The highlight of Parashat Yitro, is the revelation of Hashem to Am Yisrael through the Asseret HaDibrot — the Ten Divine Statements. After the people heard these words at Sinai, Moshe ascended Mount Sinai, where he remained for forty days and nights. At the conclusion of this period, he was given the Luchot — the two stone Tablets upon which the Asseret HaDibrot were engraved.

 

This raises a fundamental question: what was the role of the Luchot in the process of the giving of the Torah?

 

On the one hand, the Asseret HaDibrot had already been heard directly at Sinai, so the Luchot did not convey any new information. On the other hand, Am Yisrael would later receive the entire Torah in written form, containing all the mitzvot. What, then, was the significance of introducing an additional entity bearing the Asseret HaDibrot?

 

Moreover, even if there is a special purpose served by having a separate representation of the Asseret HaDibrot, why was a different medium necessary? If the rest of the Torah is written on parchment in the form of a scroll, why not inscribe the Asseret HaDibrot on a smaller scroll as well? Why tablets of stone?

 

A profound insight into the purpose of the Luchot emerges from the Midrash, which asks:

 

“Why did Hashem give the people of Israel tablets of stone? To teach them that they should write the words of the Torah on the tablets of their heart, as it is written in Mishlei (Proverbs 3:3): ‘Kotvem al luach libecha’ — ‘Write them upon the tablet of your heart.’”

 

The Midrash explains that the function of the Luchot was not to transmit Torah content that we would otherwise lack. Rather, they address the depth and quality of our connection to the words of Torah. The Luchot teach us that Torah is not merely information to be grasped intellectually; it is meant to be engraved upon the heart, forging an intimate, emotional bond and a complete identification with its message.

 

Significantly, the shift from parchment to stone also brings about a shift in the method of writing — from ink to engraving. Ink represents a substance that is applied to a surface, remaining distinct from it. Engraving, by contrast, forms letters that are of the very same substance as the medium itself. The letters are not added to the stone; they emerge from it. This powerfully reflects the central idea embodied by the Luchot: total unity between the person and the words of Torah.

 

With this in mind, we can understand why the giving of the Luchot represents the culmination of the Torah’s revelation. They embody the ideal manner in which Torah is meant to be received — not only learned, but internalized; not only understood, but absorbed into the very core of who we are.

 

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi David Blackman

Announcements |Yitro|

The Executive and Committee wish you Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi David Blackman is officiating over Shabbat. Rabbi Gavriel Zeigler will be our Baal Koreh. Lance Katz shall read Aliyah 7. Rafi Noik shall read the maftir.

Rabbi’s shiur on Shabbat morning is entitled The most boring verse in the Bible.

The Haftorah shall be read by Ray Wienburg this Shabbat.

We warmly thank Dawn Beerman for the sponsorship of the Kiddush Bracha this Shabbat to commemorate the yahrzeit for her late father of blessed memory, Shmuel Yehuda Velkes.

We warmly thank Kim Katz for sponsoring a carrot cake to this weeks Kiddush Bracha in celebration of Lance Katz’s birthday.

Mazal Tov to Owen and Lisa Futren on the birth of their granddaughter to parents Adi and Rei in Eretz Yisrael.

The Consecration for the late Rael Scher, brother and brother-in-law of Philip and Michelle Scher, will take place this Sunday 8 February at 10:00 in Johannesburg. We wish the Scher family (Cape Town and Johannesburg) Long Life.

The Consecration for the late Naomi Sank, grandmother to Lexi Sacks, will take place this Sunday at Pinelands No 2 at 10:30am. We wish the Sank family Long Life.

This coming Tuesday night 10 February, 17 February, 24 February at 19:30 pm – wonderful and delicious pre-Purim sushi and shiur series. Please register.

As Purim creeps closer… Have you entered yet? Join the excitement of the Grand Morasha Purim Raffle!

Support Morasha, spread the joy of Purim, and stand a chance to win a generous prize.

🎟️ Buy 10 tickets and get 1 FREE! Enter today: https://www.morasha.co.za/raffle2026/

We thank our brocha ladies and our Eyes and Ears team.

Our Eyes and Ears team always needs more volunteers, please call the shul office to enlist.

Upcoming Events and Activities:

Rosh Chodesh Breakfast – Sunday 22 February. After shacharit davening come and hear the Kallmann Robin’s family talk on their very recent visit to Iraq.

