Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Mishpatim and seeing as it comes on the Shabbos before the Month of Adar , it is one of the Special Shabboses that comes before Pesach , which comes in a few weeks and this Shabbos is thus called Parashas Shekalim , where we are reminded to give the half shekels . We give these half shekels just before Purim to counteract the money that the evil Amalekite Haman , gave to the king Achashveirosh , to try to exterminate the Jews . The Torah reading is Mishpatim and the Maftir is Parashas Shekalim Shemos Exodus 30 : 11 - 16 , which refers to the half shekel coin that we each gave for the Tabernacle and the Haftorah is in II Kings 11 : 17 - 12 : 17 , which also refers to coins contributed for the upkeep of the Temple . In the previous Parsha , we read of The Ten Commandments and here , we continue with HaShem's Laws between a person and their fellow . The Parsha starts out with a " Ve " - " And " to teach us that these Laws and Ordinances in Mishpatim , were also given at Har Sinai . HaShem's Voice Is Eternal And Carries Through The Generations and so , Even Though HaShem Spoke To us On Har Sinai so many Generations ago , His Voice Is Never Ending And Is Still Speaking To us From Then , Carrying Through Time And Reaching us Even Now And Into The Future Eternally . HaShem's Voice Is So Powerful That It Has No Echo , For Nothing , no physical object can stop HaShem's Sound Waves Of Speaking and thus HaShem's Voice Goes Through Time And Space and Reaches us when we open ourselves up to Him . So even now , HaShem's Voice Reaches us From then and when we ask a question Of HaShem and we feel an answer coming to us , that can also be HaShem Answering us now , from then , For He Knew Then That we would ask that question . HaShem Does Answer us Now Too From Now but sometimes the Halachic Questions we ask were all answered at Har Sinai for all generations and they filter down even now and into the future . How Beautiful Is HaShem . All The Laws Were Given At Har Sinai . The first Law Ordinance is about the Jewish bondsman . This Ordinance is mentioned first also as we were just taken out of Egypt and were slaves there and so , we must learn how we are to treat those who work for us . We must always remember That It Is Only HaShem that we are to serve and thus when the time comes for the bondman to go free , they are to be freed liberally and the bondsman should go free and not want to stay bonded , for they should remember that it is only to HaShem that they should serve . Should they not want to go free , then a certain process is performed to them by bringing them to a door and piercing their ear with an awl ( the very ear that heard HaShem Free them From Egypt and thus they should want to be free and be only a servant of HaShem ) and then this person must go free in the Yovel year ( Jubilee Fiftieth year ) . Also the ear that is pierced through , was also the ear that heard the Commandments at Har Sinai , including the Commandment of theft , which is one of the reasons why a person may need to give themselves up to being a bondsman , to work off their Aveirah . Also it was the ear that heard HaShem Making us His People and thus they should not want to be under anyone else but HaShem . Torah here goes into detail about how the Jewish bondsman is to work for six years and go free in the seventh year and what of the wife and children he comes with and also how the Law differs if it is a woman who is a Canaanite that the master gave him . The Torah goes into the Laws of a man who gives his daughter as a bondswoman and how she should be looked after and even to the point of looking after her as a wife if it comes to that . Torah then teaches of the Laws that Judge murder , whether it be intentional or unintentional and Torah gives the different examples of different kinds of Aveirah's that warrant the death penalty , like one who kills intentionally with guile ( even to the point of if the one judged to die is holding onto the Altar - they are still to be given death as we saw with Shlomo Ha Melech when he sent Benayahu to slay Yoav , who was holding onto the horns of the Altar ) . Also given death is one who strikes his Father or Mother , one who kidnaps a man and sells him and the kidnapped person was found in the kidnappers power , one who curses his Father or Mother , all these are sentenced to death by the Sanhedrin . Unintentional murderers are sent to an " Ir Miklat " - " City of Refuge . " But one who strikes his fellow and does not die within a certain period - our Rabbonim talk of twenty four hours , but happens to die after that , the one who struck is absolved from the death of the one struck . Civil Laws also govern lost