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.