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chooses, he may extend his KI TEITZEI permanently. The owner or his son may marry a female slave. If they choose not to, she goes free upon puberty. Physical assault resulting in death is punishable ALIYA-BY-ALIYA by death; as is assaulting a parent, SEDRA SUMMARY , cursing a parent. For bodily assault not resulting in death, payment is Reuven made for damage, unemployment and Tradburks medical costs. Director of RCA Last week’s Parsha ended with the Israel Region pinnacle experience of the revelation at We begin a new era in the : the Sinai – and the people’s fear in hearing era. In the first 86 verses of the G-d’s voice. What a contrast, to follow that Parsha, there are 51 mitzvot. The bulk immediately with about slavery. And of the parsha is civil mitzvot. The assault. points out that the first word end of the parsha resumes the narrative, of the parsha has a “vav”, “and these are describing the impending entry into the laws”. Even though to us this is a new the . Moshe ascends the parsha, in the Torah it is the continuation mountain to receive the tablets. of the narrative of Mt. Sinai. We have to ask the obvious question; in what way To give some structure to these 51 mitzvot, are all these civil laws connected to the I have introduced each section with a narrative? heading in bold, indicating the topic of the laws that follow. The length sojourn in Egypt had numerous purposes: 1) to allow all the Jewish people 1st aliya (21:1-19) And these are to experience G-d’s Hand in history, 2) the laws you are to instruct them too allow the entire Jewish people to in. The laws of slaves: a Jewish experience revelation at Sinai and 3) to slave goes free after working 6 years. If he teach the Jewish people what kind of a society they don’t want to emulate. We are OU Israel extends our deepest wishes journeying to a new life, a Jewish society of nechama to our chaver and teacher in the land of Israel. We aren’t just leaving Rabbi Ian Pear Egypt; we have a destination. But, that and the entire Pear family society we are going to build – don’t make upon the passing of his brother it like the one in Egypt. Leave Egyptian society behind. Our Jewish society is to be Jonathan Pear nothing like that society: we are building an Yehuda ben Moshe z"l anti Egypt society. Leave behind its abuse of slaves, its flippant disregard for human המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך אבלי ציון וירושלים

6 TORAH TIDBITS / MISHPATIM 5781 but you could possibly do them. For when life (babies in the river), its excessive use of it comes to communications from G-d, you physical force (the slave master). ““WhatWhat a ggreatreat iinvestmentnvestment are unique, irreplaceable, sui generis, one “It sounded too good ofOur a kind. Jewish society will respect life, respect totthish ibes tturnedtrueurn e–d a ooutsuperbut ttoo sea-viewbbe!e! others, delineate regard for the of We are considering using the This exchange presents a fundamental apartment in Anglo-populated others and build a society of goodness and money we’ve earned from principle of the Torah: that G-d speaks Ashkelon for only 15% down justice. renting out our Ashkelon to Moshe in a way that He does not, nor – is actually a reality.” will He in2 ndthe aliya future (21:20-22:3) ever do again Physical with apartment to purchase a anyone else.assault When Moshe resulting says in that financial people secondsaid one .another Thanks ,happy ”client come to himpayment: seeking assault G-d, what of slaves, he means of a said another happy client pregnant woman resulting in a lost preg- Owning your own apartment does not just allow is: I have access to G-d. He speaks to me. Oyowun firnege dyomur, obwutn o affpearrst meonnte dtaoreys s naovitn jguss,t anlldow you freedom, but offers monetary savings, and (Speakingnancy. Assault to G-d of isn’ta slave the resulting trick; the in trick loss ofis an increase in your investment value. aAn ginloc-rpeoapseu lainte ydo, usru ninnvye sAtsmhekenlto vna ilsu eth.e answer! whenan eye He or answers tooth grants back.) the Similarly, slave his when free- Anglo-populated, sunny Ashkelon is the answer! It’s very affordable – from $500,000 with just a 15% Moshedom. Damage says that caused he teaches by my G-d’s property law, what or Idto’sw vne rpya ayfmfoerndta, bmleo –rt gfraogme s$ a5v0a0il,a0b0l0e wasit hw ejulls ta sa b1a5n%k dgouwarna nptaeyems.e Rnet,n mtaol irntgcaogmees oafvtaeinla ibnl ee xacse swse ollf a3s. 5b%an. k heactions: means ais goringthat G-d ox communicatesresulting in death those of guarantees. Rental income often in excess of 3.5%. lawsa person, to him death and toof noan oneanimal else. as a result of a pit dug by me, or as a result of my ox gor- L I V E O P P O S I T E T H E S E A This could very well be the prime purpose L I V E O P P O S I T E T H E S E A ing another. Theft and sale or slaughter of 0 5 4 4 - 3 3 2 6 2 1 ofanimals this requires story. restitution For, in the of 4 veryor 5 timesnext [email protected] om davidz@A shkelonProperties.com story,the value the ofgiving the loss. of Inthe clandestine Torah, the theft, very if samethe thief theme is killed, of Moshe’s the perpetrator uniqueness is deemed as the oneto have to whom acted G-d in self-defense.speaks is central. The punish- ment for theft is double the stolen object. 3rd aliya (18:24-27) Moshe heard. Besides regardHe chose for judges,the dignity with of only others, the MarSea Modest Swim & Casualwear Marci Rapp our societymost is to difficult be fair. The cases topic ofbrought this to www.MarSeaModest.net (NIS) 050-424-8359 him.aliya Moshe is not sentoxen Yitro goring home. oxen, it is people www.MarSeaModest.com ($USD) taking responsibility for their property. It takes an honest leader to accept If my property damages yours, I take suggestions to improve. Moshe displays his full responsibility. People respecting the honesty and humility – if the suggestion is property of others. good, embrace it. Just as Yitro accepted the THE BEST DESIGN, ENGINEERING news of the3rd Exodus aliya and affirmed(22:4-25) OneGood G-d, AND INSTALLATION OF AIR so too, Mosheneighbors: admits he damage could improve in your his CONDITIONING SYSTEMS. system. Twoproperty men of must honesty be compensated and humility. if JUST ASK ANY OF OUR done by either my grazing animals, or by a 4th aliya (19:1-6) The people THOUSANDS OF HAPPY CLIENTS. fire lit by me in my property; laws of camped in the Sinai desert oppo- compensation for loss of your property site the mountain. Moshe as- while being guarded or borrowed by me. cended the mountain. G-d told him: tell Laws when taking advantage of another: JLEM 02-628-8282 I TLV 03-720-8000 the people. If you will listen to Me, keep My seducing an unwed woman, sorcerers put tzviair.com

