Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Mishpatim .
Mishpatim are Ordinances - Laws. Our Rabbis of Blessed Memory have called these Laws , Civil Laws - Laws between people. Judaism, unlike anything else, doesn't separate between everyday living and religion . To HaShem and His Judaism, both are one. The way we conduct ourselves at every moment while in the company of others, whether at work or in any other setting, must be a fulfillment of HaShem's Laws and Ordinances. We , at all times represent HaShem and so, must be the physical example of Torah . Fulfilling HaShem's Moral and Civil Laws is the same as fulfilling any Law of the Torah for all Laws are Commandments from HaShem , and must be kept .
The Mishpatim, Ordinances govern how we act to our fellow Jew and to the World around us. At all times, we are keeping Torah, whether in a Shul, or going about our daily timetable . We are here to bring the Holiness of HaShem , into the mundane, the physical, the natural World around us.
With HaShem's Laws , in HaShem's Torah that were written down - Torah She' Bichtav, HaShem Gave us Oral Instructions, The Oral Torah Laws, Torah She' B' al Peh , for us to understand the intricacies of each Law . This was not given to the others,so that none may claim they are HaShem's Chosen .HaShem Made us a light to the nations , in full humility ,not to put us above others at all , but to teach others the true path to go in and it is the task of every Jew, to fulfill this role . A Jew who leaves Torah Yiddishkeit , and follows other religions that are false and untrue Chas Ve Shalom , does not fulfill their role as a Jew and sadly follows Avodah Zorah - Idol Worship.
There are numerous Mishpatim , a lot of the Ordinances mentioned in this Parsha .
This Parsha first mentions the Jewish bondsman, reminding us how we were bondsmen in Egypt .How a Jewish bondsman must work for six years and go free in the seventh year . A Jew who wants to stay in bondage, is taken to a door or doorpost and his ear , is bored through with an awl . The door is chosen as a reminder of the blood we put on our doorposts and lintel , before HaShem Took us out of Egypt when we heard HaShem's Miracles , when HaShem Freed us from Egypt- and so , for this reason , the door and ear are chosen , for HaShem Tells us that we are to only want to serve HaShem and are thus not to be slaves to a human master.
The Mishpatim then go into the Ordinances of the female daughter as a bondswoman .
HaShem Then Discusses Murder and Manslaughter as well as punishment for various serious offences . It was at this time that HaShem Showed Moshe an example of how He Runs the World, for Moshe was taken on top of a hill to watch an event play out and how we can't possibly understand the whole picture of life. HaShem Showed Moshe a man arriving at a water source and drop a wallet of money , and without realizing it , left. Then came a second man , who found the wallet and took it . A little while later, came a third man who just arrived as the second man was picking it up and accused him , killed him and took the wallet away . Moshe wondered at the meaning of all of this and realized only HaShem Could understand why this even had played out as it had. HaShem Told Moshe that the second man who had found the wallet and picked it up, had killed the third man's Father and so the two were brought together so that the murder could be avenged .The first man who had lost the wallet, was a thief who had stolen it from the third man . HaShem Only , Knows the Why of all things .
This Parsha then discusses the Mishpatim of Slaves either killed or hurt by their master, Laws of bodily injury and the decision of Judges. The famous Law, " An Eye for an Eye ," is written also in this Parsha, and refers to monetary compensation, where Talmud Bava Kamma 83a-83b explains how money is the meaning of what is judged here.
Then death by an animal is discussed,as well as an uncovered pit that injures, an animal damaging property and one who steals livestock, where HaShem is even merciful to the feelings of one who embarrasses himself to steal a sheep by carrying it away, or an ox, for the one who steals a sheep, embarrassing himself to carry it,only pays 4 sheep restitution, but 5 oxen are to be paid for an ox, he just led away.So much more so, must we be merciful to all around us .
The Laws of a thief are then discussed and restitution to one's neighbor when causing damage to one's neighbor's property . Laws in response to seducing a virgin are then discussed , and then HaShem Tells us not to let a sorceress , one who lies with an animal, or one who brings offerings to false deities , live .
HaShem Commands us not to taunt a Ger , a widow or an orphan .
HaShem Instructs us not to get interest from our fellow Jew for a loan, not in monetary terms or any other way, and to return his garment to him , given as security , every evening . We are instructed not to revile HaShem Chas Ve Shalom , and not to curse a leader of our people and not to delay offerings .
HaShem Then Gave Strict Mishpatim on the honesty and integrity of our Judges appointed to keep the Law and how we are to have honest witnesses , not to follow the majority for evil , not to pick sides of litigants and not to take bribes , where HaShem in Torah Says ," for the bribe will blind those who see and corrupt words that are just ."
Also HaShem Tells us that we are to return what we find of our fellow.
