Mishpatim – Page 5 – Peninim on the Torah

והגישו אדניו אל הדלת... ורצע אדניו את אזנו במרצע ועבדו לעולם

Then his master shall bring him to the door… and his master shall bore through his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever. (21:6)

The Talmud Kiddushin 22b explains why the ear, as opposed to the other organs of the body, is bored. Hashem said, “The ear that heard My voice at Har Sinai, at the moment that I said, ‘For Me will Bnei Yisrael be slaves – and not slaves to slaves; yet, this person went ahead and acquired a (another) master for himself.’” This thief — who either was sold by the rabbinical court to repay his debt or sold himself out of poverty– was originally forced into servitude as a result of his predicament. He now seeks to extend his “working…

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כי תראה חמור שונאך רובץ תחת משאו וחדלת מעזור לו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Mishpatim, 5776

If you see the donkey of someone you hate crouching under its burden, would you refrain from helping him? (23:5)

Rashi places a question mark, bitmiya, after the word v’chadalta, “would you refrain” (from helping him)? Horav Yechiel Michel Feinstein, zl, was wont to say that this is the only instance in the Torah that the Torah turns to the person with a question. This means that the Torah is incredulous concerning a person that would ignore another Jew in his time of need – even if he is a person whom one is permitted to hate. Turning away from helping a fellow Jew is not in the Jewish DNA. How could a person act so callously? A person who…

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כי תראה חמור שנאך רבץ תחת משאו וחדלת מעזב לו עזב תעזב עמו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Mishpatim, 5776

If you see the donkey of someone you hate crouching under its burden, would you refrain from helping him? – You shall help repeatedly with him. (23:5)

Azov taazov imo; “You shall help repeatedly with him.” The Talmud Bava Metzia 32 uses imo, “with him” to teach an important lesson concerning helping one’s fellowman. It must be imo, with him. If the intended beneficiary of one’s assistance decides to sit back while he is being helped by others, he is not obliged to help him. We should reach out to those in need, but only when they are willing to work alongside, when they have exhausted every other means of income-generating endeavor. The Kli Yakar adds that this Chazal serves as a response to those aniyim, poor…

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מדבר שקר תרחק

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Mishpatim, 5776

Distance yourself from a false word. (23:7)

The Talmud Sanhedrin 97a relates that there was a city called Kushta that was unique in the phenomenon that none of its residents ever lied. Prevarication was to them the ultimate anathema. As a result, they were blessed with extreme longevity. No one in their community died. One Erev Shabbos, a woman came to the door of her friend’s home and asked to see her. Her husband was aware that his wife was preparing herself for Shabbos (combing her hair), so he said that she was not home at the time. As a result of his untruth, his two sons…

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ושחד לא תקח כי השחד יעור פקחים ויסלף דברי צדיקים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Mishpatim, 5776

You shall not take a bribe, for the bribe will blind those who can see and will make righteous words crooked. (23:8)

Rashi teaches that even a Torah scholar who takes a bribe will ultimately become confused, his learning forgotten, and his vision dimmed. This is a very frightening punishment. A person can spend his entire life developing his erudition to the point that he achieves the appellation of chacham, Torah scholar. Yet, if he takes a bribe, it will be the catalyst for his downfall. Veritably, we are all judges in one way or another. We judge people and situations. Imagine if we are bribed because someone comes across as the underdog; we perceive him to be the one who is…

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ויקח משה את הדם ויזרק על העם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Mishpatim, 5776

Moshe took the blood and threw it upon the people. (24:8)

The Mechilta teaches that on the last day of the Shloshes Y’mei Hagbalah, three-day waiting period prior to receiving the Torah, Klal Yisrael entered into a covenant with the Almighty. This covenant comprised their commitment to be tied, fastened and bound (keshurim, anuvim, tefusim) to the Torah. Only afterwards, did Moshe Rabbeinu say, “Come and accept upon yourselves all of the mitzvos.” This was followed by the Giving of the Torah. Horav Shmuel Yaakov Burnstein, Shlita, Rosh Yeshivah of Kiryas Melech, derives from here that, before one can actually receive the Torah, before he can enter into a covenant of…

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

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Mishpatim, 5775

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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והגישו אדניו אל הדלת... ורצע אדניו את אזנו במרצע ועבדו לעולם

Then his master shall bring him to the door… and his master shall bore through his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever. (21:6)

כי תראה חמור שונאך רובץ תחת משאו וחדלת מעזור לו

If you see the donkey of someone you hate crouching under its burden, would you refrain from helping him? (23:5)

כי תראה חמור שנאך רבץ תחת משאו וחדלת מעזב לו עזב תעזב עמו

If you see the donkey of someone you hate crouching under its burden, would you refrain from helping him? – You shall help repeatedly with him. (23:5)

מדבר שקר תרחק

Distance yourself from a false word. (23:7)

ושחד לא תקח כי השחד יעור פקחים ויסלף דברי צדיקים

You shall not take a bribe, for the bribe will blind those who can see and will make righteous words crooked. (23:8)

ויקח משה את הדם ויזרק על העם

Moshe took the blood and threw it upon the people. (24:8)

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)

כל אלמנה ויתום לא תענון

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

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)

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)

YEARS

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