OU ISRAEL CENTERCENTER 7 7 to death. If one oppresses the stranger, bettering the lives of others is not the sole widow or and they call to Me, your responsibility of government: we all can wives will be widows, children . make the lives of others better – initiate the return of lost items, unburdening the Returning to the theme of rejecting the burdens of others. norms of Egypt the superpower; power does not grant privilege. There are people 5th aliya (23:6-19) Justice: do not with power. And people without. The pervert justice – of the poor and foreigner, the widow and the orphan weak, through lies, through have no power – they are alone, with no bribes and of the foreigner, for you were one to champion their cause. Do not prey foreigners in Egypt. Man’s limits in G-d’s on their lack of power. I, says G-d, am the world: work the land 6 years, leave it for Champion of those who have no power. the poor in the 7th. Work 6 days, allow rest They may have no person to turn to, to to your workers on the 7th. Observe the 3 help them. But, they always have Me. You, pilgrimage festivals: Pesach, Shavuot, with power, who take advantage of those Sukkot. Do not appear empty handed. without; you will have Me to reckon with. This detailed listing of what we would call 4th aliya (22:26–23:5) Good civil law concludes with , citizens: do not judges or and the holidays. The root of a Jewish rulers, do not delay obligations, society is the healthy realization of the nor ally with tricksters to pervert justice, limits of man and our partnership with nor follow a bad crowd in disputes. G-d. We work; but the land is His. We Helpful neighbors: return a stray animal, employ workers; but we are all servants help unburden a buckled animal even of to Him. Our agriculture is punctuated by your enemy. holidays; so as to temper our pursuit of wealth for wealth’s sake with an infusion The power imbalance of Egypt that bred of standing before Him. resentment of those in power is not for us. We are them – respect those in power, 6th aliya (23:20-25) Journey to for they serve us. Our society is to be the Land: I am sending My angel cooperative for the good of us all. And to guide you to the land of Israel. Loyalty to what I say will ensure your suc- May the learning in this issue cessful settling of the land. Don’t worship be dedicated in loving memory and idols there; rather serve G-d and you will .our dear husband, enjoy and health in the land לעילוי נשמת father, and grandfather, The listing of the mitzvot concludes and צבי מאיר בן משה יהונתן ז"ל On his second yartzeit the narrative picks back up. We are on our way to the land of Israel. Why was the ?narrative interrupted with the 51 mitzvot א' אדר The Grunstein, Slelatt and Henryson Families Placing ourselves in the shoes of the people:

8 TORAH TIDBITS / MISHPATIM 5781 we know the story of the 40 years in the desert. But they don’t. Moshe was told by G-d that He was going to take the people out of Egypt, bring them to Mt. Sinai. And bring them to the land of Israel. So far they are out of Egypt, been at Sinai; now, ready to trek on to the land of Israel. In the minds of the people, the list of the mitzvot that constitute a just and kind society makes perfect sense. Because in just a few months they’ll be setting up a new Jewish society in the land of Israel. After hearing those mitzvoth, they now know in what way it will be a Jewish society – according True wholesaler from the diamond to these kind and just laws. boursa with over 25 years experience member diamond dealers club 7th aliya (23:26-24:18) Your Engagement Rings ∙ Stud Earrings opponents in the land will cower. Pendants ∙ Tennis Bracelets I will cause them to leave slowly 050-573-9061 [email protected] over time so the land be not desolate when www.JeffMorDiamondJewelry.com you arrive. Do not make a pact with the people in the land; they may not dwell with you lest you end up serving their gods. Moshe ascended the mountain, wrote the words of G-d. He built an altar at the foot of the mountain; offerings were brought. He read the words of the covenant; the people responded that they will fulfill it all. Blood was sprinkled as a covenant. Moshe ascended with Aharon, Nadav and Avihu and the 70 elders; they perceived sapphire, the purity of the heavens. G-d called Moshe Keren Malki empowers up the mountain to give him the luchot, the families of children Torah and the Mitzvot. The cloud of G-d with special needs in was on the mountain, the vision of G-d like Israel to choose home care. Donations are a consuming fire. Moshe was there 40 days tax-approved in Israel, and 40 nights. US and UK. Honoring the memory of הי”ד The last aliya of a parsha gets scant Malka Chana Roth attention. But this last paragraph? kerenmalki.org 1985-2001, killed in the Sapphire, vision of purity of the heaven, 02-567-0602 Sbarro bombing.

OU ISRAEL CENTER 9 a cloud and fire on the mountain. While Chodesh Nissan. The tax season began we often focus on the content of the 10 a month early to allow it to be collected commandments at Sinai, much more in time for Rosh Chodesh Nissan. All attention is given in the Torah to the communal offerings, including the daily drama of the experience; both in Yitro offerings and those for Shabbat and Yom last week and in this description. While Tov, had to be brought from these funds. we have a couple of weeks before the Which meant that all, rich and poor, had Golden Calf, putting ourselves in the an equal contribution to the communal shoes of those standing at the foot of the offerings. Our reading of this is to create mountain – this is scary. The people must a sense for us too, that each person has an have felt unsure, frightened, unworthy, equal contribution to the Jewish people. overwhelmed, confused. They want a Although, each of us contributes to the close and benevolent G-d, but they may world in our own way, it is equal in value, very well be having second thoughts on in that no one else can contribute what I seeing the power and implications of what contribute. a close G-d means. STATS

TORAH #2 18th of 54 sedras; 6th of 11 in Sh'mot Written on 185 lines in a Torah (31st) ROSH CHODESH READING 33 parshiyot; 6 open and 27 closed 118 p'sukim - ranks 22 (5th in Sh’mot) (BAMIDBAR 28: 9-15) 1462 words - ranks 31 (7th in Sh’mot) TORAH #3 5313 letters - ranks 37 (8th in Sh’mot) Mishpatim’s p'sukim are among the shortest in the Torah. PARSHAT SHEKALIM (SHMOT 30:11-16) MITZVOT

The Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Adar, MISHPATIM has 53 mitzvot; 23 positive and 30 or this year on Rosh Chodesh Adar, we prohibitions. Only 3 sedras have more mitzvot - Ki Teitzei (74), read Shekalim. Each person is to bring a (63), and R'ei (55) half . This half shekel, in the time of the Temple, was used for the communal HAFTORAH offerings and was brought before Rosh 2 KINGS 12:1-17 In memory of our beloved Husband, The reading of the special portion for Father, Grandfather and Shabbat Shekalim discusses the annual Great-grandfather obligation for every Jew to give a half Hazzan Benjamin Stein z"l shekel to the Beit Hamikdash. In this vein the theme of the haftorah discusses בנימין בן יעקב ופייגה ז"ל the implementation of King Yehoash to on his 6th Yahrzeit earmark this collection of communal 4 Adar funds for the purpose of upkeeping the

10 TORAH TIDBITS / MISHPATIM 5781 first Beit Hamikdash.

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12 TORAH TIDBITS / MISHPATIM 5781

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