MISHPATIM: The Rights Of A Jewish Wife

The Ketuba, the Jewish marriage document, states the obligations of the husband towards his wife (see more here). The groom declares to his bride that he is taking her formally as his wife “according to the law of Moses and Israel”, implying that he accepts all the responsibilities of a Jewish husband.

In our week’s Parsaha Mishpatim, the Tora established the three main duties of the husband towards his wife.

1. she-erah: to provide his wife with sustenance
2. kesutah: to supply her clothing and lodging
3. ‘onatah: to be intimate with her

1. She-erah. The first responsibility of the husband is to maintain his wife financially. This is the first of the three duties stated in the Tora (Exodus 21:10). In the language of the rabbis, is called “mezonot” (food, i.e., alimony/aliment= food).

A few illustrations from Maimonides, based on the ancient traditions brought by the Talmud

MT, Ishut 12:10-11: The husband is obligated to supply food for his wife and children, according to his material means. A husband who is poor should provide only two meals a day, and a wealthy husband should provide nutritious foods (meat, fish, or whatever is the local custom) to his wife (and household every day.

MT, Ishut 12:16-17: If a husband leaves his home for a business trip overseas (in ancient days people would travel overseas for months or years, with virtually no possibility of communication) and the wife is left with no means to obtain food, the rabbinical court might seize and sell the husband’s assets to provide food for his wife and children, provided that at least three months have passed since the husband left. It was assumed that thoughtful husbands would leave sustenance for their families for at least 90 days.

2. Kesutah. Literally means “her clothing”. The Jewish husband is obligated to provide his wife with appropriate clothing, bedding, furniture and a place of residence.

Illustrations:

Clothes: The husband has to supply his wife with appropriate clothing for each season of the year. Regarding the quality of this provision, the rule is that the husband must provide his wife with a level of clothing according to: a) what the husband can afford, b) the local custom, e.g., the social needs of a woman who lives in a farm are not the same as the needs of a woman who lives in a city (Maimonides, MT ishut 13:2). This category also includes the husband’s obligation to provide his wife with non-essential items (13:4) such as jewelry, cosmetics, etc. at a level which results from the balance between the husband’s financial possibilities and the wife’s social needs (=local custom).

Place of residence: The place of residence is sometimes predetermined and written in the Ketuba, if husband and wife agreed upon it in advance. If the husband wishes to change the agreed upon place of residence, the wife is expected to move with him. Some exceptions are: 1. A disreputable neighborhood (13:15). The wife can refuse to move into a neighborhood that is considered violent or corrupt. 2. Israel: if the couple lives in Israel, the wife can refuse to move out of Israel, or if they live in Jerusalem, she can refuse to leave Jerusalem. (13:19-20).

3. ‘Onatah. In Biblical Law, conjugal rights are explicitly granted to the wife. The Tora indicates in Exodus 21:10 that the husband “must not deprive his wife from her food, her clothing and her marital rights”. In the words of Maimonides, a husband’s consistent refusal to engage in sexual relations, deliberately or maliciously, is considered a transgression of a Biblical prohibition, and the woman has legal grounds to ask for her divorce, claiming the full amount of the financial compensations established in the Ketuba. This does not apply, however, in health-related cases. (Maimonides MT, ishut 14:7). The Talmud also discusses the expected frequency of the husband’s marital duties based on the husband’s occupation (14:1).

Although not based on a specific Biblical statement, the wife is also expected to fulfill her conjugal duties. A wife who without a justified reason or maliciously (kede letsa’aro) constantly denies from her husband his conjugal rights, is called a rebellious wife (moredet) and, in case of divorce, she is not entitled to the compensations established in the Ketuba (14:9).

It is important to clarify that the primary purpose of Mitsvat ‘ona is to reinforce the loving bond between husband and wife, so that the husband never neglects attention to his wife. In a separate Mitsva, the Tora indicates the commandment of having children (peru urbu). This Mitsva, ‘ona, intimacy (the Hebrew euphemism for intimacy literally says: “spending time with her”) is independent of the intention of procreation. Thus, even when conception is not possible, such as during pregnancy or when the woman is under a permissible form of birth control, or when the wife is no longer able to bear children, the couple is still expected to maintain an active married life.