work time and medical healing costs to victims of those who were hurt by others . Also the Laws of a slave being struck and damages are mentioned . Torah Talks also of men who fight and collide with a pregnant woman and damages to be paid . This Parsha then mentions the famous Law of " An Eye for an Eye , where money restitution is the Law . Eye for an Eye , " Ayin Tachas Ayin " literally means " Eye under an Eye " which means that the Eye of the perpetrator is not taken but monetary compensation and not the actual eye is taken . The very fact that the Eye wasn't mentioned as an ' instead of ' but that which is " under " or in replacement of , shows it was not an actual eye taken for an eye . Also , the Hebrew word " Tachas " comes to 808 in Gematriah , where 8 + 8 = 16 and 1 + 6 = 7 and the word " Kesef " - " Money " in Gematriah also comes to 20 + 60 + 80 = 80 + 80 = 160 and 1 + 6 + 0 = 7 , showing that both being 7 , the compensation for an eye for an eye or any other of the body parts mentioned , each with the word " Tachas , " means that it refers to money compensation . The Parsha then discusses injuries and damages via an animal and also if a man steals an ox or a sheep or goat and slaughters it to sell it , he must pay five cattle for the ox or four sheep if he stole a sheep . The reason it is more oxen to pay back then sheep , Is Due To HaShem's Compassion , Even For one who sadly does wrong , For HaShem Takes Into Consideration , the embarrassment of the man who perpetrates the deed , for oxen are led away and it does not look as embarrassing as sheep , that are usually carried on the shoulder when stolen and so are more embarrassing and thus , Does HaShem Take Into Account this embarrassment And Only Requests four sheep restitution as oppose to five oxen restitution . Torah then teaches about the Laws of Shomrim , safeguarding the article of another . Such cases come before the Jewish Court to decide the case . How this Law deeply relates to us all , where HaShem Has Made us all Custodians of His Creation and so must we all look after and take care of the beautiful World around us That HaShem Created , for we are all Safe - guarders of Hashem's Gift Of Creation and if we look after It , It will treat us well , but if we disrespect It and treat it badly , as we have done thus far , it returns on us the result of our lack of caring . How we have seen that be the case world - wide where so much is happening today to us and the World around us and we only have ourselves to blame . HaShem Gave us A Precious Gift . With appreciation , we are to look after It and keep it in the Beautiful Condition That It Was When HaShem Made It , just as the Laws of the Shomrim , who is given an article to safeguard for its owner , just like HaShem Gave us His World to look after and safeguard , for it is not ours . It does not belong to us and so , must we remember that we are only borrowing what we need From HaShem The Owner and must thus always say thank you to HaShem for all things we partake of , for the very Brocha we say , is also our permission to partake of that which does not belong to us but belongs to HaShem The Owner Of All things and when we say our Brocha , we are in actual fact getting permission to use or consume that which we are Blessing , for all things that even exist today , Were Actually Made At The Beginning Of Creation For HaShem Even Knew what we will eat today and Created it back then , so each Brocha we say , allows the essence of that article or food to return to HaShem , for it has then fulfilled its purpose in Creation . Nothing belongs to us . All Belongs To HaShem The One And Only Creator Of All Things . We are all just custodians and safeguards for all That HaShem Creates . So let us look after this Beautiful Creation That HaShem Gave us With His Love . The Sedra then teaches of the Law of one who seduces a virgin and respect for her honour . HaShem's Torah Ensures That she is taken care of . Torah comes down very strictly on those who are involved in sorcery , for one who is a sorceress , is not to be permitted to live . Also one who lies with an animal shall be put to death and one who brings offerings to idols also must be put to death . We are not to serve anything or anyone as a deity . Only HaShem Are we to serve . Only HaShem Is G-D . We are not to taunt or oppress a stranger a Ger a convert . We are not to cause pain to a widow or orphan For HaShem Holds them dear to Him if they cry out to HaShem . All these three have no supporter , for the Ger as well as the Orphan and the Widow , have only HaShem as their close protectors for the Ger has given up their family ways to step away from their beliefs and has come to HaShem In Faithfulness . The Orphan has no parents and the Widow has no husband and so all three of these , have only HaShem As their Protector and Guide and so HaShem Keeps a Special Place for them With Him . Then are the Laws of lending to a poor person , no interest is to be taken and if you take their garment as security , till sunset shall you return it to him . We are to be a people of Chessed Kindness and Compassion , just as our ForeFather Avraham was filled with Chessed Kindness And Compassion . HaShem , we shall not revile and a leader of our people , we shall not curse . A Leader of our people teaches us The Laws Of HaShem and when we revile them , for they are Representatives And Messengers Of HaShem , we are reviling HaShem Chas Ve Shalom , for they are messengers Of HaShem , teaching us HaShem's Laws . Fullness Offerings and Priestly Heave-Offerings shall not be delayed in giving . Holy are we Jews to be , a people of Holiness shall we be to HaShem . We shall not break the Law by eating the flesh of an animal torn in the field . Torah then cautions us As HaShem Teaches us about the Judicial process , not to bring false reports or be a false witness , not as a Judge to follow the majority for evil , not to yield to the majority to pervert the Law , not to glorify a destitute person in his grievance , but to be a fair and noble upstanding and moral Judge - a Torah Judge . Within the word " Mishpatim " is the word " Shofet " which means Judge , so we are to be for ourselves , our own Judges , to ensure that we keep strictly to HaShem's Mishpatim Ordinances and Laws . Torah Teaches us to return an animal of a person that we hate , should we see this animal wandering and not to let a donkey crouch under its burden , but to be kind and compassionate to all things great and small . We are to distance ourselves from a false word , not execute the righteous , or exonerate the wicked and we are not , if as Judges , to accept a bribe , For As HaShem's Torah Says , " For the bribe will blind those who see and corrupt words that are just . " HaShem Then teaches About The Sabbatical year and how we are to leave our fields fallow in the Sabbatical year And Relates this to the Shabbos . HaShem Again Reiterates not to serve idols and not even to mention their names , be they of stone , wood , or of human birth . HaShem Alone Is G-D , The Only G-D And Saviour - Hoseah 11 : 9 and Hoseah 13 : 4 . HaShem Tells of the Three Pilgrim Festivals of Pesach , Shavuos and Succos . HaShem Tells us of Sending His Angel before us And How HaShem Will Destroy our enemies And Of The Wonders That HaShem Will Perform For us in our Homeland Israel . HaShem Also Warns us that when we are in our Land of Israel , that we are not to seal a covenant with those who inhabited the land or their false deities or beliefs and that they are not to dwell in the Land , unless they accept a Torah Way of Life and no idols or deities , for if we leave them or allow them to follow other ways that are not HaShem's Torah , they will lead us astray , Chas Ve Shalom , cause us to sin against HaShem , Chas Ve Shalom and trap us , Chas Ve Shalom . We are thus to remove them from Eretz Yisrael . HaShem Instructed Moshe for him also Aharon and the seventy elders of Israel to prostrate themselves and Moshe alone to come and approach HaShem and so to tell all the people of These Words Of HaShem And All HaShem's Ordinances and all the people responded with one voice ( And That Is What HaShem Also Wants - our oneness and togetherness which can bring on the End of Days ) and they all responded that " All The Words That HaShem Has Spoken , we will do . " Moshe wrote All The Words Of HaShem and , early in the morning , built an Altar at the Foot of Har Sinai and twelve pillars for the twelve Tribes of Israel and offerings were made , showing that we all , in every generation , entered into this Covenant With HaShem , That we Are To Keep Forever Through All Generations , Never To Change , But To Keep HaShem's Commandments Eternally Forever And Ever Always . HaShem Came Down on the Mountain and Israel saw under His Feet , the likeness of sapphire brickwork and it was here that Aharon's sons , Nadav and Avihu , were not humble enough and gazed to look at A Part Of This Holy Site Of The Essence Of HaShem's Shechinah and so , at this moment , they were ordained to die , but they were not killed at this instance , but later , so as not to mar The Specialness Of This Very Holy Event . HaShem Informed Moshe That he is to ascend Har Sinai And he Would Be Given The Stone Tablets And The Teachings And The Commandments and Joshuah remained faithfully waiting for him at the bottom And HaShem Saw To It that An Omer Of Mannah Fell For Joshuah Every Day While he