Torah · Weekly Parasha VideoParashat MishpatimRabbi Uri Nahum · June 19, 2017 · Mishpatim · משפטים · 15 Min Parasha RoundupSave⌄ShareParasha class with Rabbi Uri Nahum, from BSD Productions’ 15 Min Parasha Roundup.Transcript0:06Parashat Mishpatim. This week's parashah has 118 pesukim.0:11This Shabbat will be the last Shabbat of the cycle of0:17Shovavim. That is when it's a non-leap year. Otherwise, it will be Parashat Tetzaveh.0:21In this parashah, we switch from the regular narrative, from the stories of the Torah that we're used to0:27from Sefer Bereishit, from Parashat Bereishit, and we come to more of halachot and laws and mitzvot,0:32with a few exceptions until Sefer Bamidbar, where, like Parashat Ki Tisa and Parashat Emor,0:38as we'll see also on the end of this week's0:40parashah. We divided parashah into three parts.0:42The first part of the parashah, the Torah tells us all different types of mitzvot, which we'll explain,0:47b'ezrat Hashem. The second part of the parashah, the Torah tells us about the conquest of Eretz Yisrael.0:51And finally, the Torah concludes with the final details of Matan Torah,0:56what we would call Matan Torah Part 2, which started really—Part 1 was started in Parashat Yitro.1:02Fifty-three mitzvot are in this week's parashah, making it the fourth most amount of mitzvot in one single1:11parashah. Twenty-three mitzvot aseh and thirty mitzvot lo ta'aseh, and they number from mitzvah number 42 until 94 in Sefer1:19HaChinuch. Let's get to the parashah, and we'll begin with the first part of the1:23parashah, which really takes up about 60 to 70 percent of the parashah: the list of mitzvot.1:29As an introduction, you should know that the Ramban says that the mitzvot that are found in this week's1:34parashah are all an elaboration of the1:37Aseret HaDibrot. If you look into the mitzvot, you'll see that the Aseret HaDibrot are found somewhere along the way.1:43This is just an elaboration of it, and it gets very confusing.1:47A lot of people really space out by this parashah. The details are1:51much—in fact, there's a few pesukim that a few masechtot have to cover just a few pesukim.1:55So therefore, this class may sound a little bit too much.1:59We categorized the mitzvot in this week's parashah into seven categories,2:03and hopefully this way it makes it a little bit easier.2:05We'll begin with the first category, and that is the mitzvot that have to do with Jewish slaves.2:11In this section, we divided into three parts.2:13First, we'll give you a few halachot and laws that are applicable to all Jewish slaves.2:17First of all, a Jewish slave that has been sold to another Jew, that is,2:22becomes free in four possible ways. This applies to men and women.2:26Number one is if he works for six years.2:28Number two is when the yovel comes.2:30Number three is by buying themselves back, which is called pidyon.2:34And number four is when the owner dies without leaving any male descendants.2:39The second halacha that we should know regarding Jewish slaves2:43is that the whole concept of eved ivri only applies when the yovel is in effect,2:49and the Torah tells us that the master may not sell his Jewish slave to any other person.2:55Even another Jew, he has no permission to sell them.2:57Now, here are some mitzvot that are specific only to male Jewish slaves.3:03Number one is that they can become a slave by either being sold by Beit Din for stealing,3:08or when he sells himself for becoming too poor.3:12Second is that a master must support the Jewish slave's wife and children.3:18Also, the Torah mentions that he can have a shifchah, a non-Jewish maidservant, to have children from her.3:23The master may only provide him with the shifchah if the Jewish slave is already married,3:27and also the Jewish slave could choose to remain a slave for his master3:32even past the six years, but only up to the3:35yovel, and he has to go through the whole process of getting his ear pierced by the door and so on.3:41The third part, which is laws pertaining specifically to Jewish female slaves,3:46Torah tells us that a woman becomes only a slave, really she cannot be a woman,3:51she has to be a ketanah, which is under the age of eleven and a half, sold by her father.3:56Also, after being sold, we try to force the father to redeem her,4:00even though he had to sell because they were very poor, we still try to make him to redeem her.4:05Also, the master must try to either marry this girl himself4:10or be designated for his son, get his son to marry her, and that's called the mitzvah of4:15yibud. Besides the things that we mentioned in the first section about a Jewish slave becoming free,4:20a female Jewish slave becomes free