MISHPATIM: When And How Did Judaism Begin?

ויקח ספר הברית ויקרא באזני העם ויאמרו כל אשר דבר ה’ נעשה ונשמע

Exodus 24:7

THE BERIT

Three thousand five hundred years ago, the people of Israel experienced the most crucial event in human history: a covenant, a formal pact between a Nation and God. These events, which took place in Sinai, are known in Hebrew as “Ma’amad Har Sinai,” the revelation of God to the Jewish people in Mount Sinai.

What happened in this event can be described in three acts.

הצעת הברית 1. HaShem offered us to become his chosen people by establishing a covenant with Him. We accepted. God promised to adopt us as His “treasured” people, ‘am segula (see here).

מתן תורה 2. God gave us the Tora, the “document” that contains the guidelines and conditions of the Covenant between God and Israel.

קבלת התורה 3. The Jewish people agreed to abide by the laws of the Tora. From then on, we adopted the Tora as our national law or constitution.

This Covenant between God and a people is unique in mankind’s history and is described in detail in chapters 20 and 24 of the book Shemot (Exodus).

הצעת הברית

THE PROPOSAL

On the first day of the month of Sivan, Moshe ascended to Mount Sinai. He received a Divine message (Exodus 19: 3-6): “You shall speak to the house of Ya’aqob and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians [the ten plagues, etc.], and [you have also seen] how I led you [=protecting you] like an eagle [that carries its chicks] on its wings, and I have brought you to Me. And now, if you [are willing to] obey My voice and to fulfill My Covenant, you will become a precious possession for Me [segula] among all nations, a unique people. You will become for Me a Kingdom of Priests and a consecrated nation [to serve me]. “

God offered to establish a covenant between Him and the people of Israel. God offered to make Israel a nation of priests (cohanim), a people consecrated to God., by serving God, learning and teaching His Laws, and thus giving a living testimony of His existence, Presence, and revealed will. The condition of being a Nation of Priests implies the privilege of God’s closeness: a closer Divine attention. On the other hand, this privilege demands a higher standard of morality, many obligations to fulfill, and precepts to follow.

THE ENGAGEMENT

Then Moshe came down from Mount Sinai and presented the terms of the Covenant to the people of Israel. The people listened to the proposal and agreed to enter into a covenant with God by declaring with one voice: (Exodus 19: 8) “We are willing to do all that HaShem has said.” However, this was NOT the final acceptance of the Covenant, but the acceptance of the proposal to enter a covenant, exactly like “an engagement” in the framework of a wedding. In a regular engagement ceremony, the bride and the groom agree to get married. Similarly, the people of Israel here declare their willingness to enter the Covenant. This declaration will be repeated after people listen to the Ten Commandments and the Mishpatim. And then, a third time when the Jews verbalize their final consent: “Yes, we do”, by saying the famous words: “Everything God has said, we will do, and we will listen”, after that third and final declaration the “marriage”, our Covenant with God, “Judaism”, formally began.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE GREATEST DAY

Going back to the people of Israel expressing their first commitment to enter into a Pact with God, HaShem announced that He would reveal Himself to the entire nation within three days, that is, on Shabu’ot. God told Moshe (Exodus 19: 10-12): “Go and consecrate the people today and tomorrow. Tell them to purify themselves, to wash their clothes, and to prepare for the third day because on that day, I will descend on Mount Sinai in full view of the people. ” According to our Sages, the purification and washing of the clothes mentioned in this verse refers to the immersion in a Mikve, the Jewish ritual bath (same as a bride before the wedding). The children of Israel purified themselves during those three days (3, 4, and 5 of Sivan). They were ready to enter a Covenant with God the following day.

מתן תורה

THE TERMS OF THE COVENANT

In this Covenant, God offered to take the people of Israel as HIS people. This means that He will directly supervise the people of Israel. He will not allow the people of Israel to disappear. And He will never cancel or modify this Covenant, nor the condition of Israel as the chosen nation. The people of Israel committed to being governed by the Divine Law, the Tora. HaShem will be Israel’s King. Israel will be a Nation of Priests, a people consecrated to God’s service. The Jewish people are also the “privileged” direct witnesses of God’s existence since they witnessed His revelation in Mount Sinai. The terms of this Covenant, which are not few, are detailed extensively in the Tora, the five books of Moshe, and are organized into 613 precepts.

