Archive for the ‘ Mishpatim ’ Category

Dvar Torah Parshat Mishpatim 5772 2012

In the Tanach the word Elokim does not always mean Hashem. It also has the meaning of judge or court. In today’s Sidra we are told, if someone accepts the responsibility of watching another person’s item and it is stolen or lost, the law depends on what kind of a watchman he was. If he [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Parshat Mishpatim 5771 2011

There is an interesting discussion in the Talmud whether a slave of a Jewish owner would prefer to be set free or would he rather remain a slave and have the benefits and security that his master must offer him. (Git. 12b) A passage in this week’s Portion seems to answer the question. The Torah [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Parshat Mishpatim 5770 2010

Hashem instructs Moshe VE’ELE HAMISHPATIM ASHER TASIM LIFNEHEM, “And these are the laws you shall place before them.” (Ex.21,1) “Place before them” is a strange choice of words. One does not place laws before people but rather teaches them or informs them. A possible explanation is that when teaching the laws of the Torah it [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Parshat Mishpatim 2009 5769 דבר תורה פרשת משפטים

The Torah forewarns us: VEGER LO TONEH VELO TILCHATZENU, “and the Ger you shall not wrong and you shall not oppress…”. (Ex. 22,20) The Talmud tells us that the Torah mentions in 36 places, and others say in 46 places, that we should be careful in treating the Ger or proselyte. (BM 59b) This indicates [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Mishpatim 2008 – 5768 דבר תורה משפטים

The Sidra of Mishpatim is replete with the laws by which the Jewish people should live. These laws were transmitted to Moshe and he was to place them before the people, as the first verse in this portion tells us. At the end of the portion we read that Hashem says to Moshe: ALEH ELAI [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Mishpatim 7 2007 – דבר תורה משפטים 5767

In the portion of Mishpatim we learn, as the name implies, the laws the Jewish people were to obey to function as a just society. The laws as we read them are cut and dry. They apply to everyone. As a matter of fact, we are told that one law should govern everyone. If you [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Mishpatim 6 2006 – דבר תורה משפטים 5766

This week’s portion deals with the civil code by which Jews have to live. Interestingly, the first law speaks about the obligations to a slave. Why is that so important that the entire civil code starts with it? Perhaps the reason is to teach us how valuable a person is and that we must not [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Mishpatim 5 2005 – דבר תורה משפטים 5765

The Torah, in giving instructions to the judges, tells them not to accept bribes, KI HASHOCHAD YE’AVER PIKCHIM VISALEF DIVRE TZADIKIM, “…for a bribe will blind those that see and corrupt the words of the righteous.” (Ex.23,8) The words PIKCHIM AND TZADIKIM refer to judges who are honest and just. Why would anyone think that [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Mishpatim 4 2004 – דבר תורה משפטים 5764

The Torah this week contains the famous expression of AYIN TACHAT AYIN, “an eye for an eye”. The English word “for” is not a very good translation for the Hebrew word TACHAT. The Hebrew means “instead of” or “in place of”. The Hebrew word BE’AD would have meant “for”. Because the Torah says TACHAT and [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Mishpatim 3 5763- 2003 דבר תורה משפטים

This Portion has many laws of the Torah. It starts by saying, “These are the laws which you will place before them”. Moshe is told to place the laws before the people. Isn’t it obvious that he is to place these laws before them? He was not going to keep them for himself. Why does [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Mishpatim 2 5762- 2002

A very significant law is found in this week’s Torah Portion. We are told: MIDVAR SHEKER TIRCHAK, “You shall distance (go far away) from a false word. (Ex. 23:7) This, of course, is an admonition to avoid telling a falsehood. Why did the Torah not simply say “Do not tell a lie” like it says [ READ MORE ]

Dvar Torah Mishpatim 1 5761- 2001

There is a principle in democracy that you go after the majority. This stems from our Torah and comes from the Sidra Mishpatim. The Torah says: You shall follow the majority. (Ex. 23;2) This is the usual explanation that is given to the Pasuk. In Jewish law you always go after the majority in the [ READ MORE ]

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