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Parshas Yisro

Why the parshah of Matan Torah carries the name of a former idol-worshipper, Yisro, and what the Zoharโ€™s answer says about the part of every Jew that still needs convincing.

Part of Shemot

The Zohar teaches that the Torah could only be given after Yisro himself declared โ€˜gadol Hashem mikol haโ€™elohim,โ€™ meaning the sitra achra, the force of kelipah that Yisro represented before his conversion, had to first concede Hashemโ€™s greatness. The Rebbe explains that this is precisely why the parshah bears Yisroโ€™s name: just as Matan Torah itself required that concession from the sitra achra, so too every Jew carries within himself a physical, materialistic dimension โ€” his own inner โ€˜Yisroโ€™ โ€” that must likewise come to recognize Hashem before the Torah can truly be absorbed. Only once the body, and not merely the neshamah, acknowledges the truth does a Jew become a proper kli for Torah.

Audio Transcript
Why Is the Parshah of Matan Torah Named After Yisro?

ื ื•ื•ืืจื˜ ืคื•ื ืขื ืจื‘ื™'ืŸ ืื•ื™ืฃ ื”ื™ื™ื ื˜ื™ืงืข ืคืจืฉื”, ืคืจืฉืช ื™ืชืจื•. ืื™ืŸ ืคืจืฉืช ื™ืชืจื•, ื“ื™ ืขื™ืงืจ ืขื ื™ืŸ ื•ื•ืืก ืจืขื“ื˜ ื–ื™ืš ื“ืืจื˜ืŸ ืื™ื– ื•ื•ืขื’ืŸ ืžืชืŸ ืชื•ืจื”, ื“ืขืจ ืื™ื™ื‘ืขืจืฉื˜ืขืจ ื’ืขื‘ืŸ ื“ื™ ืชื•ืจื”. ืื™ื– ื“ื™ ืฉืืœื” ื•ื•ืืก ื“ืขืจ ืจื‘ื™ ืคืจืขื’ื˜ ืื™ื–: ืคืืจ ื•ื•ืืก ื”ื™ื™ืกื˜ ื“ื™ ืคืจืฉื” ื™ืชืจื•? ืž'ื•ื•ื™ื™ืกื˜ ืื– ื‘ืคืฉื˜ื•ืช ื“ืขืจ ืคืฉื˜ ืื™ื–, ืื– ื“ืขืจ ื ืืžืขืŸ ืคื•ืŸ ื ืคืจืฉื” ืื™ื– ืฆื•ืœื™ื‘ ื“ื™ ืขืจืฉื˜ืข ืคืืจ ื•ื•ืขืจื˜ืขืจ ื•ื•ืืก ืฉื˜ื™ื™ื˜ ืื™ืŸ ื“ืขืจ ืคืจืฉื”. ืื‘ืขืจ ืž'ื•ื•ื™ื™ืกื˜ ืื– ื“ืขืจ ืจื‘ื™ ืื™ื– ืžืกื‘ื™ืจ ืกืืš ืžืืœ, ืื– ื“ืืก ืื™ื– ื“ืขืจ ื—ื™ืฆื•ื ื™ื•ืช'ื“ื™ืงืข ื˜ืขื. ื“ืขืจ ืืžืช'ืขืจ ื˜ืขื ืื™ื–, ื•ื•ื™ื™ืœ ื ื ืืžืขืŸ ืคื•ืŸ ื ื–ืืš, ื•ื•ืืก ืื™ื– ื ื ืืžืขืŸ ืขืœ ืคื™ ืชื•ืจื”, ื’ื™ื˜ ืืจื•ื™ืก ื“ืขื ืชื•ื›ืŸ ืคื•ืŸ ื•ื•ืืก ื“ื™ ื–ืืš ืื™ื–. ื‘ืคืจื˜ ืžื•ื– ืžืขืŸ ื–ืื’ืŸ ืื– ื“ืืก ื•ื•ืืจื˜ ื™ืชืจื•, ื“ืขืจ ื ืืžืขืŸ ื™ืชืจื•, ื’ื™ื˜ ืืจื•ื™ืก ื•ื•ืืก ืžืชืŸ ืชื•ืจื” ืื™ื–. ืœื›ืื•ืจื”, ื•ื•ื™ ืื–ื•ื™ ื’ื™ื˜ ืืจื•ื™ืก ื™ืชืจื• ื“ืขืจ ืขื ื™ืŸ ืคื•ืŸ ืžืชืŸ ืชื•ืจื”, ื•ื•ืืก ื“ืขืจืคืืจ ื”ื™ื™ืกื˜ ื“ื™ ืคืจืฉื” ื•ื•ืืก ืจืขื“ื˜ ื•ื•ืขื’ืŸ ืžืชืŸ ืชื•ืจื” ื”ื™ื™ืกื˜ ืคืจืฉืช ื™ืชืจื•?

