Monday, February 4, 2013
Parshat Mishpatim (Shabbat
Shkalim)
Shmot 21:1-24:18
29 Shevat 5773 / Feb. 8 – 9, 2013
Shmot 21:1-24:18
29 Shevat 5773 / Feb. 8 – 9, 2013
Moishe House Rules: Applying
Mishpatim to Moishe House
By Rich Goldman, MH Montgomery
County, MD
As Moishe House residents, we may not be owning slaves, worrying
about wild oxen, or expelling the Canaanites, but the principles and rules
presented in parshah Mishpatim still offer relevant reminders and guidance for
us.
The commandments (mitzvot) of the Torah fall into three major
categories.
- Eidot (עֵדוּת from the root עד or witness) are intended to memorialize an important idea or event, e.g. Shabbat - Creation, Passover - Exodus, or circumcision - The Covenant.
- Chukim (חוקים from the concept of coming from the divine) are laws that go beyond, and are not reliant upon, normal human reasoning for justification, e.g. Kashrut, the ritual of the Red Heifer, or not mixing wool or linen.
- Mishpatim (משפטים from the root for judge/judgment) are laws that can be adjudicated and are rational, “common sense” ethics that often have their own natural reward and punishment, e.g. not murdering, helping people, or establishing courts.
This week’s parshah contains 53 mitzvot that expressed to our
ancestors ideas that can still apply to and challenge us today.
The primary instance of an Eidot is the commandment of the three
pilgrimage festivals to Jerusalem (Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot). The timeless message of this mitzvah for us is
the importance of 1) Community Holy Days 2) The periodic coming together of the
larger community and 3) Remembering one’s history.
For Moishe House residents, these principles suggest that we: identify and commemorate important events in
our house history, such as when the house was established, have established
gatherings/town halls where community members are expected to attend, and have
mementos around the house, such as pictures of past events, residents and
community members.
The Chukim against mixing meat and dairy is also introduced in this
parshah. While kashrut observance has
fallen amongst the Jewish people, this prohibition remains in the Jewish and
non-Jewish world as an identifying characteristic of “Jewish food.” Indeed, while no justification is given for
this prohibition, a common rationalization is Kashrut’s ability to keep Jews as
a cohesive, unassimilated people. As
promoters of Jewish identity, this mitzvah asks us to consider the extent our
Moishe Houses can promote stronger Jewish identity by promoting Kosher, or at
least Kosher-style, eating.
The bulk of the parshah consists of Mishpatim, ethical
inter-personal laws. As we relate to our
housemates and community members, these laws challenge and remind us to be our
better selves. We are instructed about
our responsibilities for the messes we create around the house and through our
events. We are encouraged to be good,
committed residents and to transition out of our comfortable living arrangement
when the time comes. We are taught not
to do favors for our housemates expecting anything in return. We are prohibited from getting upset with our
regional directors for enforcing policy.
We are told to care for the new and the awkward in our communities.
Parshah Mishpatim embodies the principle that the Torah was written
both for the generation that received it, and the generations that would
follow. Yes, the concretes used to
articulate the principles of proper human relationships and religious practices
are anachronistic, but the laws themselves can still inspire and instruct us as
we build our Moishe House communities in the 21st century.
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