Parashat Yitro and the Power of Healing at the Giving of the Torah

Shabbat Parashat Yitro carries a rare spiritual power for complete healing, even beyond the natural order.

A member of the Council of Torah Sages and the rabbi of the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood, Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein, related that his father in law, Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv of blessed memory, once told a sick person:

“Just as at the giving of the Torah all the sick were healed, so too this influence is renewed every single year. One can ask the Holy One, blessed be He, for complete healing from all kinds of illnesses, even those for which, by natural means, there appears to be no cure.”

The sick person asked, “When can one merit this?”
Rabbi Elyashiv answered, “At the time when the Ten Commandments are read.”

The Commandment of Torah Study

One of the most fundamental commandments in Judaism is the mitzvah of Torah study. This commandment has three components:

• Engaging in Torah study itself is a mitzvah.

• Knowing the Torah is a mitzvah.

• Studying Torah in a way that leads to proper observance of halacha, as the Sages said: “Great is study, for it leads to action.”

Torah Study in the Sources

There are several verses in the Torah that establish the obligation of Torah study:

“You shall teach them to your children, to speak of them when you sit in your home, when you walk on the way, when you lie down, and when you rise” (Devarim 11:19).

“Moshe called all Israel and said to them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the laws that I speak in your ears today, and you shall learn them and guard them to perform them” (Devarim 5:1).

“This book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth, and you shall contemplate it day and night, so that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then you will make your way successful and then you will gain understanding” (Yehoshua 1:8).

Rambam on the Essence of Torah Study

The Rambam writes in Sefer HaMitzvot: “He commanded us to study the wisdom of the Torah and to teach it, and this is what is called Torah study. This is what they meant by ‘You shall teach them to your children,’ which the Sifrei explains as ‘these are your students.’ You find everywhere that students are called children, as it says, ‘the sons of the prophets.’ The term ‘you shall teach them’ means that the words should be sharp in your mouth, so that if someone asks you something, you do not hesitate, but answer immediately. This command is repeated many times: ‘you shall learn,’ ‘you shall do,’ ‘so that they may learn.’ The encouragement to fulfill this mitzvah and to engage in it constantly is spread throughout many places in the Talmud.”

A Way of Life with Meaning

Observance of the Torah and the commandments is a way of life that grants deep meaning and spiritual connection to Judaism. Every mitzvah that is kept strengthens our bond with the Holy One, blessed be He, and draws us closer to the true values of kindness, justice, and faith.

Through keeping the commandments, we continue an ancient tradition and pass it on to future generations, preserving our unique Jewish identity. Observance of mitzvot also gives us a sense of fulfillment and belonging, instilling in our hearts the understanding that we are part of the chosen people with an important role in the world. Ultimately, living by the Torah and its commandments leads us to a life filled with meaning, direction, and purpose.