By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.
El CAJON, California —Parsha Yitro describes a defining moment in the history of Am Yisrael, culminating in the awe-inspiring revelation of Matan Torah, the giving of the Torah at Har Sinai.
In the shadow of Har Sinai, where the thunderous revelation of Matan Torah is about to unfold, an unexpected teacher emerges, Yitro, a Midianite priest and Moshe Rabbeinu‘s father-in-law. Before the epic moment of receiving the Torah, we are presented with a powerful twist—a lesson in leadership, humility, and the art of balancing spiritual loftiness with practical wisdom.
Why would the Torah pause, just moments before one of its most sacred revelations, to share the counsel of an outsider? The answer lies in a profound truth that resonates across generations: true spiritual growth is not about transcending human limitations, but about embracing them with insight and grace. This juxtaposition teaches a fundamental lesson, that spiritual greatness is best grounded in the realities of human limitation. True avodat Hashem (service of G-d) requires both divine inspiration and practical wisdom.
Before the grandeur and thunder of Sinai, the Torah describes Moshe’s exhausting role as the sole judge of the nation. Yitro, observing the strain, warns: “You will surely wear yourself out, both you and this people who are with you.” He advises Moshe to appoint capable, G-d-fearing leaders to share the burden, ensuring justice is upheld without overwhelming a single person.
Yitro’s wisdom echoes through time: true leadership requires knowing when to share the burden. The Or HaChaim warns that unchecked strain leads from weariness to burnout. The Ibn Ezra adds that this weight was not only Moshe’s to bear but also strained those who waited for his guidance.
Yitro’s solution—appointing others to help—reminds us that strength lies in delegation, and wisdom in collaboration. No soul is meant to carry all of life’s weight alone. Yitro’s insight reflects a timeless principle in Jewish thought. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 8a) teaches that no individual can carry the weight of an entire people alone. Even the greatest of leaders recognize their limitations. This is not weakness, it is wisdom. As Pirkei Avot (2:16) teaches, “It is not upon you to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” By delegating, Moshe strengthens the community rather than diminishing his own role.
Though “self-care” has become a trendy concern among many, it is a deeply sacred practice—an act of health promoting love toward oneself, a conscious honoring of the body that carries our spirit. I see self-care as how we nurture our body, heart, mind, and soul, aligning ourselves with the flow of Divine energy in a world that often feels uncertain and overwhelming. Through self-care, we reclaim our power, embracing the sacred gift of choice, inner peace, and spiritual renewal.
When we cultivate rituals of self-nourishment, we can open the door to profound 360º healing. It has been shown that tending to ourselves with love and intention can dissolve the weight of anxiety and despair, transmute stress into serenity, and awaken clarity within the chaos. It can uplift our spirit, illuminating the path toward joy, vitality, and balance.
On a physical level, self-care strengthens our earthly form, if it’s God will, protecting it from ailments and disease, while on a spiritual level, it deepens our connection to Hashem, reminding us that we are vessels of light, purpose, and infinite love. In honoring ourselves, we honor the sacred essence within, allowing us to walk this journey of life with grace, resilience, and unwavering faith.
This lesson is not just about leadership, it is about avodat Hashem itself. Many people strive for spiritual perfection, but human beings have limits. Sustainable growth requires humility, balance, and trust in others. Even Moshe, the greatest prophet who ever lived, needed to learn that endurance in Divine service depends on building a structure that allows the mission to continue beyond any one person. Moses’ initial resistance mirrors a common struggle. Leaders often fear losing control or compromising standards. Yet sustainable leadership isn’t about perfection; it’s about creating systems with humility that endure. This lesson reverberates later when Hashem instructs Moses to share his spiritual burden with seventy elders (Numbers 11:16–17). True strength lies in collaboration.
After this lesson in leadership, Am Yisrael arrives at Har Sinai to receive the Torah. The scene is awe-inspiring. There was thunder and lightning, and a dense cloud upon the mountain, and the sound of the shofar was very strong. The people trembled in fear. The Torah shares that there was sensory overload: thunder, lightning, a thick cloud, and a shrieking shofar (Exodus 19:16).
The Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 29:9) teaches that each person heard the divine revelation in a way they could comprehend, some as a mighty voice, others as a gentle whisper. This profound insight reflects the depth of divine wisdom: Hashem speaks to each soul in the way it can receive.
Yet, even with this individualized experience, the moment proves overwhelming. The Talmud (Shabbat 88b) states that at the giving of the Torah, the souls of Bnei Yisrael left their bodies, requiring Hashem to revive them. This teaches a profound truth: when human beings confront the infinite, they risk being spiritually shattered. Recognizing their limits, the people cry out: “You speak to us, and we will listen, but let not G-d speak to us, lest we die!” (Shemot 20:16).
This response mirrors the lesson of Yitro: even the highest spiritual experiences are best integrated into physical human bodies. Just as leadership requires structure to be sustainable, so too, Divine revelation must be contained within a framework that allows it to endure.
The Aseret HaDibrot (Ten Commandments) we were given are the foundation of a life of kedusha (holiness). The first five focus on our relationship with Hashem (honoring God, Shabbat, parents), while the latter five govern human interactions (prohibiting murder, adultery, theft, etc.). This structure reflects a balance between spiritual and ethical commitments. The Maharal (Tiferet Yisrael, ch. 34) explains that these two categories reflect the essential balance of Torah life: connection to the Divine and moral integrity in the human world, a balance between spiritual and ethical commitments.
With the world spiraling in so many destructive directions, the Ten Commandments are clearly the paramount prescription for our moral direction. One time when I was on Oprah’s TV show discussing violence in America, she asked me why there is so much violence in our midst. From seemingly nowhere, on live TV, I said, “Oprah, the world came with 10 rules, not suggestions. Imagine if we followed them!”
May we learn from Moshe to lead with humility, from Yitro to trust in structure, and from Sinai to approach Divine connection with reverence and balance. In doing so, may we build lives of true kedusha where the presence of Hashem is not just encountered in moments of revelation, but sustained in every aspect of our daily existence.
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Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly D’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family are members. They are also active members of Congregation Adat Yeshurun.