The Zohar: Only After the Sitra Achra Conceded

ืื™ื– ื“ืขืจ ืจื‘ื™ ืžืกื‘ื™ืจ, ื‘ืื–ื™ืจื˜ ืื•ื™ืฃ ื•ื•ืืก ืฉื˜ื™ื™ื˜ ืื™ืŸ ื–ื•ื”ืจ. ืฉื˜ื™ื™ื˜ ืื™ืŸ ื–ื•ื”ืจ ืื– ื™ืชืจื• ื”ืื˜ ื’ืขื–ืื’ื˜: ืขืชื” ื™ื“ืขืชื™ ื›ื™ ื’ื“ื•ืœ ื”' ืžื›ืœ ื”ืืœื”ื™ื, ืื– ื“ืขืจ ืื™ื™ื‘ืขืจืฉื˜ืขืจ, ื™ืขืฆื˜ ืคืืจืฉื˜ื™ื™ ืื™ืš ืื– ื“ืขืจ ืื™ื™ื‘ืขืจืฉื˜ืขืจ ืื™ื– ื’ืจืขืกืขืจ ืคื•ืŸ ืืœืข ื’ืขื˜ืขืจ, ืคื•ืŸ ืืœืข ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื–ืจื”'ืก, ืก'ืื™ื– ื ืืจ ื“ื ืื™ื™ืŸ ืื™ื™ื‘ืขืจืฉื˜ืขืจ. ืฉื˜ื™ื™ื˜ ืื™ืŸ ื–ื•ื”ืจ ืื– ื ืืจ ื ืื›ื“ืขื ื•ื•ืืก ื™ืชืจื• ื”ืื˜ ื“ืืก ืžื•ื“ื” ื’ืขื•ื•ืขืŸ, ื”ืื˜ ื’ืขืงืขื ื˜ ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ืžืชืŸ ืชื•ืจื”. ื•ื•ื™ื™ืœ ื™ืชืจื• ืื™ื™ื“ืขืจ ืขืจ ื”ืื˜ ื–ื™ืš ืžื’ื™ื™ืจ ื’ืขื•ื•ืขืŸ, ืื™ื– ืขืจ ืžืจืžื– ืื•ื™ืฃ ื“ื™ ืกื˜ืจื ืื—ืจื, ืก'ืื™ื– ืฆื• ื“ื™ ืฉืžืืœื”. ืื– ื“ืขืจ ืขื ื™ืŸ, ื•ื•ื™ื™ืœ ืขืจ ืื™ื– ืขื•ื‘ื“ ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื–ืจื”, ืขืจ ื”ืื˜ ื’ืขื“ื™ื ื˜ ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื–ืจื”, ืขืจ ื”ืื˜ ื’ืขื“ื™ื ื˜ ืืœืข ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื–ืจื”'ืก ืฉื‘ืขื•ืœื, ืฉื˜ื™ื™ื˜. ืื™ื– ื“ืืก ืขื ื™ืŸ ืคื•ืŸ ืงืœื™ืคื” ื•ื•ืืก ืื™ื– ื“ืขืจ ื”ื™ืคื•ืš