Words of Heaven and Earth

Abstract

The first reform and social organization of the people of Israel originates from the advice of Jethro, Moses’ father in law, a foreigner of a different faith. Between the escape from the idols of Egypt and the receiving of the gift of the Torah at Sinai, the Book of Exodus wished to include a picture of a good believer who is not idolatrous, and placed it at the heart of an event of crucial importance for the life of the people. It is a message of great openness and hope that reaches us today when believers in the God of life should unite and have a greater self-esteem, to free and protect ourselves from the thousands of idolatrous cults of our time. The elderly, Aaron, the wise men of Israel, had definitely seen the strain in Moses and his difficulties in dealing with a numerous and complex people all alone. But to put into force the new organizational structure that would prepare the people for the great theophany of Sinai it took a different view of an outsider, someone of another people and another faith who still respected YHWH despite not being his God.

The mountains among themselves were fighting for the honor of being chosen as the spot for the revelation. One said: “Upon me shall the Shekinah of God rest, and mine shall be this glory,” whereupon the other mountain replied: “Upon me shall the Shekinah rest, and mine shall be this glory.” The mountain of Tabor said to the mountain of Hermon: “Upon me shall the Shekinah rest, mine shall be this glory…” (…) Mount Sinai was given the preference not for its humility alone, but also because upon it there had been no worshipping of idols; whereas the other mountains, owing to their height, had been employed as sanctuaries by the idolaters.

(Louis Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews, Vol. III).