Parashat Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1 - 24:18)

A weekly Torah exploration for families by Michael S. Raileanu, M.A.Ed.

A weekly Torah exploration for families by Michael S. Raileanu, M.A.Ed.

Parashat Mishpatim, Exodus 21:1 - 24:18. We have just received the "Big Ten" Commandments and now we move to more rules, laws and regulations by which God demands that we live our lives. These laws cover so many areas life that it is an amazing list in and of itself. Go ahead, look it up!

Since we just came out of slavery and we know how bad slavery is, why do you think God contiues to allows us to have slaves? Why would anyone want to have slaves? Didn't the Israelites learn anything? How was slavery different back then?
Exodus 21:24 talks about "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." We all know that the Torah doesn't really mean this literally. What else might it mean? If the Torah didn't mean it literally then why did it say it in this way? What is a tooth worth? What if it is knocked out by mistake? Does the value increase or decrease when you factor in the persons intent?
We are told not to curse a judge? What does that mean? Why can't we curse a judge? Obviously we can't kill a judge, we can't kill anyone, but why are judges so special that we are not allowed to curse them? What happens to a society if everyone walks around cursing the judges?
We are told that Moses wrote down all of the these words. Really? What do you think he wrote them on? What did he do with them after he wrote them down? Of the characters with whom you are familiar that are wandering with Moshe now, who would he trust with such an important document? Why?
We are told not to favor poor people when they bring lawsuits. Why not? If they are poor, don't the need some special help? Don't you think that God would want them to have an advantage? Well God doesn't, this parasha tells us that. Why is that true?