Torah Pearls #17 – Yitro (Exodus 18:1-20:23)
This episode of The Original Torah Pearls, Yitro (Exodus 18:1-20:23), is dedicated to Nehemia’s faithful canine companion, Georgia the Rhodesian Ridgeback, who sadly passed away the day of this recording. In her honor, the trio has a fascinating discussion on the … Continue reading →
This episode of The Original Torah Pearls, Yitro (Exodus 18:1-20:23), is dedicated to Nehemia’s faithful canine companion, Georgia the Rhodesian Ridgeback, who sadly passed away the day of this recording. In her honor, the trio has a fascinating discussion on the character of Caleb and the nature of canine loyalty. They also discuss Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, and challenge the common understanding of the process of Mosaic revelation. This leads to a powerful discussion of the events at Mt. Sinai and culminates in a powerful reading of the Ten Matters that will bring you to your feet. The closing music of this program was specially written in honor of Georgia. It features Yoel ben Shlomo on didgeridoo and Jono Vandor on guitar, and is entitled “Memories of Georgia”. May we all display the faithfulness of Yehovah’s servant, Caleb.
I look forward to reading your comments!
Transcript
Torah Pearls #17 – Yitro (Exodus 18:1-20:23)
You are listening to The Original Torah Pearls with Nehemia Gordon, Keith Johnson, and Jono Vandor. Thank you for supporting Nehemia Gordon's Makor Hebrew Foundation. Learn more at NehemiasWall.com.
Jono: It’s time for the Pearls from the Torah Portion, with Keith Johnson in Charlotte and Nehemia Gordon in Jerusalem. Gentlemen, welcome back to the program.
Keith: and Nehemia: Thanks for having us, Jono.
Jono: It’s good to have you, and g’day to Hugh listening to us in Houston, Texas, and Maureen listening in Indiana, and everyone else. Wherever you may be around the world, thank you for your company. Today is a different kind of program. I should let everybody know that we are prerecording this program, I know it’s February. We recorded this program on January 10th, and the reason why I’m letting you know, dear listeners, is because today Keith and I got an email from Nehemia, saying, “Listen, can we postpone the program?” because Georgia, Nehemia’s dog, was sick. We said, “Sure, no problem,” and we got an email a little bit later in the day saying Georgia, Nehemia’s faithful canine companion, passed away.
Nehemia was determined to go ahead and do the program, and dedicate it to the memory of Georgia, which we are very, very happy to do. Nehemia, I just wanted to say, I’m sorry for your loss, my condolences. It’s a terrible thing to lose not just a pet, but a faithful companion. One of so many years, as well. Thank you for coming on to do this program.
Nehemia: I already explained to you guys before, because Keith was kind of in shock – how can we possibly do the show today, and here, I’m drawing strength from the heritage of Israel’s military victories. One of the things in Israeli military doctrines is that when you suffer, especially if it’s a crushing defeat, you don’t stop and lick your wounds, you don’t run away. The first thing that you do is you launch an immediate counter attack. The enemy has struck a crushing blow against me today, and so I can’t think of anything better than to launch a counter attack and talk about the word of God, and that’s what I want to do today.
Keith: All yesterday I was monitoring the situation, hearing about what Nehemia was doing with Georgia and having been there with him, being with her, walking her, thinking of how I was going to be seeing her. It’s really something that people would have to understand in terms of how faithful a dog she has been, and so this will be a little bit difficult for all of us, I think. Georgia is very famous, there is not a better dog that I have ever been around.
We’re going to do our best to get through the Torah Pearls and open the word of God, and see if we can be inspired to, as Nehemia said, do a counter attack. We do certainly think of Nehemia, and really all of the people that were connected to her. She was really a wonderful dog – so be it my friends.
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Comments
Did Yehovahapproved the suggestion of Jitro to Moses ?
Is it possible moses sent back zipporah and his sons so that his son could recover from his improvised circumcision in chapter 4? I was thinking too, if moses had divorced her, wouldnt moses have kept his children? I think its related, that jephthah was born of a whore and a strange woman, and gilead even kept him among his other sons as an heir. Im not sure about the divorce angle beginning in 18:2
(Just to clarify, im not trying to push some theological prohibition on divorce, lol 😅)
I am blessed by your love for your beloved Pet as I recently lost my IRIS of 6yr.
I have a question:
What is your understanding of the coming “Greater Exodus “
I am a bit disappointed that nobody seems to know where YHVH places his NAME. Hebrews 1:4 indicates that Christ inherits everything from the Father including HIS NAME!
