Mishpatim – Peninim on the Torah

ושש שנים תזרע את ארצך... והשביעית תשמטנה ונטשתה. ששת ימים תעשה מעשך וביום השביעי תשבת

And six years you shall sow your land… but the seventh year you should let it rest and life fallow… six days you should do your work, but on the seventh day you should rest. (23:10,11,12)

The Torah juxtaposes the laws of Shemittah, the Sabbatical year, upon the weekly Shabbos, simply because both attest to the handiwork of the Creator which took place during the Six Days of Creation. Following these “working” days, Hashem rested, which was the first Shabbos. This seventh day of rest is commemorated both weekly on Shabbos and every seven years, in the form of Shemittah. In his Pri Tzaddik, Horav Tzadok HaKohen, zl, cites the Mechilta 20, that tells us that the Torah cautions us not to neglect the weekly Shabbos during the Shemittah year. This statement begs elucidation. Why would…

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וגר לא תלחץ ואתם ידעתם את נפש הגר... ושש שנים תזרע את ארצך... והשביעית תשמטנה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Mishpatim, 5775

Do not oppress a stranger; you know the feelings of a stranger… six years shall you sow your land… and in the seventh, you shall leave it unattended and unharvested. (23:9,10,11)

The juxtaposition of the laws of Shemittah upon the admonishment not to treat the ger, convert, in a lesser manner than we would treat anyone else is enigmatic. What relationship exists between these two seemingly disparate mitzvos? Furthermore, how is the admonishment concerning the proper treatment of the ger linked to the fact that we were strangers in the Land of Egypt? Had we not once been Egyptian slaves would it in any way diminish the responsibility to act appropriately with the ger? Horav Avigdor HaLevi Nebentzhal, Shlita, quotes Rashi, who explains, “For you were strangers in the land of…

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כל אלמנה ויתום לא תענון

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Mishpatim, 5775

You shall not cause any pain to any widow or orphan. (22:21)

It takes a truly reprehensible person to take advantage of a widow or orphan. These are individuals who are alone against the world. Why make life even more difficult for them? At first glance, we may even wonder why the admonishment against afflicting the almanah, widow, or yasom, orphan, is even included with the many laws that are mentioned in this parsha. Quite possibly, Hashem wants to put everyone on notice: He takes a special interest in the plight of these lonely people. He will listen to their pleas when they cry out to Him in pain. Anyone who causes…

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ומכה אביו ואמו... וגנב איש ומכרו... ומקלל אביו ואמו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Mishpatim, 5775

Whoever strikes his father or mother… whoever steals/kidnaps a man and sells him… whoever curses his father and mother. (21:15,16,17)

Social murder, which consists of depriving a human being of his personal freedom, is tantamount to actual murder. To kidnap a human being and sell him is a capital offense. To strike a father or mother, to injure one of them, is indicative of an evil person. Last, a child’s verbal articulation of his wish to see his parent destroyed is also a capital offense. What kind of person would be so vile as to strike a parent or to stoop so low as to curse a parent? Such a person is so filled with himself that no one else…

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ושש שנים תזרע את ארצך... והשביעית תשמטנה ונטשתה. ששת ימים תעשה מעשך וביום השביעי תשבת

And six years you shall sow your land… but the seventh year you should let it rest and life fallow… six days you should do your work, but on the seventh day you should rest. (23:10,11,12)

וגר לא תלחץ ואתם ידעתם את נפש הגר... ושש שנים תזרע את ארצך... והשביעית תשמטנה

Do not oppress a stranger; you know the feelings of a stranger… six years shall you sow your land… and in the seventh, you shall leave it unattended and unharvested. (23:9,10,11)

כל אלמנה ויתום לא תענון

You shall not cause any pain to any widow or orphan. (22:21)

ומכה אביו ואמו... וגנב איש ומכרו... ומקלל אביו ואמו

Whoever strikes his father or mother… whoever steals/kidnaps a man and sells him… whoever curses his father and mother. (21:15,16,17)

YEARS

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