Exodus 21:1–24:18
Parshat Mishpatim
Right after the giving of the Torah at Sinai comes a body of civil law: the Hebrew servant, damages and injuries, “an eye for an eye,” loans, honest courts and care for the stranger, the widow and the orphan, along with the three festivals. The people declare “We will do and we will hear,” and Moses goes up the mountain for forty days.
Essays
Parsha Mishpatim – A Job for a Nice Jewish Boy? Judaism and healing have always gone hand in hand. The challenge is to extend our physical and spiritual healing powers to places to which few would venture. Parsha Mishpatim – A Two Way Street The slogan, “Life is a two way street” can be understood to reflect the two directions of Judaism: from the top down and the bottom up. The Messianic Age will be a time of successfully merging the two movvements Parsha Mishpatim – An Eye for an Eye One of the worst injuries one can sustain is the loss of an eye. Our vision has been clouded, jaded and distorted in exile. G-d promises us that He will give us an eye that sees in place of our injured vision. Parsha Mishpatim – Heal a Heel Moshiach is the ultimate physician who will restore all of the innocence and holiness we have lost in exile. Parsha Mishpatim – Internal Medicine Science and modern technology have opened up new vistas. One is the ability to see the internal workings of our bodies and our world. There is a parallel spiritual power we now possess. We can, through prayer, penetrate to the core of our souls. Parsha Mishpatim – Judgment: Prelude to Moshiach The notion that there is a difference between man-to-G-d obligations is a myth. Indeed, the Final Redemption rests on our fidelity to the social commandments. Parsha Mishpatim – No Pain, Much Gain Having Our Cake and Eating It While adversity has a silver lining; G-d’s/our goal is to eliminate pain and adversity and discover growth exclusively through positive experiences. Essay written originally in memory of Susan Wehle a”h and all those who perished during the tragic crash of Continental Flight 3407 on February 12th 20 Parsha Mishpatim – Punishment or Rehabilitation The Torah is a Torah of Kindness. Even punishment has to benefit the one who is punished. Parsha Mishpatim – Liberating G-d G-d is simultaneously above and within our world. In His “within” mode He too suffers from exile. Our role is to “liberate” G-d as we liberate ourselves form the scourge of Galus. Parsha Mishpatim – Put Your Mouth Before Your Ears! Miracles are usually defined as changes of the natural order as the splitting of the Red Sea. At Sinai, the Jewish people performed their own miracle. They fused a transcendent G-d into their rational mind. This miraculous synthesis will be permanent in the Messianic Age Parsha Mishpatim – The Alpeh, Beis, Gimmel of Moshiach Youth is not just a prefatory stage for adulthood. Its presence must be felt throughout our lives. Moses’ demand that the children be allowed to leave was also a request for Pharaoh to allow adults to take their youth with them. Parsha Mishpatim – Talent on Loan from G-d We live in an age of credit. G-d too gives us His blessings on credit and expects payment. The sooner we make good on our repayment of our debts to G-d, the faster, smoother and more glorious the Redemption will be. Parsha Mishpatim – Out of Bounds Tikkun Olam, making the world a righteous world is just the first step. Righteousness is not the ideal. The ideal is to bring a higher form of devotion that goes beyond just doing that which is right. It is going out of our limits. That is the difference between Tzedakah and Gemillus Chasadim Parsha Mishpatim – The Angel’s Angle Humans and angels represent two ideals. From Sinai onward, the human ideal superseded the angel paradigm. Parsha Mishpatim – The Ox and the Lamb Humans possess the qualities and faults of animals. But we also possess a G-dly soul. Our goal is to reveal that G-dly soul, but we must also cultivate the positive attributes of our “ox” and lamb.” Parsha Mishpatim – Tripod Every culture has an ethical system. Torah provides us with a three pronged system. This three knotted system is guaranteed not to unravel. Parsha Mishpatim – Tunnel Vision Probing beneath the surface of our personalities can yield surprising and painful results. One can either stop digging or dig even deeper to find the treasures of goodness in the deepest recesses of our personalities. Parsha Mishpatim – Unity and Diversity Too often people have viewed faith and reason as enemies; unity and diversity as opposites. The Sinai experience demonstrated the fallacy of these perceptions Parsha Mishpatim – Who Do We Demand of to Redeem Us? We like to complain. But our complaints have to be directed to the right source. Our most potent prayer is for Moshiach. His petition needs to be directed to the right address. Parsha Mishpatim – Widows and Orphans Programmed into the Jew’s psyche is compassion for all of G- d’s creatures, especially the downtrodden; the widow and the orphan. Included in the widow and orphan is our internal widow and orphan. Have compassion for the internal, widow and orphan Parsha Mishpatim – When One Plus One Equals Three There is good and there is good. What is the test that our goodness is the more sophisticated and pure variety?