THE NIGHT OF THE COVENANT

On the night of the 6th of Sivan (between the 5th and the 6th of Sivan), the covenant ceremony continued with God announcing the 10 Commandments. God began to enunciate directly, and without the mediation of Moses, the first two Commandments. The Tora tells us that the people could not tolerate (mentally? or physically?) the impact of the Divine Revelation. God does not speak with a voice produced by vocal cords. The Divine “voice” is indescribable. The Tora expressed this unique experience with a very singular (poetic?) phrase: “and the people ‘saw’ the voices “…. They saw the “words”, probably in their mind, when HaShem was speaking to them. The Sages explain that the experience of God’s Revelation was so intense that those present felt they would die. This experience is part of the Jewish genetic memory, shaping our character and values and strengthening our belief in God.

AT THE PEOPLE’S REQUEST

After listening to the second commandment, the Jews asked Moshe to meditate to transmit the rest of the commandments. That same night, after hearing all these precepts (Exodus 21-23), the people declared for the second time their willingness to celebrate the Covenant and to commit themselves to obey the laws that were presented up to that moment. This is what the Tora says (Exodus 24: 3): “Moshe … transmitted all the words of God and all the laws to the people. The people answered with one voice: All that HaShem said was we would fulfill. “ Moshe remained awake all that night and wrote what God had conveyed to him in a document that the Tora suggestively calls: Sefer HaBerit, the book of the Covenant.

קבלת התורה

THE DAY OF THE COVENANT

The following day, the 6th of Sivan at dawn, Moshe erected an altar, representing the Divine Presence, and 12 pillars, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, he sent the young people to offer sacrifices. Moshe took the blood of the sacrifices and divided it into two. He poured the first half into the receptacles of the 12 pillars and the other half into the altar. The Tora describes the ceremony of the formal celebration of the Covenant (Exodus 24: 7): “Then Moshe took the book of the Covenant and read it in the ears of the people. And the people declared: “Everything that HaShem has said, we will do and obey.” This means that the people agreed to obey everything they had already heard and committed to accepting all the other laws and guidelines they would listen to in the future. Then Moshe took the blood of the sacrifices and sprinkled it on the altar, which represents the Divine Presence, and on the pillars that represent the people. Moshe said then (24: 8): “This is the blood of the Covenant that HaShem established with all of you; (the Covenant) which consists of all these words (laws, which you have heard). “

With this formal ceremony, we established our eternal Covenant with God, committing ourselves to obeying the Laws of God, the Tora, and our Nation’s Constitution.

Summary of Parashat Mishpatim

Last week we read the Ten Commandments, which are like a preview of the 613 commandments, that make up the National Constitution of the Jewish people. This week’s section contains 53 Mitzvot or precepts that directly or indirectly relate to the Ten Commandments, explain them, expand them and deepen their details.

The Parasha begins with the laws relating to the Israelite slave, his release after a maximum of six years of service, and the procedure to follow when a servant expresses his desire to remain in the service of his master. The Tora continues with the laws of a woman in a similar situation and her inalienable marital rights if her master becomes her husband. Then the Tora speaks of the punishment for murder, homicide, kidnapping, and human trafficking. The Tora then mentions the prohibition of physical or verbal abuse towards parents. And the penalties that are imposed on a person who injures or harms another. The Tora describes the punishment beating a pregnant woman and causes her to abort. The Tora then focuses on the responsibilities of an individual for damages caused to the property and possessions of another person; either when these damages have been done by himself, or by his animals, or by an act of negligence, for example, by leaving an open pit in the ground. When a person steals, he or she is obliged to pay the victim the capital plus punitive damages. Whoever causes a fire is liable for the damages caused by the fire that he left unextinguished. The Tora also spells out the responsibilities of an individual who accepts to watch over another persons possessions, or when renting them, or borrowing them.
The Tora mentions the prohibition and punishment for seducing a minor girl. The Tora prohibits sorcery, bestiality, and the offering of an idolatrous sacrifice. It reminds us the prohibition against oppressing a foreigner, a widow or an orphan, and encourages us to lend money to the poor without interest. It also mentions the prohibition of cursing a judge or a political leader. It also warns us against consuming meat that was not ritually slaughtered, or to offer an animal for a sacrificial slaughter before the animal is eight days old. Perjury and judicial corruption are strictly prohibited. The Tora reminds us the obligation to separate agricultural tithes and to consecrate the firstborn.
It also mentions the obligation to restore a lost animal to its owner and help him unload an overloaded animal. We must not lie or accept bribes.

