Not all laws are made equal! There are laws that are made from life experience and there are laws that enable us to experience life.
Society creates laws based on its needs and experience, for this reason laws are constantly changing to address needs as they arise. This is also why laws will vary from place to place.
But the laws that come from our Torah, generate life, and the ability and the tools to live a wholesome, complete and fulfilling life. These laws cannot change for they make life happen.
Torah laws are not an outcome of life experience, rather they are life experience.
Some laws must change and adapt to changing environments so that civilization can survive, while Torah laws must never change in order that civilization survives.
With this in mind we can see that the strict adherence to Judaism as best as we can, is not an outcome of fanaticism, or fear, rather it comes from a deep desire to live the best possible life, create the best possible society and become a partner in G-d’s creation.
An engaging class for women, using the Torah’s timeless wisdom to gain practical tips and guidance on relationships, raising children and daily stress. Light refreshments and wines served.
Thursdays 4pm- 5pm Geared for boys and girls in grades 6th - 8th, MVP is volunteering and Mitzvah madness, while connecting with other pre-teens and having a meaningful impact!
MVP is open to all junior teens free of charge!
A BISSELE HUMOR
The Israeli parliament, or Knesset, some years ago convened an emergency session to figure out a solution for the broken Israeli economy. One brilliant minister said, "Let's declare war on the U.S., and then, in the wake of the utter destruction America will bring upon us, we will receive billions of dollars for reconstruction, like Germany and Japan. "Sounds great," responded another member of the Knesset. "One problem: What will we do if we win the war?"
WEEKLY eTORAH
The name of our parshah is Mishpatim, which means "laws." There are several words for "law" in Hebrew. All have a similar meaning, but a slightly different nuance.
Mishpatim, or "judgements," means laws which can easily be understood, such as not to steal and not to kill. In fact, most of the laws in our parshah are of this nature.
Another term--chukim, or "statutes"--means laws which cannot be understood by ordinary human intellect. An example of these is the law not to mix milk and meat, which is also written in this parshah. Many times in our history the laws of this kind have presented a challenge to us. In some epochs the non-Jews mocked us for adhering to them. In our own age, governed by rationality, many Jews wonder why they are necessary. Nonetheless, the chukim are an important aspect of our bond with G‑d.
A third kind of law is called edut, "testimony." The command to observe Passover is in this category. We keep this festival as a testimony and a sign of the fact that G‑d took us out Egypt. Without the Torah we would not have thought of this law, but now that we have it, it makes sense to us.
It is interesting that the totally miraculous atmosphere of last week's parshah, in which G‑d spoke to the entire nation from Mount Sinai, is followed by the comparatively ordinary and down-to-earth laws of this week's parshah, which is aptly called Mishpatim. We might have expected a demand for a more intense aspect of our relationship with G‑d, such as that expressed in the beyond-rational "statutes" or at least the "testimonies." Why is the emphasis rather on simple laws of justice between man and his fellow?
The answer is that this fact itself helps us understand something about the Torah and its purpose. There is a physical dimension to life: the material world of everyday affairs. There is also a spiritual, Divine dimension, a realm of infinite purity and holiness.
The purpose of the Torah is to join these two dimensions together. Through obedience to the Torah, our normal everyday lives can become an expression of the Divine.
This point is emphasised by the juxtaposition of the two parshiot. Last week was the parshah which spoke of G‑d's revelation. This week is the parshah which concerns the everyday, the simple laws which anyone can understand. Due to the power of the Torah, the inspiration of Sinai becomes comprehensible and meaningful on the level of daily life. Through this the two realms are joined.
In the details of the practical world, lived in accordance with the Torah, we discover the Presence of the Divine.
