18:1 Now Yitro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Mosheh, heard of everything Elohim had done for Mosheh and for his people Yisrael, and how Yahuwah had brought Yisrael out of Mitzrayim.

² After Mosheh had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Yitro received her

³ and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Mosheh said, "I have become an alien in a foreign land";

⁴ and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, "My father's Elohim was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh."

⁵ Yitro, Mosheh' father-in-law, together with Mosheh' sons and wife, came to him in the desert, where he was camped near the mountain of Elohim.

⁶ Yitro had sent word to him, "I, your father-in-law Yitro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons."

⁷ So Mosheh went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent.

⁸ Mosheh told his father-in-law about everything Yahuwah had done to Pharaoh and the Mitzrites for Yisrael's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how Yahuwah had saved them.

⁹ Yitro was delighted to hear about all the good things Yahuwah had done for Yisrael in rescuing them from the hand of the Mitzrites.

¹⁰ He said, "Praise be to Yahuwah, who rescued you from the hand of the Mitzrites and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Mitzrites.

¹¹ Now I know that Yahuwah is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Yisrael arrogantly."

¹² Then Yitro, Mosheh' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to Elohim, and Aharon came with all the elders of Yisrael to eat bread with Mosheh' father-in-law in the presence of Elohim.

¹³ The next day Mosheh took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.

¹⁴ When his father-in-law saw all that Mosheh was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?"

¹⁵ Mosheh answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek Elohim's will.

¹⁶ Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of Elohim's decrees and laws."

¹⁷ Mosheh' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good.

¹⁸ You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.

¹⁹ Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may Elohim be with you. You must be the people's representative before Elohim and bring their disputes to him.

²⁰ Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform.

²¹ But select capable men from all the people-- men who fear Elohim, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain-- and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

²² Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.

²³ If you do this and Elohim so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied."

²⁴ Mosheh listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.

²⁵ He chose capable men from all Yisrael and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

²⁶ They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Mosheh, but the simple ones they decided themselves.

²⁷ Then Mosheh sent his father-in-law on his way, and Yitro returned to his own country.

19:1 In the third month after the sons of Yisrael left Mitzrayim-- on the very day-- they came to the Desert of Sinai.

² After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Yisrael camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.

³ Then Mosheh went up to Elohim, and Yahuwah called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Ya'acov and what you are to tell the people of Yisrael:

⁴ 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Mitzrayim, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.

⁵ Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine,

⁶ you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the sons of Yisrael."

⁷ So Mosheh went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words Yahuwah had commanded him to speak.

⁸ The people all responded together, "We will do everything Yahuwah has said." So Mosheh brought their answer back to Yahuwah.

⁹ Yahuwah said to Mosheh, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you." Then Mosheh told Yahuwah what the people had said.

¹⁰ And Yahuwah said to Mosheh, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes

¹¹ and be ready by the third day, because on that day Yahuwah will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

¹² Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

¹³ He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.' Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain."

¹⁴ After Mosheh had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.

¹⁵ Then he said to the people, "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations."

¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.

¹⁷ Then Mosheh led the people out of the camp to meet with Elohim, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

¹⁸ Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because Yahuwah descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently,

¹⁹ and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Mosheh spoke and the voice of Elohim answered him.

²⁰ Yahuwah descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Mosheh to the top of the mountain. So Mosheh went up

²¹ and Yahuwah said to him, "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see Yahuwah and many of them perish.

²² Even the priests, who approach Yahuwah, must consecrate themselves, or Yahuwah will break out against them."

²³ Mosheh said to Yahuwah, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.'"

²⁴ Yahuwah replied, "Go down and bring Aharon up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to Yahuwah, or he will break out against them."

²⁵ So Mosheh went down to the people and told them.

20:1 And Elohim spoke all these words:

² "I am Yahuwah your Elohim, who brought you out of Mitzrayim, out of the land of slavery.

³ "You shall have no other gods before me.

⁴ "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.

⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, Yahuwah your Elohim, am a jealous Elohim, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

⁶ but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷ "You shall not misuse the name of Yahuwah your Elohim, for Yahuwah will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

⁸ "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

¹⁰ but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahuwah your Elohim. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.

¹¹ For in six days Yahuwah made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore Yahuwah blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

¹² "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land Yahuwah your Elohim is giving you.

¹³ "You shall not murder.

¹⁴ "You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ "You shall not steal.

¹⁶ "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

¹⁷ "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

¹⁸ When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance

¹⁹ and said to Mosheh, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have Elohim speak to us or we will die."

²⁰ Mosheh said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Elohim has come to test you, so that the fear of Elohim will be with you to keep you from sinning."

²¹ The people remained at a distance, while Mosheh approached the thick darkness where Elohim was.

²² Then Yahuwah said to Mosheh, "Tell the sons of Yisrael this: 'You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:

²³ Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.

For a detailed commentary on the Ten Words, check out the article called The Ten Words.

The Sabbath

⁸ "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

¹⁰ but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahuwah your Elohim. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.

¹¹ For in six days Yahuwah made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore Yahuwah blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

The most well know Scripture which informs us about the Sabbath is the Fourth Word (the 4th commandment).  This instruction incites its recipients to action.  We are directed to remember to perform a particular activity.  That activity is to separate the seventh day from the other six days.  The commandment is to simply remember to set-apart the Sabbath day.  The remainder of the "4th commandment" is merely clarification of which day is the Sabbath day, what it means to separate the day, and an explanation for the reason that man should rest on that day.

