Exodus 21:1-24:18
A wide range of civil, social, and ethical laws is given, translating divine revelation into daily life. The people formally accept the covenant, committing themselves to live by God’s word. Mishpatim insists that holiness must be expressed in justice, responsibility, and care for the vulnerable.
In Parashat Mishpatim and Passover by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
The Torah remembers Egyptian slavery not as a wound to be mourned, but as a moral summons. Why does Jewish memory refuse to linger on victimhood—and instead demand responsibility toward the stranger?
This week’s parashah takes place in the midst of the dramatic ceremony of the Covenant at Sinai. The Israelites have accepted the terms and conditions and now stand poised to sign on the dotted line. Now comes the small print: the actual terms and conditions they are to keep. But there’s something very odd about the way the names of God come up in presenting these laws.... The names of God hint at the nature of law, causality, and justice.
In Heschel, Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Parashat Mishpatim by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Judaism demands everything—every moment, every action, every detail. And yet, those who live by it celebrate this burden with joy. Why? Because what looks like a system of laws may actually be something far more radical: a covenant of compliments.
A Dangerous Mixture
In Education, Halacha, Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Parashat Mishpatim by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
One of the most puzzling laws in Judaism is the prohibition of mixing milk and meat. Strangely enough, this mysterious law has had the greatest influence on the daily life of Jews for thousands of years, right up to this very day.
One commandment repeated numerous times in the Torah is the one that requires the Jews to be concerned about the welfare of the stranger in their midst. We must conclude that there is something in this imperative that is central to the mystery of the Jews and Judaism.
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy, Rav Kook and Parashat Mishpatim by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
All humans are fundamentally children of the time in which they live. It is hard, if not altogether impossible, for most people to think beyond their own limitations. It is the commonplace that stands out and holds sway over most of our thinking. To think outside the box requires courage, broad thinking and daring creativity.
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy and Parashat Mishpatim by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
The subtlety of this teaching regarding how we should ideally communicate with our fellows is part of the Torah’s greatness.