24 Shevat 5781
February 6, 2021

Parashat Yitro
“Jethro”

Here are the Torah, Haftarah and suggested Brit Chadasha (New Testament) and Tehillim (Psalms) readings for this week.

• Exodus 18:1-20:23(26)
• Isaiah 6:1-7:6, 9:5(6)-6(7) (A)
• Isaiah 6:1-13 (S)
• Matthew 5:8-20
• Psalm 19

The Torah of Adonai is perfect, restoring the soul.
The testimony of Adonai is trustworthy, making the simple wise.
The precepts of Adonai are right, giving joy to the heart.
The mitzvot of Adonai are pure, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of Adonai is clean, enduring forever.
The judgments of Adonai are true and altogether righteous.
(Psalm 19:8-10 TLV)

The seven aliyot readings from the Torah begin at these verses:

1. Exodus 18:1
2. Exodus 18:13
3. Exodus 18:24
4. Exodus 19:1
5. Exodus 19:7
6. Exodus 19:20(A) 19:14 (S)
7. Exodus 20:15(18) (A) 19:20 (S)

Maftir: Exodus 20:19(22) (A) 20:21(24) (S)

In Yitro

The Key People are Yitro (Jethro), Moshe (Moses), Tsiporah (Zipporah). Gershom, El’azar (Eleazer), and Aharon (Aaron).

The Scenes include the wilderness of Sinai and Mount Sinai.

The Main Events include Yitro hearing what God has done, rejoicing, and giving Moshe advice to delegate part of his duties as judge; the LORD coming down on Mt. Sinai and speaking the Ten Commandments, the people trembling, and Moshe approaching God alone.

Now the entire Mount Sinai was in smoke, because Adonai had descended upon it in fire. The smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace. The whole mountain quaked greatly. When the sound of the shofar grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him with a thunderous sound. Then Adonai came down onto Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. Adonai called Moses to the top of the mountain, so Moses went up.
(Exodus 19:18-20 TLV)

The Haftarah

In the year of King Uzziah’s death, I saw Adonai sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the Temple. Seraphim were standing above Him. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. One called out to another, and said: “Holy, holy, holy, is Adonai-Tzva’ot! The whole earth is full of His glory.” Then the posts of the door trembled at the voice of those who called, and the House was filled with smoke.
(Isaiah 6:1-4 TLV)

The Brit Chadasha

Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets! I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. Amen, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or serif shall ever pass away from the Torah until all things come to pass. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps and teaches them, this one shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 5:17-19 TLV)

Torah Portion readings and the associated Haftarah readings generally follow the Stone Edition Chumash and/or the Complete Jewish Bible. Verse numbering generally follows the Hebrew tradition, and where modern Christian traditions differ those verse numbers are shown in parentheses (). Haftarah readings generally follow the Ashkenazi tradition. Where the Sephardic tradition differs, the Haftarah portions are designated as (A) and (S). Suggested New Testament readings are taken from various sources. Suggested Psalm readings are from the Messianic Siddur for Shabbat by Daniel Perek. The Key People, The Scenes, and The Main Events are taken from the Walk! series of Messianic Devotion Commentaries by Dr. Jeffrey Enoch Feinberg. Scripture taken from the Tree of Life Version (TLV) © 2015 by the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society. Used by permission of the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.