30 Jan PARASHAT YITRO: PARTNERING WITH HASHEM

Parashat Yitro tells of
Ma’amad Har Sinai –
Hashem’s revelation
to Beneh Yisrael at
Mount Sinai, and Moshe’s ascent to the
mountaintop after the revelation in order
to receive the Torah.
The Gemara in Masechet Shabbat (88b)
tells of Moshe’s confrontation with
the angels when he was in the heavens
receiving the Torah. The angels objected
to G-d’s decision to give the sacred
Torah, which had been in the heavens
for millennia, to lowly mortals. Hashem
instructed Moshe to respond to the angels’
argument, and Moshe retorted that the
angels have no need for the Torah’s laws.
For example, the command of Shabbat is
relevant only to those who work during
the week, and the angels do not work;
the prohibition of theft is relevant only to
those who experience jealousy and have
an instinct to compete, which angels do
not.
The Hid”a (Rav Haim Yosef David
Azulai, 1724-1806), in his Peneh

David, explains the rationale behind the
angels’ contention based on a Halachic
rule known as “Bar Masra.” This rule
establishes that if a person wishes to sell a
piece of property, he must grant the right
of first refusal to the person who owns the
neighboring property. Since the owner of
a neighboring property will benefit from
the property more than others, it is only
proper to grant him first rights to purchase
it. Accordingly, the angels argued that if
Hashem was “selling” the Torah, He was
obliged to first offer it to them, as they
reside in the heavens and could thus be
regarded as the Torah’s “neighbors.”
Many later writers have elaborated
further on this approach, and offered
various explanations for why the angels’
claim was not valid.
Rav Meir Shapiro of Lublin (Poland,
1887-1933) explained by noting an event
that preceded Ma’amad Har Sinai, and
which, in a sense, served as a prelude
to the giving of Torah. During Beneh
Yisrael’s encampment in Mara, they
were taught several Misvot (Shemot

15:25). Specifically, Rashi writes, they
were taught the obligation of honoring
parents, the obligation to observe
Shabbat, and the obligation to maintain a
just legal system. Rav Shapiro noted that
the common theme shared by these three
Misvot is the idea of our partnership with
Hashem. The Rabbis teach that whoever
observes Shabbat properly is considered
as though he has partnered with Hashem
in the world’s creation, and they similar
comment that a judge who rules truthfully
is considered G-d’s partner. And when a
person honors him parents, he gives honor
to all three partners who took part in his
creation – his mother, his father, and G-d.
Thus, before Beneh Yisrael arrived at
Sinai, they were made Hashem’s partners
through these three Misvot.
This is precisely the flaw in the angels’
argument. One of the exceptions to the
law of “Bar Masra” is that the seller’s
partner takes precedence to a neighbor.
If the seller’s partner wishes to purchase
the property, then he receives first rights,
even if the owner of the neighboring
property is also interested. Hence, Beneh

Yisrael were entitled to the Torah even
if the angels wanted it. We are not
only Hashem’s subjects – we are His
“partners,” in that we represent Him in
the world and conduct our lives according
to His will. Therefore, we deserve first
rights to the Torah. Although the angels
reside in the heavens, and we are mere
mortals living here on earth, we were
nevertheless granted the precious gift
of the Torah, because we are Hashem’s
partners, who enjoy a special relationship
with Him, by virtue of which He showers
us with His blessings, including, and
most importantly, the sacred Torah.