Towards the end of this list of precepts the Tora mentions the Shemitah, just as we work for six days and on the seventh day we stop working, the land rests during the sabbatical year. It is forbidden to mention the name of pagan gods. And we should celebrate the three pilgrimage festivals, Pesach, Shabuot and Sukkot, visiting the Bet haMiqdash.
Finally the Torah indicates the prohibition of mixing meat with milk.

God assures the people that if they eradicate idolatry once they arrive in the Promised Land, they will be rewarded: the peoples who inhabit the land, will fall before them. God will bless their food and drinks and eliminate diseases from His people.

The Parasha concludes with an extremely important theme: the conclusion of the establishment of the covenant between God and the Jewish people. After Moshe transmits the Ten Commandments and the above mentioned laws, the Jewish people commit to enter into a covenant with God. During that night, Moshe writes down everything that God transmitted to him and reads it to the people. Next, he builds an altar that represents the Divine presence and twelve monuments that represent the tribes of Israel. Sacrifices are offered. Moshe takes the blood, pours half on the altar and sprinkles the other half on the people. The Eternal Covenant between God and Israel is sealed when the people pronounce the words: na’ase venishma “Everything that God has said we will do and obey”. Here and in this way Judaism is born! Moshe ascends to Mount Sinai where he will stay for forty days and forty nights, and will come down with the Tablets of the Law.

PURIM: How We Celebrate and Why

לעשות אותם ימי משתה ושמחה ומשלח מנות איש לרעהו ומתנות לאביונים
“To observe them as days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.”
(Esther 9:22)

Purim begins on Monday night, March 2, 2026, and continues through Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

Purim is celebrated with joy, gratitude, and happiness, as we thank HaShem for saving the Jewish people from destruction at the hands of our enemies.

The Four Mitzvot of Purim

Our joy on Purim is expressed through four special mitzvot.
In Hebrew, all four begin with the letter מ (Mem):

Megillat Esther
Mishloach Manot
Matanot La’Evyonim
Mishteh (Seudat Purim)

Megillat Esther

The Megillah is read twice on Purim:

Monday night, March 2, 2026
Tuesday during the day, March 3, 2026

Women—who are usually exempt from time-bound mitzvot—must hear the Megillah, because:

Jewish women were saved from the danger of annihilation.
A woman, Queen Esther, played the central role in the salvation of the Jewish people.

Children are not obligated to hear the entire reading, but they are encouraged to attend synagogue and enjoy the Purim celebration. Parents should make sure that young children do not disturb the reading of the Megillah.

Mishloach Manot

On Tuesday, March 3, 2026 (during the day), we send two or more food items to at least one friend.

These gifts must be food or drink that can be used at the Purim meal.
Clothing, jewelry, or flowers do not count as Mishloach Manot.

The purpose of this mitzvah is to:

Increase joy
Strengthen friendship
Promote unity among families and the Jewish people

For this reason, Mishloach Manot should not be sent anonymously.

Important:

At least two different food items are required (commonly a drink and a baked good).
Mishloach Manot must not be given before Purim or on Purim night, only during the daytime.

Matanot La’Evyonim

Matanot La’Evyonim—gifts to the poor—ensure that everyone can celebrate Purim with dignity and joy.

This mitzvah can be fulfilled by:

Giving food and drink to at least two people in need, or
Giving money equivalent to two festive meals to two people

Unlike Mishloach Manot, anonymity is preferred here, since the goal is to help those who lack the means to celebrate.

Our Rabbis teach that if resources are limited, one should give more generously to the poor than spend on one’s own Purim feast.

Seudat Purim (The Purim Feast)

On Tuesday, March 3, 2026, usually in the afternoon, we celebrate Seudat Purim, a joyful festive meal.

