Parshat Yitro is named for a Midianite – although many assume Yitro converted to Judaism, this is never spelled out in the text. It is also the Parsha with one of the two accounts of the Jews receiving the Torah. Yes, you read that correctly. While most people focus on Yitro, the story is told again when we get to the book of Deuteronomy. Which brings me to my point – the Torah is full of surprises and we really ought to read it closely more often. Especially if you, like me, are either not a frequent Synagogue goer or spend services chatting rather than paying attention to the Torah portion.
Lots of people think they know everything about the Torah because they went to Hebrew school. Or because they actually do pay attention to both services and the Rabbi’s speech. Or because they’ve spent years learning in a Yeshiva. Yet there is always something new to discover. In It Takes Two To Torah, an orthodox Rabbi and a reform journalist study together – each finding new nuance thanks to the other’s perspective. It’s a unique undertaking because oftentimes the Orthodox and Reform worlds think they have nothing to gain from the each other, much like Moshe could have easily assumed he had nothing to learn from a former Midianite Priest. Moshe approached with humility and Yitro managed to revolutionize the entire judicial system for the better. Abigail Pogrebin and Rabbi Dov Linzer approached their learning with mutual respect and the book details their many joint insights.
Sometimes we are quick to gloss over the “other” – whether that person is a convert or simply a member of a different branch of Judaism. Yet the Parsha containing the giving of the Torah is literally named for a person who did not start out life as a Jew. When you stretch just a little outside of your comfort zone, amazing things can happen.