also when the master dies, even if he has descendants,4:26or when she shows signs of adulthood.4:28And now we go to the second category of the mitzvot in this week's parashah.4:33These are mitzvot that deal with killing.4:36Torah tells us that anybody who commits murder, and that is killing intentionally,4:39is punishable by the death penalty of chenek, which means choking.4:43Also, if a person kills by accident, that has a separate punishment4:47where a person is exiled to places called4:52arei miklat. And if a person is hayav mita, if a person has committed murder,4:55even if he's very wanted, very needed, for example, a kohen that works in Beit5:00Hamikdash, he is not spared the punishment for the crime that he has done.5:04Other crimes that are punishable by the death penalty of chenek, which is choking, are kidnapping,5:10or when one hits his parents, causing them to bleed or to be bruised.5:14However, if a person curses his parents,5:17then he is punishable by a more severe punishment called5:20sekilah, where he's thrown off the second floor where he dies upon impact when falling on the floor.5:26Also, in this section, the Torah tells us about mitzvot that have to do with bodily injury.5:32If a person hits another Jew and causes him bodily injury, he has to pay five penalties.5:39Number one is nezek, which is the damage that he's caused.5:42Number two is tzaar, which is he has to give a price based upon the pain that the person incurred with the5:47injury. Number three is shevet, which is the unemployment expenses.5:52Number four is boshet, which is the price for embarrassment.5:56And finally, he has to pay for ripui, which are medical expenses.6:00Also, the Torah tells us that if a Jewish master kills his non-Jewish slaves by hitting him,6:07if he dies from the hit within 24 hours from the time the master has hit him,6:11then even the Jewish master will be subject to the death penalty.6:14However, if the non-Jewish slave dies after 24 hours of the strike,6:20then the master is spared from the punishment.6:22Also, in this section, we find the Torah tells us that the non-Jewish slave can become free6:27when the master beats him to the point that he damages one of his 24 main limbs,6:32which are called the rashei6:33evarim, for example, the eye, the tooth, and the other ones that6:36the Gemara lists. And if a person Causes a woman to miscarry by striking her,6:41he must pay the father of those children that have been killed.6:46The third section of the mitzvot in this week's parashah, we call them property damage,6:51and these are known—anybody who learned6:54Masechet Bava Kamma, right in the beginning, the masechet begins by telling us,6:57Arba avot nezikin. There are four main damages,7:01and what says in this week's parashah is when an ox damages.7:05For example, the Torah tells us if an ox gores and kills a human being,7:08the ox must be killed, and it's forbidden to derive any benefit from that ox.7:13If the ox killed for the third time, after being warned, that is,7:18then the ox causes that his owner must pay also a7:23kofer, which is a certain price to redeem his soul.7:25Also, if an ox kills a non-Jewish slave,7:28then the owner of the ox must pay thirty silver shekalim to the owner of the slave.7:33But if he kills another animal, then it depends.7:35If it's the first or second time that the ox kills another animal,7:39he only pays half the damage.7:41However, if it's more than that, if it's the third time and more,7:44then he has to pay the full damage.7:47Also, another thing that causes damage is if a person digs up a pit,7:50known as a bor.7:51One who digs up a pit will only be liable for killing anybody in it7:56if it's more than7:58ten tefachim. And if a person8:01Damages. If a person gets hurt by this pit, whether it's a person or an animal, then the person is liable for the damages.8:08However, not for utensils that break in the pit.8:11And then the other damages the Torah mentions is if a person makes a fire and that fire goes and burns something else,8:17or if a person's animal goes and eats other people's possessions.8:22Now, I know it's getting a little complicated because this week's parashah has full of8:27mitzvot, so bear with me. We're just almost there to finish with the categories.8:30The next category is the category of the shomrim.8:33The Torah tells us that there are four types of guardians if a person entrusts somebody with something,8:37and there are one shomer chinam, a person who guards for free.8:40He is liable for only negligence.8:44The second and third is a shomer sachar, a person who's paid to watch something,8:48or a socher, a person who rents out something.8:51These people are liable