as well. G-d wanted, and received the absolute attention of every single soul that stood there that day at Sinai. For G-d was presenting Israel with a covenant between Him and the entire nation of Israel, to the exclusion of none. Their absolute focus and attention was required. They needed to know what they were signing on for.

 

G-d got the people's attention, and, as we will witness in next week's Torah reading, the people unanimously agreed to all the terms contained in the covenant of Torah, even those that they had not yet received or understood. Little wonder that Matan Torah - the receiving of Torah at Sinai - is compared to a marriage. When we marry our soul mate we are in-all-the-way, with the knowledge that there is so much more to discover about one another, and with the promise that we will keep our vows to one another, come what may.

 

But now that the ceremony has ended, and the eternal covenant between G-d and Israel has been agreed upon by both parties, G-d realizes the need to return to the quiet that preceded the giving of the Torah. As pointed out above,  "All the people saw the thunder and lightning, the blare of the horn and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they fell back and stood at a distance." So frightened were they that they pleaded with Moshe, “You speak to us... and we will obey; but let not G-d speak to us, lest we die.” (ibid 20:16) Moshe explains to the people what we have discussed above, “Be not afraid; for G-d has come only in order to test you, and in order that the fear of G-d may be ever with you, so that you do not go astray.” (ibid 20:17) G-d employed shock and awe in order to focus the people on His message to them: the Ten Commandments, which, to this day, present for us the does and do nots of how to live a good life in peace and harmony with one another, giving honor to one another, and under the blessed dominion of HaShem, the One True G-d of Israel: "Anochi HaShem your G-d - I HaShem am your G-d." (ibid 20:2)

 

But now it's time to return to earth, to return to the familiar, because that is where the real work of fulfilling our part of the covenant is to take place - not in heaven but on earth. Not in the thick cloud or the thunderous roar of a shofar, but here on solid ground. Hence G-d's invitation: "HaShem said to Moshe: Thus shall you say to the children of Israel: You yourselves saw that I spoke to you from the very heavens: With Me, therefore, you shall not make any gods of silver, nor shall you make for yourselves any gods of gold. Make for Me an altar of earth and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your sacrifices of well-being, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you." (ibid 20:19-21)

 

We recall that it was Adam, (as per Midrash), who first built an altar and made offerings to HaShem, followed by his two sons, and later, Noach, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. Building an altar and making offerings to HaShem was man's idea. It was man's way of reaching out to HaShem, of making contact with Him and engaging in a relationship with Him. In the beginning of our parashah, on the morning following their festive meal, Yitro observed Moshe standing alone and opposite him a long line of people seeking Moshe's wisdom in settling differences. Yitro told Moshe, “The thing you are doing is not good - lo tov - you will surely wear yourself out..." (ibid 18:18) The expression lo tov - not good - is employed only twice in the entire Torah. The first time was when G-d said "It is not good that man is alone." (Genesis 2:18) Yitro's message to Moshe is the same: it is not good that you alone judge the people. Appoint others to help you.

 

This message - it is not good for man to be alone - is the motivating message behind the giving of the Torah and living a life of Torah. It is not good to be alone. We need one another, and together, we need G-d. Creation was made for partnership. Life is made for partnership. G-d required celestial bells and whistles to make this point to Israel in a way that we will never forget. But once we have received Torah at Sinai it is now our job to bring G-d into our lives, into our reality, even in family get-togethers and festive meals. And even upon an altar made of earth - not ethereal heaven - but earth, where G-d will see and bless us.