In Parshat Yitro, the Jews received the Torah at Mount Sinai. Accepting the Torah was something so special that Bnei Yisrael had to prepare for it. They purified themselves and washed their clothes so that they would be beautiful. One can learn from this action.

The commandment to keep and remember Shabbat is one that we are supposed to prepare for as well. In Bereishit, when the world was created on the sixth day, it said יום השישי (the sixth day). It added a letter ה and made it “the sixth day” as opposed to just “sixth day.” The Midrash tells us that the extra letter of ה was teaching us that the world was not created until a specific day, until the Jews accepted the Torah at Mount Sinai. Bnei Yisrael accepted the Torah on Erev Shabbat, Friday. Every Shabbat we are like Bnei Yisrael, receiving a special gift from Hashem. When we go into Shabbat we are saying that we accept the Torah and will do His mitzvot. We should go into it beautifully and pure. So starting this Shabbat, take out your nice clothes even if you’re staying in because it’s cold or because of COVID. Learn from Parshat Yitro that Shabbat is a special gift from Hashem to us, and we should be ready for it, bringing it in with excitement and joy.

By Shira Sedek