During this meal we:

Sing

Rejoice
Thank HaShem for saving us from Haman’s decree

It is customary to drink wine at the Purim feast (Megillah 2:15).
One should drink a little more than usual, but always with moderation, avoiding drunkenness or loss of dignity. (see this article on the subject written by the Sephardic Chef rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Ytshaq Yosef, Shelita).

What can we do to stimulate our joy on Purim?

Maimonides explains that a person’s happiness increases to the extent that we do something for others or share what we have with those who have less. In Mishneh Torah, Megillah 2:17, he clarifies how we can be happier on Purim:

“There is no greater or more genuine joy than making the needy, the orphans, the widows, and the strangers happy. For the person who helps others experiences the joy of imitating the actions of Hashem (middameh baShekhinah), as it is written: ‘For Hashem… revives the spirit of the humble and the heart of the oppressed’ (Isaiah 57:15).”

Inviting people who do not have the means to celebrate the Purim meal is considered the greatest merit of Purim.

YITRO : Why Did Israel Deserve To Receive The Tora?

MOSHE’S HUMILITY

After their liberation from their Egyptian masters, the people of Israel faced several challenges: lack of water, food shortages, and, worst of all, a war: Amaleq’s attack. Of course, HaShem was with Israel, gave them water and food, and helped them to defeat Amaleq.

In this week’s Parasha, Yitro, there is an EXTRAORDINARY Pasuq (biblical verse) that, when read carefully, shows us one of the most wonderful qualities of our people. A virtue that might have contributed to our merit of receiving the Tora.

וישב משה לשפט את העם ויעמד העם על משה מן הבקר עד הערב

“And Moshe sat down to judge the people, and the people waited [to see] Moshe from morning till night “(Shemot 18:13)

Moshe judges the people, as an arbitrator or as a mediator, from morning till night. Then Yitro arrives and tells Moshe that he is not acting well and must delegate and assign more judges and minor courts. Moshe accepts the advice of his father-in-law and acts upon it. And if we stop to examine these words a little more carefully, we will discover something wonderful that will reveal to us the true character of Am Israel.

NO LAW, NO ORDER

In the history of mankind, many slaves rebelled against their owners and escaped into freedom. In the days of the Roman Empire (70 BCE), for example, the great gladiator Spartacus led the rebellion that allowed some 70,000 slaves to free themselves from Rome. But once they were free, the slaves “among themselves”, behaved with anarchy. The rebellion of Spartacus failed because there was no internal discipline. Everything was chaos, and the law of the jungle prevailed. With no Law and Order the rebellion collapsed.

Now let’s see again what our pasuq says. Just a few days ago the Hebrew slaves obtained their freedom. We are not talking about 100, 1,000 or 70,000 people. Counting women, the elderly and children, it is estimated that there were at least 3 million individuals. “Chaos” and “anarchy” was expected and predictable.

THE BEGINNING OF CIVILIZATION?

However, the individuals of the people of Israel decided to resolve their disputes and problems “among themselves” in an incredibly advanced and civilized way: they came to Moshe Rabbenu for mediation! Imagine two neighbors, two physically strong slaves, used to the violence of slavery and to solve their differences with their fists. The two neighbors have a problem: “This chicken is mine!” says one. “No, it is mine,” says the other one. Usually, in a society without law and order, the chicken will remain in the hands of the strongest! But incredibly, spontaneously and without Divine Instruction (there is no report of a Divine command as to how the people should resolve their internal conflicts), these slaves decided to settle their disputes in another way: waiting patiently in line, from early in the morning, for Moshe’s arbitration.

This might be the most relevant Pasuq of the Tora in regard to the exceptional virtues of the people of Israel.

THE BEST KEPT SECRET VERSE

And it leaves me thinking: So far, the Tora mentioned that HaShem was going to deliver Israel from Egypt; to take Israel as His people, and bring them to their ancestors’ land. But the Tora did not mention anything about HaShem giving them a Law…

Is this Pasuq hinting that Israel took the first step toward deserving the most extraordinary code of laws, the Tora, the law that comes directly from HaShem?

Something to think about

YITRO: What Do You See When You See The Pyramids?