It is ironic that the 4th commandment is to "remember" something.  Most of the people who claim personal relationship with the Creator, whose fame and reputation is recalled on the Sabbath day, have forgotten the day!    Even though the command explicitly directs Elohim's people to remember the set-apart day, his people still have forgotten to do it.

What does it mean "to set apart the Sabbath day"?  It means, specifically, that we are to perform all our labor and work during the six days, but then on the seventh day we are to cease (stop) doing work.  This is true for everyone living in my house - even the animals and servants who work for me and my guests are to rest with me on the seventh day.

The reason that I and my household must rest on the seventh day is explained by pointing us back to consider what happened during the creation week, "in the beginning":  Elohim worked six days, and then he ceased working on the seventh.  This is the pattern which Elohim established at Creation, when he created man to dwell on the earth, for mankind to observe and copy throughout his time on earth.  The seventh day is a time for cessation of labor.

Of course, then comes the debate over how we define work.  There are many differing opinions on this question.  Some define "work" as follows: "work is whatever I don't want to do on Sabbath."  Very convenient, isn't it?  Certainly our Creator had something more specific in mind when he said, "on it you shall not do any work."  So let's not guess at what "work" is.  Let's find the definition for "work" by its usage in the Tanach (the Old Testament).

In Shemot 20:9 and 10, the Hebrew word for "work" is hk'al'm. (pronounced "melacha").  So it reads, "For six days you may labor and do all your melacha, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahuwah your Elohim; on it you shall not do any melacha."  Melacha is defined by he BDB as "occupation, work."  The TWOT defines this word as "work, business."  And the HALOT renders it "1. trade mission, business journey, 2. business, work, 3. handiwork, craftsmanship."  The first occurrences (3 times) of our word comes in the account of the seventh day following the six days of creation:

By the seventh day Elohim finished the work (melacha) that he had been doing, and he ceased on the seventh day all the work (melacha) that he had been doing.  Elohim blessed the seventh day and made it set-apart because on it he ceased all the work (melacha) that he had been doing in creation (Bereshith 2:2,3).

How should we understand the meaning of melacha in Scripture?  What was the nature of the melacha which Elohim was doing here?   To find out, we must search the Scriptures to discover how the work of creation is described elsewhere.

In other places the melacha which Elohim was doing in creation is described in different terms:

The depths of the earth are in his hand, and the mountain peaks belong to him.  The sea is his, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land (Tehillim 95:4,5).

And

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place (Tehillim 8:3).

In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands (Tehillim 102:25 NIV).

In each of these Scriptures, the melacha of creation is described as the "work of his fingers" or "work of his hands."

Hold that thought while you consider this:

If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges, to see whether he has laid his hand on his neighbor's goods (melacha) (Shemot 22:8)

then there will be an oath to Yahuwah between the two of them, that he has not laid his hand on his neighbor's goods (melacha), and its owner will accept this, and he will not have to make it good (Shemot 22:11).

Sometimes the Hebrew melacha is translated "goods" (in the NIV of these verses above, it is translated "property") and refers to the end result of the work of one's hands. 

We should understand, then, that the word melacha refers to activity (work) that results in an end product.  Just as the "work" of Elohim's hands produced heaven and earth (an end product), the work which we are forbidden to do on the Sabbath is that melacha which results in products which are made or produced by the skill and labor of our hands.  It is easy to see how melacha could also be translated "occupation," "business," "handiwork," or "craftsmanship."  All of these terms have to do with the work that people do to produce goods and services.

With that in mind, we can produce a kind of general "list" or rule of thumb regarding work that is forbidden on Shabbat.  Activities which produce an end product are not permitted, such as any occupational work done to produce an income (one's normal business affairs) including craftsmanship, work in a field which ultimately will produce a crop, chores done in a home (which requires the work of one's hands to accomplish), and cooking which produces an end product (a cooked or prepared meal).  [More on cooking being explicitly prohibited by Scripture in section below.]

Activities which are permitted on Sabbath include (clearly) Scripture study which makes us wise in our walk before Elohim, personal hygiene tasks, games which exploit friendship and fellowship, rest, eating (as long as it doesn't require melacha on the Sabbath to prepare said meal), and the like.  Also included in activities which are permitted are those acts of mercy and compassion to help men and animals in a situation which endangers their health and life - "it is always right to do good on the Sabbath."

We are told what not to do on the seventh day - we are not to do any work.  But what then are we supposed to do on the seventh day?  The answer is implied and hinted at in the explanation for resting:

the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahuwah your Elohim... For in six days Yahuwah made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day.

The Sabbath day is for Yahuwah.  He who made heaven and earth in six days is now to be the focus of our attention on the seventh day.  The Sabbath day is to be the time we set-apart for fellowship of Yahuwah, worship of Yahuwah and the Proclamation of the good news which Yahuwah has announced to us.  The commandment of the Sabbath day is to stop working so that we can direct our attention to the person and work of Elohim.

Making an Alter to Yahuwah

Messiah in the Torah Parashah

Prophetic End Time Shadows in the Torah Parashah