Shabbat Mishpatim
Dvar Torah
In last week’s Torah portion, Yitro, the Jewish people stood at Mount Sinai. It
was a singular spiritual high with thunder and lightning, the mountain
trembling, and the entire nation hearing the Ten Commandments. A dramatic,
awe-inspiring, and unforgettable event.
This week’s portion, Mishpatim, is quite the opposite. It’s about the day to
day laws of respecting your neighbors, dealing with property, and settling
disputes.
My teacher, Rabbi Moshe Lichtenstein, often described this transition with a
simple metaphor: After the wedding — the music, the celebration, the fireworks
— comes real life. The excitement at the outset is critical. But what truly
builds a relationship is the day-to-day work that follows.
That is what Mishpatim is about. Instead of thunder and revelation, we read
about ordinary responsibilities: lending money to someone in need and doing so
with sensitivity; treating a borrower’s collateral with dignity; listening to
the cries of the poor and the widow; returning a lost object to its owner
(“hashavat aveidah”). These are not dramatic commandments. They won’t make
headlines. But they shape what a society looks like.
The Torah is teaching that holiness, purpose, and meaning are not only found in
transcendent moments on the mountain. They’re found in how we handle money, how
we speak to one another, and how seriously we take another person’s dignity.
The “big moments” inspire us. But it is the small, consistent choices — lived
day after day — that form an enduring ethical and meaningful life.
Shabbat Shalom!
This week’s Dvar Torah is dedicated to the speedy and full recovery of my
sister Leora Channah bat Shulamit Nechama
Comments
Post a Comment