Yitro — Jethro (Exodus 18:1–20:23)
Appoint yourself a wise person
to advise you on how to do the
things you do, like Moses did
with Jethro, his father-in-law
who told him to not spread himself
so thin and delegate.
I have one of those too. He told me to
get in the system (it was real estate
advice) and so I did and now
in the system, I’m better than I
would have been if I wasn’t.
He told me to not put the trash can
up against the AC compressor unit.
Advice I heeded and now the
insurance company has nothing to
complain about (it all goes back to
real estate). Appoint yourself a cheerleader
who will read your poems and tell you
how unique your voice is, and you
realize he bought a copy of his
son-in-law’s (that’s you, but really
it’s all a metaphor for me) book
when you easily could have
just mailed him one. Like Moses
did with his father-in-law, Jethro
who listened to the stories of
demands and plagues and
water coming out of rocks
and seas parting, so everyone,
literally, everyone could be free.
Jethro’s eyes listened with
the wideness of ascent offerings.
Jethro rejoiced. Appoint yourself
someone like that, like Jethro who
will tell you how it is, how it should be,
and will always be on your side.
Rick Lupert, a poet, songleader and graphic designer, is the author of 29 books including “God Wrestler: A Poem for Every Torah Portion.” Visit him at www.JewishPoetry.net
