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Last weekend I drove over an hour to a town in Connecticut I had never been to.  Granted that describes many towns in Connecticut seven months into living in Cheshire, but this one drew me in because it’s the location of The Book Barn.  If you’re as much of a bookstore aficionado as I am, and you’ve never had the pleasure of visiting this remarkable one in Niantic, you must check it out!

Among the bargains I came home with?  The soundtrack of Cats for $1.00!  True confessions: I like it.  So why did I spend the week making sure I only listened to it by myself, and kept it someplace it wouldn’t be seen?

Even for those of us blessed to have come far enough in our lives that we don’t live them ruled by fears of what others will think, it can still strike a note (no pun intended) of vulnerability to enjoy something that has been relegated to general mockery.  You’ve heard the phrase “I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats,” have you not?  What was keeping me from trusting the people in my own life with this one?  What keeps any of us from holding this kind of trust in our hearts?

Perhaps a response to this question can be found in our Torah portion this week.  It’s one of a handful named for a non-Israelite: Yitro, or Jethro.  He is Moses’s father-in-law, and just after Moses has led his people from slavery towards freedom, he pays them a visit at their first encampment.  When he sees Moses assuming the role of judge and arbiter for the Israelites all by himself, he is somewhat aghast.  He insists that Moses needs help, for this task “weighs more than your strength,” and must be shared among the elders of people.

Other than the necessity of delegation, and listening to our in-laws, from time to time at least (!) the wisdom contained this encounter is that Moses did have to discover a way to fully trust his people before they could share the most transcendent experience of their lives together.  (Spoiler alert: the giving of the Ten Commandments also comes from Yitro!)  Moses had to find a way to exist not above or apart from them as their leader at every turn, but with them.  Yitro’s message to Moses is clear: you need help.  And look around.  You have it.

Whether it’s telling our own comedic or serious truths, sharing our dreams, being more vulnerable with each other today then we were yesterday, this is a portion that inspires us to take the first brave steps. 

What truth will you share with another this Shabbat?

It will be a special one at Temple Beth David: our congregational dinner at 5:30pm followed by services with 1^st/2^nd Grade leadership at 6:30pm.  You’ll laugh, you’ll cry.  It will be even better than Cats!

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Gutterman