waited for his beloved teacher Moshe . Moshe had Aharon and Chur , remain to oversee the people . Moshe ascended the Mountain and The Cloud Covered It And The Glory Of HaShem Rested On Har Sinai . The Parsha ends by telling us that Moshe was on the Mountain for forty days and forty nights . Some of the Angels complained that Moshe was coming to take the Torah down to us and some wanted to burn him . HaShem Told Moshe to hold on to HaShem's Kisey HaKavod and to answer them . Moshe asked them do they have bodies that must rest , houses that they must put Mezuzahs on , deal in civil matters that are between people , that they are not , have children that can keep the Mitzvos , Marry and go by the laws of the Torah . The Angels had to answer no and so Moshe proved the Torah is for us Jews as human beings who can and are to keep these Laws within The Holy Torah . So was Moshe up there for forty days and forty nights . So ends the Parsha . These Mishpatim deal a lot with Civil Laws regulating the behaviour between people , which are very important , for a society that has no civil honour and order , will break down , as did the generation of the Mabul - the Flood . Civil Laws regulating human behaviour is vital to the continuation of our World , for a society that cares little for how it acts towards other people , is sadly a society that works contrary to The Laws of Continuance Of HaShem's Beautiful Creation . The Parsha starts by saying , " Ve ' Eileh HaMishpatim Asher Tasim Lifneihem " - " And These Are The Ordinances that you shall place before them . " This is a Commandment for all time . The Laws and Ordinances Of HaShem must be always " before us " - " for all time . " It must be these very Ordinances That HaShem Gave . Not reformed ones or changed ones . The word " We " referred to Moshe then , but it also refers to our Rabbonim and leaders and also ourselves , for we must also be Torah Leaders of ourselves too . In every generation , our leaders and Rabbis have a great responsibility , to ensure that our Torah , As Given To Moshe , is to be kept , As HaShem Gave It . It is to be kept , Just As HaShem Gave It On Har Sinai . There is to be no reforming of this Law and no changes made to this Law . HaShem Foresees Forever And He Thus Knows what new times and modernization will come in this World . HaShem Is Ever Wise And Ever Almighty And HaShem Knows That The Laws And Ordinances That He Gave , Will Last Forever , Through every circumstance And Through every generation . We are not in anyway to make any changes to Torah or Its Laws or Ordinances . Our Torah Is From HaShem and so are we and thus we are to be At One With HaShem's Torah , As He Wrote it and so will we then be At One With HaShem . For HaShem Says Clearly ( Knowing what we might do or what people might do ) , That It Is " These Mishpatim Ordinances " and not changes ones , That HaShem Put Before us Forever and so , we are To Keep Them , Just As HaShem Told Us And Tells us Every Day That HaShem Gives us Life To Breathe , That we are To Keep His Beautiful Torah Laws . HaShem " Tasim " - " Put " these Mishpatim before us And HaShem Will , Every Day " Tasim " - " Put " these Laws Before us , So That we Must Keep Them . The Word " Tasim " in Gematriah , comes to 400 + 300 + 10 + 40 = 750 and the 0 has no letter in Gematriah , so if we put the 0 with the 7 , we get 70 and 5 , which do have letters corresponding to those gematrical Numbers , for the 70 is an " Ayin " and the 5 is a " Hei "and both of these letters are basically silent , yet powerful And Within The Breath Of HaShem's Quiet and so , in keeping HaShem's Ordinances And In HaShem " Tasim " - " Putting " His Ordinances Before us , HaShem Is Coming To Us in Quietude And Almighty Holiness , Standing " Lifneihem " - " Before us " Always . So , as we live each day , we are and may we , ensure that we always live by and follow The Very Commandments That HaShem Gave us , Just As They were Given And Just As They Are Given " Lifneihem " - " Before " us Every Day . HaShem Is At All Times Before us And So Are HaShem's Laws . Let us never detract from Them , Chas Ve Shalom , or move away from them , Chas Ve Shalom , but let us always keep fast to Them and always make Them a full part of our existence and life , For As HaShem Tells , They are our life and the length of our days , as we stand always before HaShem HaKadosh Baruch Hu , HaShem The Holy One Blessed Be He . I wish Ever Most Eternally And Forever Beloved HaShem With Deepest And Sweetest And Most Beautiful Love , A Very Beautiful and Special Shabbos Kodesh With Deepest Love and to all my fellow Jews and to all of Creation , a Very Special and Beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love .