ืคื•ืŸ ืฆื“ ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉื”. ืฉื˜ื™ื™ื˜ ืื™ืŸ ื–ื•ื”ืจ ืื– ื ืืจ ื•ื•ืขืŸ ืืคื™ืœื• ื“ื™ ืงืœื™ืคื”, ื“ื™ ืกื˜ืจื ืื—ืจื ื”ืื˜ ืžื•ื“ื” ื’ืขื•ื•ืขืŸ ืื– ื’ื“ื•ืœ ื”' ืžื›ืœ ื”ืืœื”ื™ื, ื“ืขืžืืœื˜ ื”ืื˜ ื“ืขืจ ืื™ื™ื‘ืขืจืฉื˜ืขืจ ื’ืขืงืขื ื˜ ื’ืขื‘ืŸ ื“ื™ ืชื•ืจื”. ื“ืืก ืื™ื– ืžืกื‘ื™ืจ ื“ืขื ื˜ืขื ืคืืจ ื•ื•ืืก ื“ื™ ืคืจืฉื” ืคื•ืŸ ืžืชืŸ ืชื•ืจื” ื”ื™ื™ืกื˜ ืžื™ื˜ืŸ ื ืืžืขืŸ ื™ืชืจื•. ื•ื•ื™ื™ืœ ืื–ื•ื™ ื•ื•ื™ ื‘ื™ื™ ื™ืชืจื• ื”ืื˜ ื“ืขืจ ืื™ื™ื‘ืขืจืฉื˜ืขืจ ื’ืขื’ืขื‘ืŸ ื“ื™ ืชื•ืจื” ืื•ืŸ ื™ื™ื“ืŸ ื”ืื‘ืŸ ื’ืขืงืขื ื˜ ืงืจื™ื’ืŸ ื“ื™ ืชื•ืจื” ื ืืจ ื ืื›ื“ืขื ื•ื•ืืก ื“ื™ ืกื˜ืจื ืื—ืจื ื”ืื˜ ืžื•ื“ื” ื’ืขื•ื•ืขืŸ ื’ื“ื•ืœ ื”' ืžื›ืœ ื”ืืœื”ื™ื, ืื–ื•ื™ ืื™ื– ื‘ื™ื™ ื™ืขื“ืขืจ ื™ื™ื“. ื™ืขื“ืขืจ ื™ื™ื“ ื”ืื˜ ืื™ืŸ ื–ื™ืš, ืื—ื•ืฅ ื“ื™ ื ืฉืžื” ืืœื•ืงื™ืช, ื ืคืฉ ืืœื•ืงื™ืช, ื“ื™ ื ืฉืžื”, ื”ืื˜ ืขืจ ืื™ืŸ ื–ื™ืš ืื•ื™ืš ื“ื™ ื’ืฉืžื™ื•ืช'ื“ื™ืงืข ื—ืœืง, ื“ื™ ื’ืจืื‘ืงื™ื™ื˜, ื’ืฉืžื™ื•ืช'ื“ื™ืงืข ื—ืœืง. ืก'ืื™ื– ื“ื ื“ื™ ื’ืฉืžื™ื•ืช ืื™ืŸ ื ืžืขื ื˜ืฉืŸ, ื•ื•ืืก ื“ืืก ืงืขืŸ ืžืขืŸ ื–ืื’ืŸ ืื™ื– ื“ืขืจ ื™ืชืจื• ืฉื‘... ืฉื‘ืื“ื, ื“ืขืจ ื™ืชืจื• ืื™ื™ื“ืขืจ ืขืจ ืชืฉื•ื‘ื”, ืื™ื™ื“ืขืจ ืขืจ ื’ืขื•ื•ืืจืŸ ื ื’ืจ, ื•ื•ื™ ื“ืืก ื“ื™ ืกื˜ืจื ืื—ืจื ื‘ื™ื™ ื™ืขื“ืขืจ ื™ื™ื“.