In preparation for the Parashah that we will read tomorrow morning—Yitro—which describes the celebration of the Covenant between God and the Jewish people at Mount Sinai (Ma‘amad Har Sinai), and the presentation of the Ten Commandments as part of that covenant, we are analyzing the First Commandment:

“I am HaShem, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.”

Yesterday we explained the first part of this verse. We noted that this commandment consists of accepting God as our Sovereign (Elohim) and reminds us of our commitment to conduct our lives according to His laws. We also clarified that, in Judaism, faith in God cannot be reduced to a verbal declaration; rather, it is expressed primarily through what we do about God—recognizing Him, loving Him, and obeying Him.

Today we will examine the second part of the verse:

“I am your God… who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.”

God does not introduce Himself as “the Creator of heaven and earth,” but rather as the One “who brought us out of Egypt.”

Why?

CREATOR OR LIBERATOR?

First of all, by mentioning Egypt, it becomes clear that these Commandments are not of universal scope, but are directed specifically to the people who suffered slavery and were miraculously redeemed from it.

At this point, it is worth clarifying a common misconception. Many people assume that the Ten Commandments constitute a universal legal code. However, from a formal and technical perspective, the Bible identifies the Seven Noahide Laws as the universal moral code for all humanity. Four (or five) of those laws closely resemble commandments found in the Ten Commandments—prohibitions against murder, theft, idolatry, adultery and incest, and blasphemy.

This distinction becomes clearer when we consider historical context. The Seven Laws are associated with the covenant God made with Noah and his descendants—all humankind—after the Flood. The Ten Commandments, by contrast, are presented within the framework of a covenant with a specific nation, Israel, which formally commits itself not to ten laws, but to 613 commandments.

OUT OF PHARAOH’S JURISDICTION

There may be another reason why God introduces Himself as the One who brought Israel out of Egypt rather than as the Creator of the world.

This covenant takes place only seven weeks after the Exodus—less than two months after leaving Egypt. The Jewish people had lived for generations under Pharaoh’s rule. Pharaoh and his officers were the only authority they had ever known.

God reminds them that their situation has fundamentally changed. They are no longer in Egypt, no longer under Pharaoh’s jurisdiction.
“You do not have to obey him anymore. You are out of Egypt—in the desert, in no man’s land—now under Divine authority.”

To fully grasp the contrast between God and Pharaoh in this verse, we must remember that Pharaoh ruled through coercion, forcing his Jewish subjects to serve him. God, by contrast, offers the Jewish people a covenant—freely entered into—based on mutual responsibilities and commitments.

In this way, the Torah indirectly but unmistakably condemns slavery, tyranny, and the arrogance of those who impose their will by force upon others.

SELECTIVE MEMORY

Finally, let us consider why the verse explicitly describes Egypt as “the house of slavery.”

Even today, for many people—especially those who do not live in the Middle East—Egypt evokes images of grandeur and fascination: Giza and its pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, Tutankhamun, the Nile. At the time of the Torah, Egypt was already famous for its splendor, wealth, architectural achievements, and imperial power. It was the world’s superpower.

The Torah warns us against romanticizing Egypt.
“Remember,” it says, “that in that beautiful land you were slaves.”

The Greek historian Herodotus records that around 600 BCE—some 800 years after Moshe—a Pharaoh undertook massive construction projects. Herodotus reports that 120,000 slaves died during that endeavor. We have no historical record of how many Jews died building for Pharaoh in Moshe’s time (although a well-known Midrash relates that when bricks were lacking, the Egyptians used the bodies of Jewish children).

By describing Egypt as “the house of slavery,” the Torah guards us against selective memory. It teaches us that when we admire the pyramids, we must not forget the human cost at which they were built.

SUMMARY OF PARASHAT YITRO

The Advice of Yitro

Moshe’s father-in-law, Yitro, arrives at the Israelite camp in the desert and is informed by Moshe of the many miracles that God performed for the Jews in Egypt. Yitro offers sacrifices to God in gratitude and sees that Moshe is carrying the burden of judging the people and mediating in their disputes alone. Yitro suggests that Moshe establish a system of judges, selecting wise and just men, and delegate his responsibilities to them while only handling the most difficult cases. This would allow Moshe to spend more time teaching the Torah to the people. Moshe accepts Yitro’s suggestion and implements the judicial system before Yitro returns to his homeland.