Christ is also the GLORY (SHEKINAH) of God. In Christ DWELLS the fullness of the GODHEAD (i.e. the FATHER). Just as a husband and wife, or the sun and the moon are ONE, so are the Father and Son.
It all roots in the shin-kaf-nun dwelling place, the shin-kaf-nun-heh glory, the mem-shin-kaf-nun temple. Christ is all those things.
When YHVH decided to make man in OUR IMAGE, this was no “royal nonsense” as Nehemia discusses, it expressly says that the image was MALE AND FEMALE. The FATHER is the male component, and the SON is the female component. We see this numerous times in the OT and NT as the “rock” (not Simon Peter) upon which everything is built is a female rock in the Greek.
The Shekinah is the female manifestation of God on the earth. I can understand Nehemia not seeing it but the Christians should do better in picking up these things. Nehemia with his focus on the “name” should follow this thought further.
What a endearing photo of you and Georgia <3 I remember when I first hear this audio years ago. It always touches my heart. To her blessed memory. A loyal friend…you were blessed with for a season. Great episode btw.
A blessed good morning to you guys from beautiful Country of Belize. Am new to this teaching. Am so thankful that I feel it. Looking forward to learn more with you guys. Blessing to you all. Amen
In Leviticus 11 the command is about not eating or touching the *carcass* of an unclean animal. We’re not forbidden from touching living unclean animals i.e. having pet dogs or cats. Even if a person were to touch the carcass of an unclean animal, for instance to bury their animal, the verse says they are to wash their clothes and they will be unclean until evening, not permanently.
Shalom, I have 2 questions.. if someone helps me I would really be thankful.
The first is that I want to understand a little more Ex 19 verse 1. Does it say that on the same day that Israel went out of Egypt on the 3 month they arrived to Sinai… or that they simply arrived on the 3 month on the day they left Refidim. Please help. I know that assuming shavuot and the given of the torah on the same day is not explicit, and I even thought there was no relation, but if Nehemia started to think they actually do, well, Im now wondering, how it could be….I would love to know what it really says about the day in concern of the verse, what’s on the same day in relation with.
Please
The other question is:
how long was Moses divorced before Yitro came by with the kids?
Thank you
The whole thing was beautiful.
Thank you, Nehemia, Jono and Keith.
Shalom!
Nehemia I have a question what is the difference between the book of the law verses the book of the covenant can you give me scripture to explain
Just out of curiosity, aren’t we commanded not to touch the unclean thing(yes I like dogs and all other animals, but do not trust large cats). Wonder if u could comment?
Nehemia What I found is that it was at Mt. Horeb is where Moses when up the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights ..and he received the 2 tables of stone..(Deut 9:8 [KJV])
Also in Horeb ye provoked the LORD to wrath, so that the LORD was angry with you to have destroyed you.
(Deut 9:9 [KJV])
When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, [even] the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:
(Deut 9:10 [KJV])
And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them [was written] according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.
(Deut 9:11 [KJV])
And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, [that] the LORD gave me the two tables of stone, [even] the tables of the covenant.
(Deut 9:12 [KJV])
And the LORD said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted [themselves]; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image.
Nehemia, I really enjoyed the unpacking Exodus 18 but it was the music at the end that made me cry for the loss of your Georgia. Does Jono have a CD out it would be so cool…
Nehemia,
A little off topic, but have you ever questioned the difference in the accounts of Creation between Genesis 1 and Genesis 2? Oddly, throughout all of chapter 1, the Creator was only God, (Elohim,) that was doing all the creating. Then in Genesis 2, These are the generations of the heaven and the earth in the day that Yehovah God created them. Then through the fall and being kicked out of Eden, all references are towards Yehovah, or Yehovah God. I’m not saying it was, but it’s almost as if there are two separate creations, different accounts when one reads them noting specifically who was doing the creating. I question, because I seek 100% truth, and it just seems strange that His name got longer in chapter 2. I could understand if it was a long name in chapter 1, and Moses asked, can we shorten your name, so they did. But I don’t understand “why” His name would have gotten longer (temporariy, for a few chapters,) after which it was any of the above: God, Yehovah, Yehovah God, Lord, etc….
It’s almost as if God, (as a family or group) created the world, the universe, etc…, then a specific, singular member of the family, made Adam,
Any thoughts based on your in depth knowledge of the Hebrew language?.