for negligence, lost, and theft of the8:55item. And finally, a shoel, a person who borrows something.8:58He is liable for everything,9:00even what we call ones, which means any mishap, even if it was beyond his control.9:04Since he borrowed it, he has to pay for it.9:07The fifth part, the fifth category of mitzvot in this week's parashah are mitzvot where the Torah commands the Jewish people to take care of the weak.9:16Number one is the Torah tells us to punish anybody who seduces a9:20girl, to punish him, he must marry her, and he must pay her father a certain price, a certain fee.9:26Also, the Torah commands that we should not use any hurtful words towards the convert.9:31We may also, we may not pain any other Jew, especially widows and orphans,9:36and we must lend money to the needy without interest.9:41And of course, the Torah commands about returning the collateral to the borrower when they need it.9:45The next category of mitzvot. Our category is, the Torah tells us about being just, being fair.9:53First, the Torah tells us the obligations of us, the Jewish people, towards authority.9:58Number one is that we may not curse any judge or leader of the Jewish people.10:02Also, we must make sure to separate the bikkurim, terumah, all the ma'asrot, in the proper order,10:08and to give them to the Kohen, besides also the firstborn to the Kohen.10:12And the Torah commands that the Jewish people also have to be an elite nation.10:17V'anshei kodesh tihyun li, and we have to be careful not to eat any animal that's called10:20taref. Taref means if it has certain damages which will kill the animal.10:23The Gemara explains there's about 7210:27terefot, or different types of damages that can be found in an animal that causes it to be10:31taref. Then the Torah tells us about obligations that the courts have,10:34which is, for example, number one is that we may not accept,10:37the courts may not accept the testimony of one litigant without the other litigant being there.10:43Also, as a witness, a witness may not testify with another witness who is known to be a wicked person.10:48And a judge must give his opinion based on his understanding, not based on the majority.10:54And the Torah warns that we should not take bribery as judges,10:58and that the judges should not pervert any law in court,11:02even when the person who is standing in trial is a wicked person.11:05You have to be fair in judgment.11:08And with this section, Torah concludes with societal obligations that we have towards each other.11:13Number one is we have to return lost items.11:16Number two is we have to help other Jews unload their animals.11:19Number three is distancing ourselves from lying,11:22and we got to be careful not to hurt or oppress any person who converted to Judaism.11:28The final section of mitzvot in this week's parashah are the laws of the holidays.11:33Four things are mentioned over here.11:36Number one is the Shabbat. We have to be careful to keep Shabbat,11:40the three holidays, and also the pilgrimage, that we all have to travel to Yerushalayim as men,11:45to Yerushalayim during the three holidays, and the commandment to keep shemitah.11:51And with this, we move on to the second part of the parashah11:54that tells us about the conquest of Eretz Yisrael.11:57Upon entering Eretz Yisrael, Hashem tells Moshe that He's going to send an angel to lead the Jewish people into Eretz Yisrael.12:01Here the Chachamim tell us that Hashem was alluding to the12:06Chet HaEgel, where Hashem was going to personally take the Jewish people into Eretz Yisrael.12:09However, after the sin of the golden calf, Hashem was not going to send the angel to lead the Jewish people inside.12:16Also, Hashem is going to send a poisonous hornet that will attack the seven nations of Eretz Yisrael,12:23this way making the conquest of the Jewish people a very easy conquest,12:27and the nations will be systematically ousted out of Eretz Yisrael.12:30Hashem will not kick out the non-Jewish nations in one shot;12:34rather, He'll take them one at a time, slowly, in order that the animals shouldn't attack the Jewish people.12:40Once settling into Eretz Yisrael, Hashem commands and warns the Jewish people not to be attracted to the ways of the12:46non-Jews, that we shouldn't follow their idol worship. We have to destroy every place of idol worship,12:50and by keeping Hashem's commandments, Hashem tells us that we will be blessed tremendously.12:54There will be no miscarriages, everybody will live a full life,12:57Eretz Yisrael will be expanded, and all the non-Jewish nations around us will have fear of the Jewish people.13:03Finally, we move on to the final part of this week's13:06parasha, the