The Proposal

Six weeks after leaving Egypt, the Hebrews arrive in the desert and camp at the foot of Mount Sinai. Moshe ascends the mountain and is told by God of a proposed pact between Him and Israel, where God will choose the Israelites as His protected people and the Jews will become a Kingdom of Priests and a Nation consecrated to God. Moshe conveys God’s proposal to the people, who agree, and they are told to prepare for the event by purifying and sanctifying themselves for three days. On the third day, thunder, lightning, and the sound of a shofar are heard from the top of the mountain, and Moshe leads the people there. God warns that only Moshe and Aharon should go up and reveals the Ten Commandments to all the people.

The Ten Commandments

Accept God as the Supreme authority
Do not believe in pagan gods or worship idols or images
Do not carry/use God’s name in vain
Observe the Shabbat
Honor your parents
Do not murder
Do not commit adultery
Do not steal
Do not bear false testimony
Do not covet the property of others

People Request Moshe’s Intermediation

Overwhelmed by the close encounter with God’s “voice,” the Israelites ask Moshe to serve as an intermediary between them and God. Moshe calms them down and agrees to be God’s spokesman.

No Images

God warns the people about making any images or visual representations of Him and reminds them that no image was seen when He revealed himself. The Parasha concludes with the command to erect a sacrificial altar made of stones, without using metal instruments or building steps on the ramp.

JERUSALEM AND THE FIGHTING ROOSTERS

My uncle, Hakham Yosef Faur, z”l, told me this story when I was a child.

One day, the Sultan of Turkey—the most powerful man on earth—summoned a rabbi and said to him:

“You Jews are few and weak. You have no country and no sovereign government. You have no soldiers and no army, and you are persecuted everywhere. How is it possible that you still believe in the prophecies that say you will one day return to Jerusalem? Jerusalem is the most important city in the world. Everyone desires it. We, the Ottomans, fought the Christians for centuries to rule this city. What you claim—to return to Jerusalem and govern it—is absurd… and arrogant. I want you to explain to me how, in your view, those prophecies could ever come true. And I do not want to hear about miracles. Explain it to me from a military, earthly, natural point of view.”

The sage thought for a few moments and replied:

“I need three days to prepare my answer. But first I must ask you something: if my arguments displease you or offend you, promise me that you will not punish me.”

The Sultan, intrigued, agreed.

Three days later, the rabbi returned to the palace and asked that a small cockfighting ring be prepared. He had brought five fighting roosters, which he had kept without food for two days, and also a small chick—weak and defenseless.

He placed the roosters and the chick inside the ring. Then he took a few grains of corn from his pocket and scattered them in the center.

Immediately, the roosters began to fight with incredible fury. They pecked at each other viciously, wounding one another without mercy. One by one they fell, exhausted and bloodied. The last rooster, covered in wounds, finally collapsed to the ground, unable to move.

Then, from a corner, the timid chick appeared. And with no rooster left to bother it, it calmly began to eat the corn.

The rabbi turned to the Sultan and said:

“Jerusalem is the corn. The great powers are the fighting roosters, violently battling one another to control it. They wear themselves down, they wound each other, and they destroy one another. And when they no longer have strength, the people of Israel—the smallest and seemingly most vulnerable nation—enter the scene like the timid chick… and in the end, they are the ones who take the corn.”

The Sultan remained silent. For he understood that there are peoples who do not rise from the ashes by the power of weapons, but by the power of Emuna, faith, and resilience.

KING DAVID’S JERUSALEM

“בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַ‍ִם ה׳”

“HaShem will build Yerushalayim”

King David does not describe the building of the capital city as an ordinary act of construction. He does not attribute it solely to human effort, but to Divine intervention. The rebuilding of Jerusalem is a visible miracle.

More than forty years ago, I was a madrich (counselor) for youth groups from Mexico who arrived at the SEC (Sephardic Educational Center) in the Old City. I remember one morning when we were traveling by bus from the Old City to the shuk, together with Rabbi Baruj Garzón. As we stopped at a traffic light, the rabbi took the microphone and said to us:

“Look, look at the miracle that is right before your eyes!”

