Parshat Yitro from G-dcast.com
More Torah cartoons at www.g-dcast.com
As narrated by fellow (Reform) convert and blogger Leah Jones of Accidentally Jewish. According to some interpretations, this parsha is also about Yitro’s conversion. Personally, I think this is the parsha where Yitro tells Moses to start the first rabbinical school.
Related: Chabad’s Parsha in a Nutshell: Yitro
Yitro's circumstance is strangely relevant to much of the discussion on this blog regarding conversions. Yitro was a Midianite and Moshe's father in law. Moreover, Yitro was so righteous that he is honored with a namesake parsha. Regardless, Yitro's name is also denigrated in the Chumash. When Pinchas kills Zimmri for engaging in a chilul hashem by openly co-habiting with a whore, a mob wants to kill Pinchas solely because his maternal grandfather was Yitro. Yet, the crowd is dissuaded from lynching Pinchas by being reminded that Arron is Pinchas' paternal grandfather (See Rashi). If a man of Yitro's stature is treated in this manner, what awaits a less distinguished convert? The noted is sad commentary, but reality. Thus, converts need to make peace with G-d and let Him sort out the haters because a convert should never confuse Judaism with “some” Jews!
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Not so easy to do when the “haters” are loud! This article really scared a lot of converts I'm working with and I had to explain over and over again that this guy didn't represent all Orthodox rabbis.
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