Torah Portion

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2003
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EDITION
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Jews Are Commanded
To Create A Just Society

Mishpatim.
Although Mishpatim contains a vari-
ety of commandments touching all
aspects of Jewish life (53 command-
ments out of the traditional count of
613 according to Maimonides' count),
n this week's Torah portion, we
its primary focus is the area of civil law,
have, of course, the revelation of
courts, justice, property rights
Sinai.
and human rights.
We find in these statutes a
God tells Moses (Exodus 19:4-
program to create a society of
8) "... and now if you will listen
justice and equality, including
to My voice and keep My
the marginalized, the most vul-
covenant, you will be special to
nerable and the stranger
Me from among all the nations
(Exodus 22:20-23). We are
because to Me belongs the whole
commanded to establish just
earth. And you will be to Me a
courts of law, presided over by
kingdom of priests and a holy
nation. These are the words you RABBI ELIEZER incorruptible judges, to guar-
COHEN
antee equal rights to all, and
should speak to the Jewish peo-
Special
to
the
to protect the community
ple.
Jewish
News
from victimization and the
'And Moses came and called
individual from tyranny.
the elders of the nation and put before
This,
then,
is the vision of the Jewish
them all of these things that God had
people put before them by Moses: A just
commanded him. And the whole nation
and righteous society created by compli-
answered together and said: All that
ance with God's laws and a commitment
God spoke we will do ...
to do His bidding. This, then, is the pro-
The verses of our portion do not
gram
to which the nation answered in
explain what are "all of these things that
unanimity:
"We will do it!"
God had commanded" that "Moses put
The Jewish people are commanded to
before them" and to which the nation
create such a community to reflect their
answered "we will do." Also, it is not
relationship with God as a holy nation.
clear what the role of "a kingdom of
Just as the priest represents the nation
priests and a holy nation" is and why the
before God — the Jewish people repre-
verse uses the phrase "because to Me
sent the human capacity and potential
belongs the whole earth."
for a society imbued with sanctity, right-
Next week's portion, Mishpatim,
eousness
and justice before the other
(Exodus
21:1):
begins with the phrase
nations of the Earth.
"And these are the statutes that you
We are commanded to,become the
should put before them." This phrase
example of such a community to all the
matches exactly our verse in Yitro.
nations of the Earth, for as the verse says:
Likewise, at the end of Mishpatim,
"to Me belongs the whole Earth."
after a lengthy catalogue of a whole vari-
Oh, that we would but fulfill this, our
ety of commandments, the verse states
ancient
commitment. ❑
(Exodus 24:3): "and Moses came and
told the nation all the words of God and
all the statutes, and the whole nation
answered as one voice and said: "All of
the things that God spoke we will do."
Why haven't we been able to create a
An acceptance ceremony is described
vision of the society described in the
there and the Torah says (Exodus 24:7):
verses of Mishpatim? What is the rela-
c,
... and they said: All that God spoke we
tionship of justice to sanctity? Read
will do and we will listen."'
through the commandments of
Thus, it seems that the command-
Mishpatim to see God's vision of the
ments of God to which the nation
Jewish people. Why are those com-
agreed as a "sample" of the entire Torah
mandments chosen as the "sample" to
are the commandments found in
which the Jewish people are to com-
mit themselves?
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation
Or Chadash.

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Shabbat Yitro:
Exodus 18:1-20:23;
Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-6

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