A word of Torah:    
        While Judaism is a particularistic take on life, it exists in a universalistic context. Its most fundamental "truths" are true about all people or about the universe. They are not true only about or for Jews. This is why the Torah begins in Genesis with the creation of the world. Too often we forget about this beginning and only focus on a particularistic vision of the world. Yet, our most sacred text tells of a world where for many generations there are no Jews. Apparently, Jews aren't essential for the world's existence. It is a humbling lesson.
        Every person is a unique individual. Because we are human, we see the world with a perspective limited by the nature of our being. We are shaped by our genes and by are environment. Each of us is particular. We are also like every human being who has ever existed or will exist. Our bodies are more alike than not.
        It is a common mistake to think that the particular is what is paramount and the universal is secondary. The Torah begins with the universal before we get to Judaism and Abraham to ensure that we understand that the particular exists within the universal. My being and body don’t let me forget my particularity. It is of the universal that I need reminding.
        This is driven home by this week’s Torah portion. We come to the climactic moment of receiving the Torah at Sinai. Yet the Torah portion is not called Sinai or revelation. It is named after Moses’ non-Jewish father-in-law, Yitro. As an outsider, he perceives that the Israelite system of justice is not working, mostly because all the cases have to come before Moses. He advises Moses to create a system of judges who will ensure justice is provided fairly and in a timely manner. This seems an essential pre-condition to receiving the Torah which will serve as a system of law for the Jewish people.
        Yet, the story of Yitro suggests that even the Torah exists in a universal context. For justice to exist there needs to be multiple points of view, hence a number of judges not just one. It is critical to get input from those who are on society's margin or like Yitro who have the perspective of outsiders. In our time, we have seen the danger that comes from only talking to people like ourselves. Instead, the Jewish people take the Torah that is received at Sinai and will turn it into a discussion not a code of law. The Talmud, a distinctive book filled with ongoing debates, suggests multiple views as the better method to find the truth we all seek. This too is the revelation at Sinai.