The Yisro Inside Every Jew

ืื™ื– ื“ืขืจ ืจืžื– ื“ื, ืื– ื›ื“ื™ ื ื™ื™ื“ ื–ืืœ ืงืขื ืขืŸ ื ืขืžืขืŸ ื“ื™ ืชื•ืจื”, ืžืงื‘ืœ ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ื“ื™ ืชื•ืจื” ื•ื•ื™ ืก'ื“ืืจืฃ ืฆื• ื–ื™ื™ืŸ, ืคืืจืฉื˜ื™ื™ืŸ ืื•ืŸ ื“ื™ ืชื•ืจื” ื–ืืœ ืื™ื ืื ื’ื™ื™ืŸ ื•ื•ื™ ืก'ื“ืืจืฃ ืฆื• ื–ื™ื™ืŸ, ื“ืืจืฃ ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ื ื™ืฉื˜ ื ืืจ ืื– ื“ื™ ื ืฉืžื” ื–ืืœ ื•ื•ืขืœืŸ ืœืขืจื ืขืŸ ืชื•ืจื” ืื•ืŸ ืื™ื‘ืขืจื’ืขื‘ืŸ ื–ื™ืš ืื•ืŸ ื“ืขืจืงืขื ืขืŸ ืื– ื’ื“ื•ืœ ื”', ื ืืจ ืื•ื™ืš ืื– ื“ืขืจ ื’ืฉืžื™ื•ืช'ื“ื™ืงืขืจ ื—ืœืง ืคื•ืŸ ื“ื™ ื™ื™ื“ืŸ ื–ืืœ ืื•ื™ืš ื“ืขืจืงืขื ืขืŸ ืื– ื’ื“ื•ืœ ื”'. ืื•ืŸ ื“ืขืจืคืืจ ื”ื™ื™ืกื˜ ื“ื™ ืคืจืฉื” ืคื•ืŸ ืžืชืŸ ืชื•ืจื” ืžื™ื˜ืŸ ื ืืžืขืŸ ื™ืชืจื•, ื•ื•ื™ื™ืœ ื›ื“ื™ ืฆื• ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ื ืžืงื‘ืœ ื”ืชื•ืจื” ื“ืืจืฃ ืžืขืŸ ื˜ืืŸ ื•ื•ื™ ื™ืชืจื• ื”ืื˜ ื’ืขื˜ืืŸ. ืื–ื•ื™ ื•ื•ื™ ื‘ื™ื™ ืžืชืŸ ืชื•ืจื” ืืœื™ื™ืŸ ืื™ื– ื ืืจ ื ืื›ื“ืขื ื•ื•ืืก ื™ืชืจื• ื”ืื˜ ื’ืขื–ืื’ื˜ ื’ื“ื•ืœ ื”' ืžื›ืœ ื”ืืœื”ื™ื ืื™ื– ื’ืขืงืขื ื˜ ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ืžืชืŸ ืชื•ืจื”, ื‘ื™ื™ ื™ืขื“ืขืจ ื™ื™ื“ืŸ ื“ืืจืฃ ืคืจื™ืขืจ ืขืจ ืืจื‘ืขื˜ืŸ ืžื™ื˜... ืขืจ ื“ืืจืฃ ืืจื‘ืขื˜ืŸ ื›ื“ื™ ืขืจ ื–ืืœ ืงืขื ืขืŸ ืžืžืฉ ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ื ืžืงื‘ืœ ืคื•ืŸ ืชื•ืจื”, ื“ืืจืฃ ืขืจ ืืจื‘ืขื˜ืŸ ืื– ืื•ื™ืš ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ื’ืฉืžื™ื•ืช'ื“ื™ืงืขืจ ื—ืœืง, ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ื’ื•ืฃ, ื–ื™ื™ืŸ ื“ื™ ื’ืฉืžื™ื•ืช'ื“ื™ืงืข ืขื ื™ื ื™ื, ื–ืืœ ืื•ื™ืš ื“ืขืจืงืขื ืขืŸ ื“ื™ ืืžืช'ืงื™ื™ื˜ ืคื•ืŸ ื“ืขื ืื™ื™ื‘ืขืจืฉื˜ืŸ, ื“ืขืžืืœื˜ ืื™ื– ืžืขืŸ ื ื›ืœื™ ืฆื• ืืจื™ื™ื ื ืขืžืขืŸ ืื™ืŸ ื–ื™ืš ื“ื™ ืชื•ืจื” ื•ื•ื™ ืก'ื“ืืจืฃ ืฆื• ื–ื™ื™ืŸ.

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