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By Rabbi Joshua Kullock,
Comunidad Hebrea de Guadalajara, Mexico

Translated by Inés Baum - Proofreading by Ellen Zindler

We have all heard about Charles Darwin. Known as the father of modern Biology, based on his work he established the theory of evolution of the species through what he called a process of natural selection. According to his reasoning, species adapt – or not – to the environment in which they live, thus determining the species that will survive and the ones that will be extinguished. In this context, species mutate throughout time, slowly but gradually, evolving and achieving a more effective adaptation to their habitat.

The paths through which species evolved started to be mapped upon the principles of the Darwinist theory, but, as was to be expected, several spaces could not be completed. Those voids are known today as “missing links”. And it is into those missing links that I’d like to delve today.

Last week, the Torah presented us with what we could call the Jewish triumvirate: Moses, Miriam and Aaron are, in our tradition, the leaders who, joined in a single unified vision, knew how to guide the people throughout the years in the wilderness.

In this Shabbat’s parashah, Parashat Yitro, we find ourselves camping at the foot of Mount Sinai, receiving the Ten Commandments. It is because of this event that our parashah is so well known. I believe each and every one of us has their own image of that moment: flashes of lightning, smoke and fire, combined on a unique scenario in universal history. Fear, joy and anguish, interwoven in the feelings of an entire people awaiting God’s revelation.

If we put together what we read last week and what we are reading today, we find the following outline: on the one side we have the leaders, willing and working towards the task ahead, and on the other, the essential ruling content that will guide the people’s steps.

But we lack the missing link: we have the leaders and we have the law, but the structure that would allow the leaders to apply the law is missing. We have the content, but the form is missing. And without form, all content dilutes and disappears.

In my opinion, the missing link can be found hiding behind our parashah’s name, behind Yitro’s name. The Torah tells that Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, watches as his son-in-law works alone and continuously in order to resolve every issue that arises among the people: from the tiniest quarrels to the most important problems, everything fell on the shoulders of the same man. It is Jethro, the Midianite priest, who advises Moses of the possibility to delegate tasks, putting ethical and worthy men in charge of the responsibility of solving some of the conflicts. Jethro understands that no system can rest on a single person, and that only by way of summoning more people can we aspire to grow, without losing either the compass or the horizon.

Then, the Torah tells that Moses followed his father-in-law’s advice and established the structure that would allow the people to operate in the best possible way: strong leaders, a clear ruling body, and a structure based on trust and joint work from many parties, for the purpose of easing the processes and allowing growth and mobility.

Nevertheless, two well defined parties were needed in order to make this system function correctly: a leader who knew how to delegate, and a people willing to commit and accept responsibility. For no system can withstand while the leaders do not know how to delegate, but even less while the members of the people are not willing to actively work and take into their hands part of the task delegated by the leader.

Thus, I believe there is a double message in Parashat Yitro: on the one hand, it reminds us community leaders that it is not healthy to concentrate power in a single person, and that unless we develop ties of trust and shared visions, all possible models are inevitably doomed to fail. But on the other hand, our parashah invites all members of the community to open their eyes and realize that their work and contribution is necessary, so as to generate inclusive systems where responsibilities can be shared by all members.

Without a doubt, I believe that the only community model that works is the one that has open leaders and members eager to participate. And if this does not happen, we will be doomed to be a missing link in the millenary chain of Israel’s tradition.

This Parashah commentary was done by the Union of Jewish Congregations of Latin America and the Caribbean, and may be reproduced quoting its source.
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Forwarded by Rabbi Gustavo Kraselnik, from Kol Shearith Israel Congregation, Panama.
Translated by Inés Baum and proofread by Ellen Zindler, from B’nei Israel Congregation, Costa Rica.

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