Purim Monday night 02 March and Tuesday 03 March – soon to be released.

Second night Pesach Seder, Thursday 02 April, we shall be hosting at Morasha. Bookings are already open.

“Junie Punie” Children’s service (ages 1-6) takes place at 10h15 on Shabbat Morning.

“Dream Team Activities” Older kids and early teens activities are from 10h15 – 11h00 on Shabbat Morning

“Toddler Time” For the Tiny Tots on Shabbat at 17h30pm. Please bring your kids and have some fun!!

Morasha Wi-Fi code is “Morasha Guest”, and the password is We@rehome31

Parashat Yitro	Artscroll	Steinsaltz	Living Torah	Hirsch
Torah	394	383	344	276
Maftir	412	399	356	285
Haftarah	1154	1193	1114	854

Earliest Candle Lighting	18:24
Latest Candle Lighting	19:15
Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat	18:30
Shacharit	08:45
Latest time for morning Shema	09:36
Mincha	18:45
Shabbat Ends and Musical Havdalah	20:23

 

Day	Time	Topic	Speaker	Place
Shabbat	Morning	Shiur after Bracha	Rabbi David Blackman	Shul
Shabbat	Mincha/Seuda	Shiur	Rabbi David Blackman	Shul
Weekday	After Shacharit	Halacha in Parsha Shavua	Rabbi David Blackman	Shul
Weekday	Pre Mincha	30 Minute Halacha in Parsha	Rabbi David Blackman	Shul
Tuesday Evening	19:15-21:00	Chevrutah with YCT	Eitan, Harel and Shalom	Shul
Thursday Evening	19:15-21:00	Chevrutah with YCT	Eitan, Harel and Shalom	Shul

 

Please be so kind as to return siddurim, chumashim and library books to our bookshelves.

Please take note: The Yahrzeit begins the evening before the date listed below

Name	Yahrzeit for	Date
Joel Gamsu	Mother	Friday 06 February
Saul Stein	Grandfather	Friday 06 February
Rosalie Scher	Sister	Friday 06 February
Rosalind Lewenson	Husband	Saturday 07 February
Robert Lewenson	Father	Saturday 07 February
Saul Stein	Grandmother	Saturday 07 February
Avital Lang	Uncle	Sunday 08 February
Lynn Rabinowitz	Father	Sunday 08 February
Alan Martin	Father	Sunday 08 February
Maxine Boyd	Uncle	Monday 09 February
Mark Sonik	Father	Monday 09 February
Gabriel Nahum	Brother	Tuesday 10 February
Ziv Okun	Mother	Tuesday 10 February
Ronit Netter	Mother	Tuesday 10 February
Leora Sternberg	Father	Wednesday 11 February
Tony Wiesenbacher	Grandmother	Wednesday 11 February
Karen Cohen	Grandmother	Thursday 12 February
Naomi Gelb	Stepfather-in -law	Thursday 12 February
Greg Gelb	Grandfather	Thursday 12 February
Shirley Karon	Husband	Thursday 12 February
Lorraine Rabinowitz	Father	Thursday 12 February
Ray Wienburg	Father	Thursday 12 February
Stan Miller	Great Uncle	Friday 13 February

Anniversaries
Amnon and Illana Melzer	Saturday 07 Feb
Warren and Andrea Fialkov	Monday 09 Feb
Leon and Yvonne Gerscholowitz	Tuesday 10 Feb
Rod and Evelyn Waner	Friday 13 Feb
Birthdays
Lance Katz	Friday 06 Feb
Jethro Klitzner	Friday 06 Feb
Naomi Rappoport	Friday 06 Feb
Aryeh Robins Kallmann	Friday 06 Feb
Talya Hasson	Saturday 07 Feb
Rosa Kolevsohn	Saturday 07 Feb
Dorothy Zieff	Saturday 07 Feb
Cecile Pelman	Sunday 08 Feb
Sarah Gamsu	Monday 09 Feb
Renee Musikanth	Monday 09 Feb
Yonni Palay	Monday 09 Feb
Wendy Shochot	Tuesday 10 Feb
Maxx Goldstein	Wednesday 11 Feb
Bradley Moritz	Thursday 12 Feb
Martin Chesno	Friday 13 Feb
Elisha Melzer	Friday 13 Feb
Gavriela Stern	Friday 13 Feb