פָּרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ

Parshat Yitro tells of the giving of the Torah at Har Sinai. It opens with Yitro, Moshe's father-in-law, who comes to the camp with Tzipporah and her sons, hears all that Hashem did, blesses Him, and brings offerings. Seeing Moshe judge the people alone from morning to night, he advises him to appoint officers of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens to judge the small matters, so that Moshe can bring the great ones to G-d and teach the people the statutes. Moshe does as he says.

In the third month the people camp before Har Sinai. Hashem offers them the covenant — you will be My treasure among the peoples, a kingdom of kohanim and a holy nation — and all the people answer, "All that Hashem has spoken we will do." They sanctify themselves for three days; a boundary is set around the mountain. On the third day, with thunder, lightning, a heavy cloud, fire, smoke and a shofar blast that grows ever stronger, Hashem comes down on Har Sinai and speaks the Aseret HaDibrot, the Ten Commandments, to the whole nation: I am Hashem your G-d; no other gods; do not take My name in vain; remember Shabbat; honor your father and mother; do not murder, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, or covet. The people, trembling, ask Moshe to speak with them instead of G-d, and stand far off while Moshe approaches the darkness. The parsha ends with the first laws given afterward: no gods of silver and gold, and the altar of earth or unhewn stone. Perakim 19–20 are read on the first day (Only day in Israel) of Shavuot.