Parshas Yisro
Zechus Refuah Sheleima: Tzvi ben Devorah
Le'iluy Nishmas: Gittel a"h bas Shraga Meir Hakohen
Le'iluy Nishmas Tziporah Chana a"h bas Yaakov Avraham Eliyahu
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Another great Parsha with many ideas for your Parsha Party. REMINDER - THIS IS A SPRINGBOARD OF IDEAS. YOU CAN CHOOSE ONE IDEA OR A FEW. AND HAVE THE KIDS GUESS THE CONNECTIONS.
Parsha Overview (Feel free to skip straight to the Party below - simply click the arrow next to this text and the overview will disappear.)
The Reunion
Yisro, the father-in-law of Moshe, together with his daughter Tziporah, and her two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, travel to meet up with Moshe in the Midbar after hearing all the miracles that had occurred.
Moshe hears that Yisro has arrived and goes to greet him. He tells him in detail all that had transpired. Yisro is full of joy when he hears all the miracles that Hashem did for them. (Rashi brings another opinion that Yisro got goosebumps on his skin from the stories!) It was a huge kiddush Hashem and Yisro proceeds to bless Hashem and His greatness, and he negates the power of Avodah Zara. He brings a Karban to Hashem and Aharon and the Zekainim come to join and eat with them.
The CEO Approach
Yisro watches Moshe the next day as he sits from morning until night and answers the questions from all the people in nation. He tells Moshe, this is not a good way to do things. You cannot do this alone! You need to create a system where there are people under you that can answer the people in groups, and they will come to you at the top when there is nobody that can answer their questions.
The judges you will appoint under need to be men of “Chayil” (Talmidei chachamim – Medrash, and wealthy – Rashi), men that fear Hashem, men of truth (reliable – Rashi), men that hate focusing on making money, and put them in charge of smaller quantities and groups of people. They will answer the questions of their groups and only what they can’t answer will come to you at the top.
Moshe listens to Yisro and institutes this new practice of judges serving the people under him. He then sends Yisro home to his land to be Megayer (convert) the rest of his family.
Preparation for Har Sinai
On the third month after they left Mitzrayim, the nation arrived in Midbar Sinai and they camped opposite the mountain. (Rashi – Like one Man with One Heart). Moshe is called up to the top of Har Sinai and told the famous Pasuk “Ko Somar LeVais Yaakov VeSagid Livnei Yisrael”. (Rashi Speak Softly to Bais Yaakov – the women and strongly to Bnai Yisrael – the men.) Tell them “You saw what I did in Mitzrayim, and I carried you on the wings of eagles to me. Now, if you keep my Torah and listen to my commandments, you will be a treasure to me, and a Mamleches Kohanim (Kingdom of princes), and a holy nation.”
Moshe tells the Zekainim (The Elders) who tell it over to the people and the people respond saying we will do whatever Hashem says. Moshe returns up the mountain to give this report to Hashem.
Hashem tells Moshe to tell the people to prepare and purify themselves for the next 3 days to hear from Hashem. They should wash their clothing and get ready to greet Hashem who will descend to the top of the mountain. (Rashi says here about the words “the eyes of all the people will see” that all the blind people and all the sick people were healed by Har Sinai.) A fence should be set up to prevent anyone from touching or ascending the mountain or they will die. It will only be safe to touch the mountain once the final long shofar sound is heard to announce that the shechina has departed from the mountain top.
When the third day arrived, they heard loud crashing thunder and saw flashes of lightning, a thick cloud upon the mountain and a loud shofar sound blasted and the entire nation trembled in fear. Moshe brought the people to the edge of the mountain. It was full of smoke and fire and the mountain shook like an earthquake. The shofar sound grew stronger and “Moshe would speak words and Hashem would answer with a voice”.
One more time Hashem calls Moshe and warns him again to warn the people and the Kohanim “DO NOT GO UP THE MOUNTAIN” because they will be destroyed. Even though Moshe says he warned them already, Hashem makes Moshe go back down to give the warning again.
The Aseres HaDibros
Hashem begins to call out the ten commandments.
1. I am Hashem that brought you out of Mitzrayim, out of slavery.
2. You should not serve any foreign gods or carved idols or images that resemble the heavens the earth or below in the sea. Don’t bow to any of these.
3. Do not say Hashem’s name in vain.
4. Remember the day of Shabbos and keep it holy. Work for 6 days but stop on the 7th day, you and all your family and possessions because for 6 days Hashem created the sky and land and on the 7th day He rested.
5. Honor your father and mother so that you will live long.
6. Do not murder.
7. Do not commit adultery (marry women that are already married).
8. Do not steal (Kidnap – Rashi).
9. Do not be a false witness.
10. Do not be jealous and want to have your friend’s house, his wife, and all that’s his.
All the people saw the sounds (Lots of discussion on this!) and the flames and they trembled and stood from afar. They begged Moshe to speak in place of Hashem as they couldn’t handle the overwhelming noise with the voice of Hashem. Moshe tells them not to be afraid as Hashem just wants them to fear Him.
