B"H

Tuesday, Shevat 16, 5779 / January 22, 2019

In this week's Parsha, Yitro, we read about the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. 

Q. In the Torah there are 613 commandments. Were all commandments given at Mount Sinai?

A. According to our sages, all 613 mitzvot of the Torah were given at Mount Sinai. In fact, they are all hinted and contained within the Ten Commandments and are equally important. 

The reason our sages didn't include the Ten Commandments in the daily prayers, as they did with the Shema (Hear O Israel), is so that we shouldn’t think that the Ten Commandments are more important than any of the other mitzvot of the Torah.

Q.  What is the significance of the number ten (“Ten Commandments”)?

A.  The world was created with ten sayings by G-d (let there be…), as recorded in the Book of Genesis, in the story of creation. Our sages tell us that, the ten sayings with which G-d created the world, correspond to the Ten Commandments. It teaches us that the purpose of creation is for the Torah.

Q. Before receiving the Torah, the people of Israel proclaimed, "Na'aseh V'nishma" ("we will do and we will understand").  First, we will do, and only after, we will understand.  What is the lesson in this for us?

A.   This teaches us that one should observe the mitzvot (commandments) even before they understand the reason for the mitzvot.  The action is what counts.

Q.   How long was Moshe on Mount Sinai before coming down with the Tablets?

A.  Moshe remained on Mount Sinai for forty days.  At the end of that time, he came down with the Two Tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were engraved. But when he saw the people worshipping the Golden Calf, he broke the Tablets. Eighty days later he came down with the Second Tablets.

Q.  When one is called to the Torah, we refer to it as an "Aliyah."  Why is it called Aliyah?

A.  "Aliyah" means "going up."  Since the Torah is read on a Bimah, which is an elevated platform, one would ascend when being called to the Torah.  Also, being called to the Torah is a spiritual elevation.

Q. How many letters? How many words? How many verses? How many Parshiot does a Torah scroll have?

A.  The Torah has: 304,805 letters; 79,847 words; 5,888 verses; 54 Parshiot.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY