Following the revelation at Mount Sinai, Mishpatim fleshes out the details of the predominantly civil law that was to govern the Israelites: laws relating to slaves and their release, personal injuries and property laws, laws of social responsibility, justice and compassion, and laws relating to Shabbat and the festivals. It ends with a ratification of the covenant, and Moses ascending…
First in Yitro there were the Aseret Hadibrot, the “Ten Utterances”, the Ten Commandments, expressed as general principles. Now in Mishpatim come the details. Here is how they begin: If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything . . . But if…
…resonant phrase in Mishpatim. Jews were the people commanded never to forget the bitter taste of slavery so that they would never take freedom for granted. Those who do so, eventually lose it. Nowhere is this clearer than in the opening of Mishpatim. We have been reading about the Israelites’ historic experience of slavery. So the social legislation of Mishpatim…
One of the most famous phrases in the Torah makes its appearance in this week’s parsha. It has often been used to characterise Jewish faith as a whole. It consists of just two words: na’aseh venishma, literally, “we will do and we will hear” (Ex. 24:7). What does this mean and why does it matter? There are two famous interpretations,…
The Summary This summary is adapted from this week’s main Covenant & Conversation essay by Rabbi Sacks. In Yitro, Bnei Yisrael received the headlines – the Aseret Hadibrot. And now in Mishpatim, we get the details. The first law? The treatment of slaves. There are 613 commandments in the Torah. Why begin here? Why does Mishpatim – the first full…
In Parshat Mishpatim we witness one of the great stylistic features of the Torah, namely its transition from narrative to law. Until now the book of Exodus has been primarily narrative: the story of the enslavement of the Israelites and their journey to freedom. Now comes detailed legislation, the “constitution of liberty.” This is not accidental but essential. In Judaism,…
…of Rabbi Sacks scholars. Jonny Lipczer is Director of Communications at The Rabbi Sacks Legacy. A Closer Look Jonny Lipczer now shares his reflections on Rabbi Sacks and his writings on Mishpatim. Can you share something you learnt from Rabbi Sacks himself? Rabbi Sacks embodied the word Na’aseh, which means “We will do”. The word is expressed in the plural,…
…of Israel and create a society there. These kind of mitzvot are called civil laws. Here are some examples about the kind of mitzvot we learn in Mishpatim: we have laws about slaves and when they must be freed; laws about what happens if someone damages your property or hurts you; laws of social responsibility, justice and compassion – how…
The Parsha in a Nutshell Following the revelation (where God reveals Himself and communicates religious truths) at Mount Sinai, Mishpatim expands on the details of some of the mitzvot. These are mainly the civil law that was to govern the Israelites: laws relating to slaves and their release, personal injuries and property laws, laws of social responsibility, justice and compassion,…