2 Mitzvos
1. Moshe approaches into the dark cloud and Hashem tells him to warn the people not to make gods of silver and gold.
2. He tells them when they make a mizbayach it should not be with stones cut from a sword or iron and there should not be steps to go up to it so as not to cause skin to be revealed as they go up steps.
(Adapted partially from Chabad.org, and The Pesukim and Rashi)
And now for the fun part
PARSHA PARTY
SNACKS LISTED FIRST SO YOU CAN TRY AND GUESS TOO!
Shooter candy
Cherry Sours
Candy Brix
TidBitz
Winkies Money Rolls
Dunkees / Spray Candy
Mini chocolate chips / little cupcakes
Mazel Tov Candies
Heart Candies
Dark chocolate /Dark Chocolate Smores / Dark Chocolate Peanut butter cups
Fruit Roll
Aleph Beis Cookies
Fruit by the Foot
Popping Candy
Bazooka Gum / Atomic candies / Zingers
Winkie Rockets
Jaw Breakers
Meltaway cake
Rainballs
Lipstick Candy / Lady Fingers/ Lady Stella cookies
Fruity Peak
Choco NoNos
Donuts
Must Candy
Double Bubble
Cotton Candy
Zillions
Candy Canes
Hot Tomales / Fire Blasters / Candy Corn
Lip Candies
Torah Oodles or Chocolates / Torah Candy Gel
Dazzlers / Wowzers
Licorice Twists
Dr Pepper
Whistle candy
Windmill candy
Green Soursticks and Flower Cookies Chocolate leaves (According to some – though seeking source)
Gold and silver coins
Tools Chocolates (If Dairy make sure to use before the meal)
THE PARSHA PARTY ANSWER LIST!
Shooter candy – Medrash that Yisro Shot an arrow with a note to Moshe to let him know he arrived
Cherry Sours – Goosebumps that Yisro had when he heard the miracles
Candy Brix – Yisro brought a karban to Hashem
TidBitz – Yisro gave Tidbitz of advice on how to judge the whole nation
Winkies Money Rolls – The judges appointed under Moshe needed to be wealthy and hate money
Dunkees / Spray Candy – The people need to dunk into water and spray and wash themselves before Har Sinai
Mini chocolate chips / little cupcakes– Har Sinai was the smaller mountain
Mazel Tov Candies – Matan Torah was a marriage between Hashem and the Yidden
Heart Candies – They camped like one man with one heart
Dark chocolate /Dark Chocolate Smores / Dark Chocolate Peanut butter cups – The clouds and dark storms as Hashem approached Har Sinai
Fruit Roll Ups – Hashem gave the Torah that we Roll up
Aleph Beis Cookies – The letters of the Aseres Hadibros (according to some were visible in the air)
Fruit by the Foot – The people had to stay at the foot of the mountain and could not come closer
Popping Candy – The popping thunderous sounds at Har Sinai
Bazooka Gum / Atomic candies / Zingers– The Wild Bazooka Atomic zinger sounds that were heard at Har Sinai
Winkie Rockets – Noises like rockets were shooting through the sky by Har sinai
Jaw Breakers – The earth was breaking and quaking by Har Sinai
Meltaway cake – The earth crumbled and shook leaving the people melting in fear
Rainballs – There was storm raining down by Har SInai
Lipstick Candy / Lady Fingers/ Lady Stella cookies – Ko Somar Levais Yaakov – the ladies
Fruity Peak – Moshe went to the peak of the mountain where Hashem descended
Choco NoNos – The Aseres Hadibros (No No No…)
Donuts – The Aseres Hadibros (Do Not…)
Must Candy – The Aseres Hadibros (You must keep Shabbos and honor your parents)
Double Bubble – The Aseres Hadibros were also written on double tablets (luchos)
Cotton Candy – The clouds that covered Har Sinai
Zillions – All the zillions of neshamas that ever exist were at Har Sinai
Candy Canes – All the sick people were healed at Har Sinai
Hot Tomales / Fire Blasters / Candy Corn – The mountain was full of smoke and fire
Lip Candies – Do not say Hashem’s name in vain
Torah Oodles or Chocolates / Torah Candy Gel – They received the Torah on Har Sinai
Dazzlers / Wowzers – The people and the whole world were dazzled and wowed by the noises and power at Har Sinai
Licorice Twists – The fences around the mountain
Dr Pepper – Hashem healed the sick people
Whistle candy – The shofar sounded at Har Sinai
Windmill candy – The wind was blowing with clouds by Har Sinai
Green Soursticks and Flower Cookies Chocolate leaves (According to some – though seeking source) – The greenery, flowers, and leaves at the foot of the mountain
Gold and silver coins – Don’t make idols of gold and silver
Tools Chocolates (If Dairy make sure to use before the meal) – Stones for mizbayach can’t be cut with iron tools
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Have a wonderful Shabbos!
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