PARSHAT MISHPATIM, EXODUS 21:1–24:18
The Parshah of Mishpatim contains 53 mitzvot—23 positive commandments and 30 prohibitions.
Among other things we learn that Hashem
has legislated a series of laws for us Israelites:
Laws of the indentured servant and slaves.
Penalties for murder, kidnapping,
assault and theft.
An Eye for An Eye.
Granting of loans.
Laws warning against mistreatment of
foreigners.
Observance of the seasonal
festivals.
Prohibition against cooking meat with
milk.
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Laws of slavery are the very first laws given to the newly freed Israelites following the Ten Commandments. They are found in the collection of laws in Exodus 21–23. Those who have just left slavery themselves are told by God what to do when acquiring a slave. When Hashem freed us from our Egyptian masters, God acquired the right to be our master; that right precludes any human being from acquiring Israelites as slaves. (Reuven Hammer "The Torah Revolution")
Our exodus from Egypt can be considered as a Slave Revolt. It should be no surprise then that the very first decrees given by God to the newly freed Israelites are rules relating to slavery. They are first found in Exodus 21:1-11.Slavery is a system in which principles of property law are applied to people. Slavery allows a slave master to own, buy and sell individuals. A slave is a form of property. Slaves are unable to withdraw unilaterally from such an arrangement and they work without pay. The evil of slavery is so obvious, it seems unnecessary to even to mention it. But do not forget that slavery still exists. Depending on your definition, 20- 40 million people are in some form of slavery today.
PLEASE NOTE: Although the Chumash mentions slavery as an established institution, a Jew has only one master, and that is God.
In the Haftorah portion which is from Jeremiah Chapter 38 we are given an opportunity to avert the destruction of Jerusalem, if only we free our slaves. Slave holders take a sacred oath to do this, but renege on their word…The Temple is destroyed; the Kingdom is lost; we go into Exile.
Bar Kokhba's tetradrachm similar to shekel. Obverse:
Temple façade with the rising star.
Reverse: A Lulav, the text reads: "to the freedom of
Jerusalem"
There are four special Sabbaths, each of which derives its name from the additional Torah portion that is read that day. Two of these Sabbaths occur in the weeks leading up to Purim and two in the weeks then leading up to Passover.
This Shabbat we celebrate the special
Shabbat of Shekalim
Shabbat Shekalim ("Sabbath of Shekels"
שבת שקלים) requests each adult male Jew contribute half of a Biblical
shekel for the upkeep of the Tabernacle, or Mishkan (משכן).
The Torah portion Exodus 30:11-16 (the beginning of Parashat Ki Tisa) is read.
This Shabbat takes place on the Shabbat before or on 1 Adar. In leap years of
the Hebrew calendar, when there are two months of Adar, Shabbat Shekalim is on
the Shabbat before or on 1 Adar II.
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In Chapter 23, verse 20 Hashem says
Moses:
הִנֵּ֨ה אָֽנֹכִ֜י שֹׁלֵ֤חַ מַלְאָךְ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ
לִשְׁמָרְךָ֖ בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ וְלַֽהֲבִ֣יאֲךָ֔ אֶל־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲכִנֹֽתִי
“Behold, I am sending an angel before
you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.”
The question then is: Who or where is
this Angel?
We have to wait until Chapter 5, verses 13-14 of the Book of Joshua to maybe come up with an answer:
“And it was when Joshua was in Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and saw, and, behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand; and Joshua went to him, and said to him, Are you for us, or for our adversaries?
And he said, No, but I am the captain
of the host of the Lord; I have now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the
earth and prostrated himself, and said to him, What does my lord say to his
servant?”
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Rav Kook asked an interesting question. Why were the Aseret HaDibrot (10 Commandments) written on stone tablets? Why is it important to mention the raw material used for the tablets?
One might think that it is only necessary to be faithful to the spirit of the Torah - that is the essence of Judaism. The details, the intricate laws of conduct, however, are a function of the prevailing culture and society. They must be adapted to fit the needs of the day. In other words, we need not be overly concerned with the detailed legal code of Mishpatim. What is important is following the general spirit of the Parshah.
The concept of the Torah's immutability, even in the details of everyday life, is particularly relevant to this verse. Sometimes the oral tradition appears to contradict the simple meaning of the written Torah. One might mistakenly think that the Talmudic sages adjusted Torah law in order to conform to the needs of their time. Rabbi Shimon taught that there are no changes in the Torah. The Mishnah and Talmud are rooted in oral traditions going back to Mount Sinai. "All of these were given to Moses at Sinai."
(Adapted from Ein Eyah vol. I, p. 14)
At 24:12, Moses ascends Har Sinai and
remains there for forty days and forty nights.
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, עֲלֵה אֵלַי הָהָרָה--וֶהְיֵה-שָׁם; וְאֶתְּנָה לְךָ אֶת-לֻחֹת הָאֶבֶן, וְהַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה, אֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי, לְהוֹרֹתָם
“And the Lord said to Moses, "Come up to Me
to the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets, the
Law and the commandments, which I have written to instruct them."
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