HaShem Reminds us of the Sabbatical Year and its Laws and Teaches on the Three Pilgrimage Festivals Pesach , Shavuos and Succos and the Law of Kashrus , of " Not Cooking a Kid in its Mothers Milk ," is mentioned. This sentence is mentioned three times in Torah, to remind us of the three injunctions, of Not mixing Milk and Meat, Not Cooking them together and not deriving any benefit from from doing so .
HaShem Foresees How He Will send His Angel Metatron ahead of us , at a later time and The Land of Isreal is Spoken of .
Moshe , Aharon and the Elders with some of Aharon's sons take their place on the Mountain and put the covenant before the Children of Israel and they responded miraculously as the Angels know , by saying the words, " Na' aseh Ve Nishma , " - " We will do and then we will listen," having full faith in agreeing to accept from HaShem , what we have not seen yet .
HaShem Called Moshe up to the Mountain ( as our Rabbis said, spiritually and not more than ten tefachim physically ) , while Yehoshuah waited patiently throughout the forty day and night period for beloved Moshe , who entered into the realm of Malachim .
As Moshe came up into the Clouds of the Shechinah, the Angels argued that The Torah should not be given to him for us , the Torah already waiting up in Shamaim . HaShem Commanded Moshe to ," Answer them . " Moshe reminded them of what was in the Torah , how we were saved from Egypt and Laws , only pertinent to us, and so , the Angels conceded and gave Moshe certain gifts of knowledge, where the Malach Ha Mavet taught Moshe how to stay a plague via the Ketores , Incense , which Moshe had to use at a later date to stay a plague .
Moshe came Before the Beauty of HaShem's Presence to receive for us the Holy Luchos , surrounded by HaShem and His Angels . So ends the Parsha. The Haftorah , is in Yirmiyahu - Jeremiah 34 : 8-22 , 33 : 25-26 , and refers to HaShem's Upset of how we didn't listen to the Laws of freeing slaves, spoken of in the Parsha Sedra for this Shabbos .
HaShem Tells us " Ve Eileh Ha Mishpatim Asher Tasim Lifneihem," which means " And these are The Ordinances that you shall place before them ." The word ' And ," shows the connection to what came before , of Har Sinai, showing that even these Mishpatim and the Oral Laws, were given at the same time as the written Law of Torah and both are one , given even at Har Sinai . Looking at the words. " Eileh Ha Mishpatim , " we can see within these words , the words ,' El Lah Ha Mishpatim ,' which means ' From HaShem to you The Ordinances . ' for HaShem Constantly Puts these Laws before us , forever before us to bring us to HaShem . Thus these are the Ordinances from HaShem , for us and our benefit , to bring us to HaShem . The Words " Asher Tasim Lifneihem , " shows us that it was HaShem Alone , from Whom these Ordinances came and that HaShem Puts them in our path before us always to follow and do . Thus HaShem , throughout our lives puts opportunities to uphold these Mishpatim Ordinances for our benefit . Before we are even born , HaShem Has Set a way for us to gain Kavod , and that way is His Torah Ordinances and Laws . Thus the Laws and Ordinances are not for HaShem's Benefit , but for ours, for us to rise higher and higher all the time . When a person doesn't keep a Law, that HaShem With Love Has Put in that person's path to keep , for their benefit , they are losing a most valuable opportunity to accomplish their mission and task and come closer to HaShem , and the spiritual bliss , we all seek , and to fulfill their life's purpose , task and mission . So many through the ages have looked for the place of spiritual bliss by trying to complete physical travels and missions. If people would only open their eyes and hearts to HaShem The Creator and His Ordinances and Laws, they would realize that the answer to their search has been here all along. The answer is HaShem our Creator and His Torah , HaShem' Guide and Path through life, to HaShem and Shamaim .
To keep the Mishpatim, we have to be a judge of ourselves , making sure we bring ourselves in line with HaShem . HaShem Tells us this , in the word Mishpatim , for within this word, is the word ' Shofet,' - ' Judge ' where we are to be a constant judge on our own behavior , ensuring we bring ourselves into line with HaShem . If not, we will be ' Judged ' - ' Shoftim ' accordingly . Keeping HaShem's Mishpatim , will lead us to Mashiach and the End of Days. The Gematrical value of HaMishpatim , is 5+40+300+80+9+10+40=484 and 4+8+4 = 16 and 1+6=7 , the same value as Mashiach .
How special it is that so many of our Sedras have a hint of Moshiach within them .
So , realize that only HaShem Knows all, and we must trust Him Always and let Him Lead us through this World by His Torah Ordinances and Laws , to the time of Mashiach and The End of Days, to bask in HaShem's Light and Love , realizing that all HaShem Does, is only for our benefit.
May HaShem Bring on The End Of Days in our Time .
I wish HaShem With Ever Endearing Love , a Sweet and ever so close Shabbos Kodesh with Love , and to all my fellow Yidden , a sweet and holy Shabbos Kodesh with love .
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