This is Torah T for the portion of Yitro. Today’s two Sichos are based on Volume 21, Yitro 2 and Yitro 3. Both offer powerful lessons about unity, respecting one another, and avoiding causing shame.
Sicha 1: Unity at Sinai
The Torah describes how the Jewish people came to the desert in Sinai. The verse says, "Vayichan sham Yisrael neged hahar"—the Jewish people camped there opposite the mountain.
Normally, one would expect the Torah to use the plural form, Vayachanu, because it refers to a large group of people. Instead, it uses the singular form, Vayichan. Rashi explains that they camped in a singular way because they were “Ke’ish echad belev echad”—like one person with one heart. All 600,000 men, plus the women and children, were unified in their readiness to receive the Torah.
Rashi notes that at all other resting places during their travels, there were complaints and discord. Why does the Torah highlight this past negativity? It is to emphasize the unique power of the Torah. People naturally have different opinions; if you have ten Jews, you often have eleven opinions. Unity doesn’t mean everyone suddenly thinks the same way, but rather that they are willing to adjust and bend toward a common goal.
The Rebbe ties this unity to the number three. The Torah was given in the third month, it consists of three parts (Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim), it was given to three groups (Kohanim, Leviim, and Israelites), and it followed three days of preparation.
While the number one represents a single opinion and the number two represents opposites, the number three represents a "third verse" that decides between the two. It doesn’t just pick a side; it combines them into a higher level of unity.
This is the difference between Torah and secular wisdom. Secular science is informative—it tells you that if you eat poorly, you will get sick, but it doesn’t necessarily command you to eat well. Torah, however, means "instruction." It is a way of life.
In Torah study, there are many differing opinions among rabbis. However, once a Halakha (ruling) is established, it considers all views and provides a single path forward. True unity is found when even those who disagreed accept the ruling with humility.
The Talmud tells a story of a head rabbi who ruled on the date of Rosh Chodesh, which determined when Yom Kippur would fall. Another rabbi calculated differently and believed the head rabbi was wrong. To ensure unity, the head rabbi commanded the dissenting rabbi to come to him on the day he thought was Yom Kippur, carrying his wallet and staff. By doing so, the rabbi demonstrated that he wasn't just following the rule because he had no choice, but that he had fully subjugated his own intellect to the communal ruling. This is the level of unity the Torah brings—bringing everyone together under a single, higher truth.
Sicha 2: Respect and the Altar
The second Sicha focuses on the end of the portion, regarding the Mizbeach (altar). The Torah commands that the altar should not have steps, but rather a ramp. Rashi explains that taking wide steps can be a degrading way to ascend. Even though the Kohanim wore trousers under their robes and nothing was actually visible, the Torah is concerned with the appearance of degradation.
This offers a profound lesson: the stones of the altar are inanimate. They have no minds and cannot feel insulted. If the Torah is this careful about not treating inanimate stones in a degrading manner, how much more careful must we be with a human being?
A human being is created in the image of G-d and possesses a mind and feelings. If you shame or degrade another person, you are shaming the image of G-d.
It is significant that Parshat Yitro—the portion of the Giving of the Torah—ends with this lesson. It teaches us that the ultimate goal of the entire Torah is to make us better people. We must treat others with the utmost respect, avoiding even the most distant "custom of shame."
When we honor, encourage, and elevate others, we are honoring G-d. In turn, G-d blesses us "measure for measure." When we praise others, G-d gives us the opportunity to grow in various ways. By treating every person as a reflection of the Divine, we bring the greatness of G-d into the world.