third part of the parasha, and that is the final details of Matan Torah.13:11The final details of Matan Torah are really part two of what took place in last week's13:15parasha. So here the Torah kind of rewinds a little bit to what took events before Matan Torah.13:19Although it's a machlokes, we went with the opinion of Rashi,13:22and first the Torah tells us what happened on Dalet Sivan.13:24Hashem commands Moshe, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu, and the seventy elders to come up to the mountain.13:29However, only Moshe may proceed to go into the thick cloud, and the others have to stay a little bit further.13:35Moshe now comes and commands the Jewish people on Dalet Sivan to prepare themselves for three days,13:40like we mentioned last week's13:41parasha. He also reviews with them the mitzvot that they had till now.13:45The Jews accept, and therefore Moshe begins to write the Torah from Bereishit until Parashat Yitro.13:50The next day Moshe wakes up early. And he builds the mizbeach with twelve pillars,13:56and the mizbeach was built, and the firstborns, the bechorot, all came and offered14:02korbanot, korban olah and shelamim made out of cows, from cows.14:05An angel comes and he divides all the blood in exactly half.14:09One half Moshe throws on the14:12mizbeach. Then Moshe reads what he wrote in the Torah to the Jewish people,14:15to which the Jewish people respond with the famous line,14:19Na'aseh v'nishma. At that point, Moshe takes the other half of the blood and he throws it upon the Jewish people,14:24and he declares that now this is called dam14:28habrit. Now together you are in union together with Hashem.14:32The Torah then tells us about the prophecy that was at the mountain.14:35All the people that went up to the mountain, which is Moshe, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu, and the elders,14:40saw a prophecy, and they saw that underneath Hashem there was the sapphire brick14:45which was removed to show a clear sky without any clouds.14:50This symbolized the slavery of the Jewish people and their freedom from Egypt.14:55However, the chachamim, or it seems from the Torah, that the elders, Nadav and15:01Avihu, were criticized for the way they perceived the prophecy.15:04But Hashem keeps back; He doesn't punish right then because there was a15:08simcha, there was a great happiness happening of bringing the Torah,15:10so He keeps it, and later on we will see how they got their punishment.15:14And then Hashem tells Moshe to come up to the shamayim to learn Torah with Him and to receive the luchot.15:19And the Torah concludes with a pasuk that tells us that Moshe stayed up in shamayim for forty days and forty nights15:25without any food or drink.15:27And finally we come to the parashah's lesson.15:30What do we learn from this week's parashah?15:31Well, there's a pasuk that we say every single day in tefillah, which comes from Tehillim.15:35It says,15:37Magid devarav l'Yaakov, chukav u'mishpatav l'Yisrael. Hashem tells His words to Yaakov, His laws and statutes and His laws to the Jewish people.15:43Lo asah chen l'chol goy. However, He didn't do this to all the nations, u'mishpatim bal yeda'um. And they do not know any mishpatim, any laws.15:51So how come we find that three things Hashem gave to the Jewish people:15:55devarav, chukav, and mishpatav, His words, His statutes, and His laws?16:00And then the pasuk says,16:02VaHashem didn't do this to all the nations.16:04Umishpatim they don't know.16:05What do you mean, mishpatim they don't know?16:06They don't know16:08devarav, chokav, umishpatav. Why is the pasuk emphasizing on mishpatav?16:11And the answer is, like the Ramban says,16:14if you would read only the Aseret HaDibrot in Parashat Yitro,16:17you would think that there's only these ten commandments.16:18You wouldn't know how deep they are.16:20By reading this week's parashah, you see16:21that these ten commandments are much deeper than just ten commandments.16:25That's what the pasuk means over here.16:27When a person learns Torah without looking deeper into it,16:31the depth meaning, as the Torah concludes in this week's parashah,16:34which Hashem told them,16:34I'll give you the Torah16:35shebaal peh. If a person doesn't study it, he'll be in the dark.16:38Umishpatim bal yedaum, he'll remain without really knowing the laws.16:41True, anybody could read the written Torah,16:44but without studying the written Torah with the oral Torah,16:47a person will be without knowledge of the true words of the Torah.16:51Therefore, the pasuk concludes,16:52Halleluyah, praise Hashem for giving us not just the written Torah,16:55but also the Torah shebaal peh. Shabbat shalom.