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Yitro 5785: Choosing Torah

What does Yitro teach us about choosing Torah instead of receiving it by force?

Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Michael Hattin explore Parshat Yitro, highlighting the contrast between Amalek’s hostility and Yitro’s embrace of the Jewish people. They discuss Yitro’s journey as an outsider who willingly joins Israel, offering a model for choosing Torah rather than receiving it by force. The conversation explores obligation, free will, and how we cultivate a personal connection to Torah.

Featuring
Rabbi Michael Hattin – Pardes Faculty
Zvi Hirschfield – Pardes Faculty and Host of Pardes from Jerusalem

Michael Hattin

Rabbi Michael Hattin is Senior Faculty at Pardes, where he teaches Tanakh and Halakha. He has rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Har Etzion and holds a professional degree in architecture from the University of Toronto.

Michael is the author of multiple books on Tanakh, with a special focus on Nevi’im Rishonim. He speaks English, Hebrew, and Yiddish fluently, and has served as scholar-in-residence in communities throughout North America and Europe. Michael lives in Alon Shvut with his wife Rivka and their children.