Fwd: The Antidote to Strife

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rabbi Yosef B. Friedman <webadmin@kehotpublicationsociety.ccsend.com>
Date: Thu, Feb 5, 2026, 10:15 AM
Subject: The Antidote to Strife
To: <agentemes4@gmail.com>

I S S U E 912 Yitro / February 5, 2026 / 18 Shevat, 5786 Dear Friend, We are pleased to share an insight by the Rebbe on parshat Yitro, excerpted from our Daily Wisdom, adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky. The Antidote to Strife Yitro, Moses' father-in-law, [former] priest of Midian, heard about all that G-d had done for Moses and for His people Israel, that G-d had brought Israel out of Egypt. (Ex. 18:1) The word Midian in Hebrew means "contention" and "strife." Allegorically, then, Yitro was "the priest of strife." We are taught that Yitro, in his search for spirituality, had tried practicing every form of idolatry then known. A major difference between idolatry and the service of G-d is that idolatry promotes self-awareness and egocentricity – for a person only manufactures gods in order to satisfy his needs and desires – whereas serving G-d promotes self-effacement and selflessness. This is why Yitro, the arch-idolater, was the "prince of strife": egocentricity causes us to clash with others, whereas selflessness enables us to get along with our fellows. --Daily Wisdom Vol. 3 Gut Shabbos, Rabbi Yosef B. Friedman Kehot Publication Society Please donate to our current campaigns.

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