Thanks.
Bamidbar (Numbers 13:6) says Caleb was of the tribe of Judah. How do you reconcile this?
What is the music at the end of the lesson, and where can I get a copy? It is awesome.
Wonderful memorial to Georgia!
quick question–if Moses had actually “divorced” his wife (and not just “sent her back to dad’s while he went off to face Pharaoh), why does the text in v.2, 5, 6 (still) as “his wife”? Just does not quite seem to fit (in this context). thx
Where do you get an eternal line for Aaron? The text says Ex 40:15 Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations.”
It does not say “forever” unless the Hebrew speaks otherwise. Does the Hebrew say differently?
My point is that the Levites were chosen because of sin but the intention was for a priesthood of believers….no king or human intermediary. YHVH, Himself, would be the “levite” (used as a verb) just as He would be the redeemer, the savior, etc.
In fact, doesn’t Jeremiah 31 prove that the role of a levite is going to be finished?
Another great Torah portion, thank you. I’m looking forward to the Deuteronomy 5 study. When leaving Christianity to follow Torah this was the passage that my family quoted to me, before ostracising me, specifically this verse…*[[Deu 5:22]] KJV* These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me….Yehovah added no more. Needless to say, I didn’t see things the same, or we wouldn’t have 5 books of instructions.
Shalom 🙂
The sadness of the loss of our dogs will soon be replaced with the gratefulness and appreciation of memories of them in our lives; Yehovah’s gift to us.
Nehemia…
I lost my 20 year old miniature dachshund last May, and it makes me weep even now to write this. I’m truly sorry for your loss. I guess this was a couple of years ago for you now…but I’m only just learning about it. Thank you for these Torah portions. Shalom
Amen!!
Hi Paul.
I believe this is the study you are looking for.
https://www.nehemiaswall.com/shaving-beards-sidelocks
May Yehovah be with you.
Devorah
Can you point me to the teaching regarding tattoos?
Nancy, here is an interesting analysis of Caleb’s family history: http://www.seedofabraham.net/Caleb_The_Gentile.html
The linking of Caleb to the Kenizzite people is tenuous, I think. It may be the right interpretation, but it may also be a case of interpreting to match a theology. There is another argument (just as sound, or (in my opinion) more sound) that says that “Kenizzite” (which means “hunter”) was being used here as a description/title rather than a people group.
This is somewhat similar to applying “Maccabee” as a family name to Mattathias and his descendants, when Maccabee was apparently a nickname/title for Mattathias’ son Judah “the hammer” (maccabee is usually considered to be an Aramaic word meaning “hammer”, although there are other interesting alternate explanations).
The Creator of the Universe teaches us how to love by way of His handiwork as narrated so well by the prophet Nathan in 2 Samuel 12:3
…..”but the poor man had nothing save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and reared; and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.”
Looking into the eyes of a beloved pet and seeing the gratitude and affection they project towards you is like seeing the gleam in our Father’s eye.
AMEN!!!
The comment that Caleb was a Gentile because he was Kenizzite confuses me a little. Many thoughts come to mind… Kenaz is named as a descendant of Esau, yet in Genesis 15:19 the Kenizzites existed in the days of Abraham. How can this be? Also, is Jephunneh a Hebrew name? Is it possible that there were two men named Kenaz at different points in history, because the families are so closely related? Caleb conquered a city of giants, the Anakim, so if he, as some commentaries say, took his own families land for Israel, he would have been a giant as well and scripture does not indicate this? Nehemia, can you please give a brief overview of the reasons for thinking there is only one Kenaz and that Caleb and Othniel at some point joined Israel in their wanderings and were adopted into Judah? Thanks!
Nehemiah, it is your heart-felt sorrows for losing your beloved Georgia and other personal things that befell you that attracted me to follow your Torah sharing. I lost my dog Rexena recently, too. They are God’s beautiful gifts to us. I am in awe of Jehovah for His awesome work in you and your depth of understanding the Bible. I pray you keep close to Baruch HaShem, for your studies are not falling on deaf ears of us who have ears, we can rejoice greatly with your swimming to the depths and back up for distributing the pearls to us who hunger and treasure His Name above all names with holy holy holy reverence in our spirits, now and forever! Can I have an AMEN!!!!
Nehemia, I highly recommend a female Chihuahua at this point. Chihuahuas are excellent exploration companions; not only are they small, but also they love to travel and wander and explore wherever you go. And females will not mark in the same way that males will.
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