▁reading ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁Jewish ▁hol iday ▁of ▁Sh av u ot , ▁which ▁comm emor ates ▁the ▁giving ▁of ▁the ▁Ten ▁Command ments . ▁ ▁Read ings ▁In ▁traditional ▁S abb ath ▁Tor ah ▁reading , ▁the ▁par ash ah ▁is ▁divided ▁into ▁seven ▁read ings , ▁or ▁, ▁ali y ot . ▁ ▁First ▁reading ▁— ▁Ex od us ▁ 1 8 : 1 – 1 2 ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁reading ▁( , ▁ali y ah ), ▁Mos es ' ▁father - in - law ▁J eth ro ▁heard ▁all ▁that ▁God ▁had ▁done ▁for ▁the ▁Israel ites ▁and ▁brought ▁Mos es ' ▁wife ▁Z ipp or ah ▁and ▁her ▁two ▁sons ▁G ers hom ▁(" I ▁have ▁been ▁a ▁stranger ▁here ") ▁and ▁El ie zer ▁(" G od ▁was ▁my ▁help ") ▁to ▁Mos es ▁in ▁the ▁w ilder ness ▁at ▁Mount ▁S ina i . ▁J eth ro ▁rejo iced , ▁bl essed ▁God , ▁and ▁offered ▁sacrific es ▁to ▁God . ▁ ▁Second ▁reading ▁— ▁Ex od us ▁ 1 8 : 1 3 – 2 3 ▁In ▁the ▁second ▁reading ▁( , ▁ali y ah ), ▁the ▁people ▁stood ▁from ▁morning ▁until ▁evening ▁waiting ▁for ▁Mos es ▁to ▁adj ud icate ▁their ▁disput es . ▁J eth ro ▁coun se led ▁Mos es ▁to ▁make ▁known ▁the ▁law , ▁and ▁then ▁choose ▁capable , ▁trust worth y , ▁God - f ear ing ▁men ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁chief s ▁to ▁judge ▁the