February 9, 2024 · ל' שבט תשפ״ד
Parashat Mishpatim · פרשת משפטים
A PEEK AT THE PARSHA Parshat Mishpatim contains many of the mitzvot
master then pierces the ear of the Eved Ivri and then
that were taught immediately after Bnei Yisrael
he remains a servant until the Yovel year (the fiftieth
accepted the Torah. The first of these mitzvot is Eved
year of the Jewish agricultural cycle).
Ivri (a Jewish servant). The Eved Ivri is either
Other mitzvot in the Parsha are: payments for hurting
someone who the Beit Din (Jewish court) sells as a
or damaging others, returning lost items, lending
servant because he stole and could not repay what
money without interest, the holidays, and not cooking
he stole or someone who is too poor to take care of
milk and meat together. The Torah also discusses the
himself so he chooses to become a servant. The Eved
importance of treating the convert, orphan, and
Ivri works for six years and then goes free in the
widow with kindness. These mitzvot are among the
seventh year. Prior to the seventh year, if the Eved
most repeated mitzvot in the Torah.
Ivri chooses, he can remain with his master. The
Before Moshe even taught the Torah to Bnei Yisrael, they said, Naaseh V'nishma (we will do and then we will listen)! Hashem rewards Bnei Yisrael with two
ONE BIG IDEA
heavenly crowns: one for Naaseh and one for Nishma. Hashem promises to bring Bnei Yisrael to Eretz Yisrael
The first mitzvah given after Matan Torah (the
(the Land of Israel) and warns them not to follow in
giving of the Torah) is Eved Ivri (the Jewish
the ways of the people who are living there. Moshe
servant). Why? A lot of the rules tell us different
then goes up to Har Sinai to learn the Torah from
ways to treat the servant kindly. Maybe the
Hashem. Moshe will be on Har Sinai for forty days and
message is that for us to be successful in Torah, we must first be a mensch. Derech eretz kadmah
forty nights.
l’Torah: behaving well is a prerequisite to Torah. So before you learn any other mitzvot, learn this because they were slaves in Mitzrayim. That
TIMES - זמנים
should help them remember to treat the Eved Ivri
Candle-lighting: 5:05pm
one. Bnei Yisrael know what it is like to be a slave
even better than they were treated.
Havdalah: 6:02pm allah: 5:25pm