L'David Newssheet - Parasha Mishpatim 5781

L’Dovid Mizmor ~ Parshas Mishpotim

It is the divine judicial system, that we can carry out on Earth. And that is why it had to be presented with the ‫עשרת‬ ‫ הדברות‬and with such fanfare, to teach us this lesson; the judgment of the Torah, is not simply a legal system as the nations of the world, but rather a code of Divine Will.

They didn’t want any more than the bare minimum.

The details make the difference

Later on however, (‫ כ''ו‬,‫ )י''ח‬the wording is “ ‫את הדבר הקשה‬ ‫”יביאון אל משה‬. What’s the change?

The ‫ ילקוט‬in ‫ יתרו‬relates about how '‫ ה‬offered the ‫ תורה‬to ‫בני‬ ‫עשו‬, who replied, “‫ מה כתיב בה‬What is written within it?” To which '‫ ה‬responded “‫לא תרצח‬-Do not murder.” And as is well known, the nation of ‫ עשו‬politely declined the offer with a great excuse; “That’s not me. ‫ על חרבך תחיה‬is what ‫ יצחק‬told me.”

And the ‫ מדרש‬continues to describe, how ‫ הקב''ה‬went to‫עמון‬ and then ‫ ישמעאל‬who also refused.

There is a famous ‫ קשיא‬on the ‫מדרש‬, namely, even without the ‫ תורה‬there is an ‫ איסור‬from the ‫ שבע מצות בני נח‬not to kill, steal or do ‫זנות‬. So, what exactly have the ‫ גוים‬gained by refusing the ‫?תורה‬ Answers ‫ ר' ליב גורביץ זצ''ל‬in ‫מאורי שערים‬, the ‫ פסוק‬says “-‫לְ כָל‬ ‫ צ''ו( ”תחְ לָה ָראיתי קֵץ ְרחָ בָ ה ִמ ְצו ְָתָך ְמאד‬,‫ )תהילים קי''ט‬where the ‫ פסוק‬describes the breadth expanse of ‫תורה‬, yet the ‫פסוק‬ writes ‫ מצותך‬in the singular form. Shouldn’t it have said it in plural?

The ‫ פסוק‬is giving a description of each and every single ‫מצוה‬, that each one is “‫!”רחבה מאד‬ What does this mean? For example, the ‫”לא תרצח“ איסור‬ doesn’t only mean actual bloodshed, but rather, as the ‫גמרא‬ tells us (.‫ )בבא מציעא נח‬that one who is ‫ מלבין פני חברו ברבים‬is as if he killed him. Meaning, that it is a so to speak, a branch-out of ‫לא תרצח‬.

And similarly, the ‫ רמב''ם‬paskens (‫כל )פ''ב מהלכות דעות ה''ג‬ ‫” כאילו עובד עבודה זרה”הכועס‬, which means, that it is ‫אביזרייהו‬ of ‫עבודה זרה‬, another detail within the ‫מצוה‬. And this is confirmed by the ‫וילנא גאון‬.

‫ גוים‬have no ‫פרטים‬ And returning to our question, what the ‫ עמון‬,‫ בני עשו‬and ‫ ישמעאל‬gained by refusing the ‫תורה‬, now we understand!

Had they accepted the offer, their ‫ איסור‬of ‫ לא תרצח‬would include so much more; humiliating another, and much more.

But, being that they declined, their ‫ מצות‬are now limited to the simple meaning!

Every penny accounted for ‫ יתרו‬suggested to ‫ כ''ב( משה‬,‫“ )י''ח‬Appoint Judges to assist you ‫”וכל הדבר הגדול יביאו אליך וכל הדבר הקטן ישפוטו הם‬.

Explains the ‫נצי''ב‬, that in truth, there is no difference in importance between one penny and £100,000. The ‫תורה‬ teaching us that ‫ גדול‬is just perhaps ‫קשה‬, but by no means more significant! [And this could be a ‫ פשט‬in the ‫ מדרש‬in ‫ פרשה כ''ז‬,‫ויקרא רבה‬. ‫עיין שם‬.]

‫עבד עברי‬, the first ‫פרשה‬ The ‫ רמב''ן‬asks, why is ‫ עבד עברי‬of all ‫ הלכות‬mentioned first?

It would appear that the answer is based on the descriptions we find in ‫ רש''י‬of this previous thief’s treatment. The ‫תורה‬ doesn’t tell us to throw him into a cell, to rot with low lives!

No! We sell him to a ‫צדיק‬, and he learns to behave under good influence with a pleasant treatment!

