FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 63

As the Book of Devarim says, 
“Justice, justice you shall pur-
sue.
” Establishing a framework 
of laws that fosters justice, truth 
and peace requires real active 
commitment and dedication.
The Ramban takes this con-
nection between the civil laws 
and the Ten Commandments 
further. He says that the civil 
laws are specifically linked to 
Commandment No. 10, “Do 
not covet.
” The Ramban goes 
on to explain that these laws 
not only improve society — the 
world around us — but they 
lead to the internal transforma-
tion of a human being — the 
world within us. It’s not just 
about ethics; a person who 
respects the rights of others 
and observes the mishpatim 
becomes spiritually elevated.
It inculcates a mindset of 
contentment and appreciation 
for the blessings in one’s life. 
The mitzvah “Do not covet” is 
a warning that jealousy leads 
down a path of self-destructive 
madness in which we trample 
the rights of others in pursuit of 
our own self-gratification and 
material wants. In other words, 
coveting is what leads a person 
to actions that contravene the 
mishpatim. 
But coveting itself is a mind-
set. People who aren’t jealous 
of what others have and aren’t 
preoccupied with taking them 
for themselves are people who 
are happy with what they have; 
they understand that the pur-
pose of life is not to accumulate 
as much as possible, but to live 
a life of decency and integrity. 
Such people cultivate a tranquil-
ity of mind and spirit that those 
always looking around at what 
others have will never know.
We see that not coveting, 
and scrupulously observing the 
mishpatim, is life-changing. 
It changes our worldview. It 
changes our mindset. It changes 

who we are.
It also transforms our faith. 
The Ibn Ezra explains that the 
secret to living a life of con-
tentment, and not jealousy and 
resentment, is trust in God — 
that everything we need, we 
have; that if God hasn’t given 
us something, we don’t need 
it, and it’s not in our interests 
to have it. Essentially, this is 
about living in accordance with 
the statement of Pirkei Avot, 
“Who is wealthy? He who is 
happy with his lot” (Avot 4:1). 
This contentment with what we 
have comes from a deep faith 
in God, from a deep respect for 
other people, and from a deep 
appreciation for the blessings 
we have been privileged to 
receive.
Having faith in God means 
living with a conviction that our 
livelihood comes from Him. 
In fact, according to the Shitah 
Mekubetzet, the very reason 
why Torah endorses free com-
mercial enterprise (within the 
bounds of fair and ethical con-
duct) is because God is the ulti-
mate distributor of the goods of 
this world. Faith in God is what 
allows for a freely functioning 
economy framed by a deep 
appreciation for the rights of 
every person.
And, ultimately, says Rav 
Mordechai Gifter, the mishpa-
tim allow a person to transcend 
themselves. These Torah laws 
governing fair business and 
social conduct enable us to step 
back from own small, self-in-
volved view of the world to rec-
ognize and respect others. And 
to understand and appreciate 
that each person is a world unto 
themselves. 

Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein has a 

PhD. in Human Rights Law and is the 

chief rabbi of South Africa. This essay 

was first published on aish.com. 

SPIRIT

The Need for 
Words of Truth
C

alling something a 
conspiracy theory 
gives it too much cre-
dence and credibility. A theory 
is a serious idea that 
is tested against other 
serious ideas and evi-
dence in order to come 
up with an objective 
truth. What we label 
as a conspiracy theory 
today is usually a para-
noid delusion validated 
by a person’s prejudice 
and hate and one they 
hope to share with 
other like-minded peo-
ple against others with 
whom they violently 
disagree.
It is not just individuals who 
spread these terrible lies. It 
is often politicians and other 
communal leaders. The worst 
accusations a government can 
make is over the loyalty of 
constituents, treating them as 
not just outsiders, but people 
who are trying to undermine 
the fundamental values of the 
society; this puts them at great 
risk of violence and hatred 
from the rest of the popula-
tion.
All too often, these ideas 
turn into antisemitism. Social 
media does not help, and 
this kind of antisemitism is 
nothing new. From the Black 
Plague to the Illuminati to the 
Elders of Zion to space lasers 
and COVID, Jews have been 
blamed for so many of the 
world’s problems by those who 
are unwilling to take responsi-
bility for their own actions or 
problems. I have even heard 
other Jews parroting the worst 
of these allegations to justify 

their own political positions. 
This is doing the work of the 
antisemites for them.
This is why the Torah insists 
that people not share 
these rumors or con-
spiracy theories. Even 
though they might just 
be words, they have the 
capacity to destroy those 
who share them, and 
those who listen.
Exodus 23:1:1: “You 
must not carry false 
rumors; you shall not 
join hands with the 
guilty to act as a mali-
cious witness.
” Rashi 
says, “Take it as the 
Targum renders it: thou 
shalt not accept (listen to) a 
false report.
”
There is a term in Hebrew 
law for spreading these kinds 
of rumors. Professor Hershey 
H. Friedman writes, Genivat 
Da’at is the term used in 
Jewish law to indicate decep-
tion, cheating, creating a false 
impression and acquiring 
undeserved goodwill. “Genivat 
da’at goes beyond lying. Any 
words or actions that cause 
others to form incorrect con-
clusions about one’s motives 
might be a violation of this 
prohibition. One does not 
have the right to diminish the 
ability of another person to 
make a fair and honest evalu-
ation, whether in business or 
interpersonal relations.
”
Let us bring peace to the 
world by speaking only words 
of truth and demanding our 
leaders do the same. 

Aaron Bergman is a rabbi at Adat 

Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills.

TORAH PORTION

Rabbi Aaron 
Bergman

Parshat 

Mishpatim: 

Exodus 21:1-

24:18, 30:11-6; 

II Kings 

12:1-17.

