from the week of February 17, 2025
From the key word ‘Mishpatim’ in the first line of our portion, it’s clear that our Torah portion will focus on a series of laws and ordinances. Immediately following the giving of the Ten Commandments, God reveals to Moses a host of ethical and ritual laws which are to be part of the covenant for the newly emancipated Israelites.
These laws include proper demeanor towards Hebrew slaves, laws against murder, civil torts and damages, and various ritual laws. Modern scholars consider chapters 22 and 23 a “book of the Covenant,” an ancient listing of laws as well as the description of the three pilgrim festivals, Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are not mentioned in these chapters. (later detailed in the book of Deuteronomy)
Chapter 21 is famous because it contains the famous “lex talionis,” the famous law of retaliation. (‘an eye for an eye…’) Over the centuries, anti-semites have used this phrase to prove Judaism’s concept of blood vengeance. As scholars have noted over the past two centuries, this law was never carried forth. The consequence of committing acts of violence against another, required full monetary compensation for the actual damages.
Join us for an exciting Torah study this Shabbat morning.
From the key word ‘Mishpatim’ in the first line of our portion, it’s clear that our Torah portion will focus on a series of laws and ordinances. Immediately following the giving of the Ten Commandments, God reveals to Moses a host of ethical and ritual laws which are to be part of the covenant for the newly emancipated Israelites.
These laws include proper demeanor towards Hebrew slaves, laws against murder, civil torts and damages, and various ritual laws. Modern scholars consider chapters 22 and 23 a “book of the Covenant,” an ancient listing of laws as well as the description of the three pilgrim festivals, Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are not mentioned in these chapters. (later detailed in the book of Deuteronomy)
Chapter 21 is famous because it contains the famous “lex talionis,” the famous law of retaliation. (‘an eye for an eye…’) Over the centuries, anti-semites have used this phrase to prove Judaism’s concept of blood vengeance. As scholars have noted over the past two centuries, this law was never carried forth. The consequence of committing acts of violence against another, required full monetary compensation for the actual damages.
Join us for an exciting Torah study this Shabbat morning.