Our ‫תורה‬, our guide Based on all the above, we can answer our first question; why was it so important that ‫ כלל ישראל‬should have a clarity in specifically ‫ ?דיני ממונות‬And our second point, why was the ‫ פרשה‬of ‫ ממונות‬given at the first point of ‫מתן תורה‬ immediately following the ‫?עשרת הדברות‬ We see a theme running through all the above, and that is, that ‫ כלל ישראל‬were compelled to understand every detail; the attention to detail shows us how each and every‫מצוה‬ needs to be examined with a fine-toothed comb, because of what each one contains. It isn’t a logic, a science; even the ‫ דיני ממונות‬of the ‫ תורה‬aren't simply a legal code. They gave much more; it’s an education to lead a higher life! It is so far beyond the logic of the finite human mind From the ‫ פרשה‬of ‫דיני ממונות‬, and specifically ‫עבד עברי‬, the beauty and majesty of ‫ תורה‬becomes highlighted in our minds! Each ‫ מצוה‬is ‫רחבה מאד‬, and each ‫ מצוה‬has tremendous importance, and by studying and examining, and of course, practising the ‫מצות‬, we can and will become closer to ‫השי''ת‬.

~!‫~א גוט שבת‬

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L’Dovid Mizmor

L’Dovid Mizmor ~ Parshas Mishpotim

Parshas Mishpotim ©

Translated and edited by S. Hirsch For any questions, call 07858361928

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‫משפטים‬

The Torah Judgment ‫ואלה המשפטים אשר תשים לפניהם‬ Clarity and precision On the words ‫תשים לפניהם‬, ‫ רש''י‬comments and explains that ‫ הקב''ה‬was instructing Moshe to present the ‫ דיני ממונות‬to ‫כלל‬ ‫ ישראל‬in a clear and precise manner, and that it should be similar to a set table, organised and set.

Moreover, '‫ ה‬reiterates, “Let it not enter your mind that it is sufficient to simply repeat it twice or three times.” No, rather Moshe was required to make sure that ‫כלל ישראל‬ should understand every single ‫ הלכה‬with clarity.

But why is this so necessary for specifically these ‫ ?הלכות‬Do we find by the other ‫ מצות‬this instruction? So why are these any different? This is a question raised by the ‫נצי''ב‬.

Connection of subjects At the beginning of the ‫סדרה‬, ‫ רש''י‬teaches us a rule in grammar, that whereas ''‫ ''אלה‬without a Vov pushes aside all that was mentioned previously, “‫ ”ואלה‬connects the previous information with the current topic. In our context, the word ‫ ואלה‬tells us that just as the previous ‫ מצות‬were from ‫סיני‬, similarly the ‫ דיני ממונות‬are from ‫סיני‬.

Following this ‫ רש''י‬asks, why is the subject of ‫ ממונות‬placed next to the subject of the ‫ ?מזבח‬To which he answers that the ‫ תורה‬is hinting about the location of the ‫סנהדרין הגדול‬.

The problem with ‫ רש''י‬is, his questions seem to be in the wrong order; first ask about the positioning, and only then comment on the individual words! Why doesn’t he do it that way?

In our ‫ פרשה‬the first thing to address is the word ‫ואלה‬. But having explained it’s implication, ‫ רש''י‬is left with a problem; why indeed is it so vital to tell me that ‫דיני ממונות‬ are from ‫ ?סיני‬Wasn’t every ‫ מצוה‬from ‫ !?סיני‬As ‫ רש''י‬in Behar tells us explicitly! So why would ‫ דיני ממון‬be different?

The answer is, says the ‫מזרחי‬, that all ‫ מצות‬were given only 40 days after the 6th of Sivan, the day of ‫מתן תורה‬. But the monetary laws were given following the ‫ עשרת הדברות‬on that same day!

Therefore, asks ‫ ?”למה נסמכו“ רש''י‬Why isn’t the subject of ‫ חושן משפט‬placed in the correct place, which is, immediately after ‫ ?עשרת הדברות‬Why is it put next to the subject of ‫?מזבח‬ That is what bothered ‫רש''י‬.

Okay. But now we are faced with a question; why were the laws of money specifically said at ‫ הר סיני‬with the ‫עשרת‬ ‫ ?הדברות‬Why not anything else in particular?

The Uniqueness of ‫הלכות חושן משפט‬ Civil law, is not unique to us. The nations of the world have also got systems of court. Law and order is logical.

So, what is the ‫ תורה‬adding with a whole ‫ ?פרשה‬Isn’t it plain common sense?!

The answer is, ‫ תורה‬judgment is a level beyond. It isn’t simply what human logic dictates, rather, it is a system that has been set up that gives directions to the way we live our lives.

Answers the ‫מזרחי‬, as explained by the ‫לבוש‬, ‫רש''י‬ © Copyright 2021 Sunderland Yeshiva Oitzer.co.uk