We all looked out the window, but we didn’t see anything special—only Arab workers building a small building.

Then the rabbi added:

“What you are seeing is a miracle. The very same hands that want to destroy this country are building it.”

I ❤️ ISRAEL: Embracing Jerusalem’s Chaos

Generally, we don’t come to Israel in January. My wife, Coty, and I usually arrive in July and enjoy the summer. This time, however, we came in winter to spend a few days with two of our children who live in Jerusalem. The cold is more noticeable, though nothing compared to New York, and there is also far more rain than in July.

It’s normal that when one returns to Jerusalem after a few months, the city feels different. New buildings appear, new services emerge, neighborhoods expand, and structures rise. This urban renewal is known in Israel as Pinui u’Binui (“demolition and reconstruction”): older buildings are torn down and replaced with modern ones, featuring new elevators, parking, green spaces, community areas, and safer residences. Each apartment includes a reinforced “shelter room,” built for emergencies. Traditional neighborhoods such as Katamon, Arnona, Talpiot, and Baka, where we are staying now, are being transformed almost beyond recognition.

JERUSALEM UNDER CONSTRUCTION

But new residential construction is not the main reason Jerusalem feels so unmanageable in January 2026. This time, the situation is far more severe. Jerusalem is simply impossible. Traffic is unbearable. A drive that should take ten or fifteen minutes, for example, from Baka to the train station, took me more than forty-five. Estimating arrival times has become meaningless. Road closures are everywhere, detours appear without warning, and streets seem to close overnight.

Even walking has become difficult. Central areas such as King George and Ben Yehuda are barely recognizable. On King George, walking is almost impossible: barriers line the streets, roads are split in half, and traffic lanes have been reduced. Where there were once four, now there is only one. Nothing flows naturally. There is no place in the city where movement, by car or on foot, feels smooth or continuous.

The question is inevitable: what is happening to Jerusalem?

JERUSALEM LIGHT RAIL

The main culprit behind the current balagan (= chaos) in the city is the construction of three new lines of Jerusalem’s light rail, the Rakevet Hakala. What began years ago as a single line, the Red Line, which today carries more than 170,000 passengers daily, is now expanding into a full urban rail network, including underground sections, crossing Jerusalem from north to south and from east to west.

At present, two new lines are under construction. The Green Line will include about 35 stations and span roughly 20 kilometers. The more ambitious Blue Line will stretch approximately 30 kilometers, with around 50 stations, connecting Ramot in the north with Gilo in the south. In addition, a Purple Line is also planned. Once completed, the system will be four times larger than the original one: more lines, more stations, and far more connections.

This is a massive infrastructure project, designed to allow millions of people to move across the city without relying on private cars. It explains the heavy, prolonged, and noisy construction that today makes Jerusalem feel “blocked.”

But Jerusalem is not blocked. Jerusalem is in the midst of a historic transformation.

JERUSALEM HOLY BALAGAN

What is Jerusalem preparing for? First, Yerushalayim is on track to become Israel’s most populous city, with more than one million residents. But there is something deeper as well. Jerusalem is preparing for the Geula: the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash, the coming of the Mashiach, and the return of millions of Jews from the Diaspora to Israel.

Thanks to this new infrastructure, once the Holy Temple is restored and the Jewish people are fully returned to their land, Yerushalayim will be ready to welcome comfortably and efficiently millions of families, at least three times a year, who will come on pilgrimage for Pesach, Shabuot, and Sukkot, just as in biblical times.

Seen from this perspective, the construction chaos, the unbearable traffic, and the endless street closures are no longer merely inconveniences. They become a powerful source of inspiration.

To watch Jerusalem rebuilding itself, preparing to serve once again as the spiritual capital of the Jewish people, and of the world, is the greatest national aspiration, one that for nearly two thousand years seemed unreachable and unimaginable. Until very recently, the Jerusalem that,

Barukh Hashem, we have today was a utopian, impossible dream.

I love the balagan of Yerushalayim. I happily and proudly embrace it, with tears of joy. Jerusalem is being rebuilt before our eyes. And it will be ready very soon, waiting for all of us to come.

Shabbat Shalom, from Yerushalayim.