Mishpatim 5631 תרל”א

תרל”א

ברש”י מה ראשונים מסיני כו’. 

Rashi (Shemos 21:1) explains that the words ואלה “and these are the laws” teaches us that just as what was said beforehand (the ten commandments) were directly form HaShem on Sinai, so too also the laws of this parsha are also from Sinai.

והלא כל המצות נאמרו בסיני. 

(This is seemingly difficult, because it is not only just the laws in this parsha that were given on har Sinai) the entire Torah with all the mitzvos was given on Har Sinai?

אך אא”ז מו”ר זצלה”ה הגיד עמ”ש רש”י ז”ל להבינם טעמי הדבר. למה זה אצל המשפטים. 

We can explain this with what the Chidushei Harim explained the following Rashi (21:1), HaShem said to Moshe: It should not enter your mind to teach Bnei Yisrael the laws two or three times without explaining the reason…rather you must explain it to them like a ‘set table’ ready ot eat.

Now why did HaShem tell this instruction here with regards to the mishpatim – the laws?

אך עיקר הרצון שידעו שאף המשפטים שמובנין עפ”י שכל האדם עכ”ז הם רק ע”י שכן רצונו ית’. 

However the main desire of HaShem is that Bnei Yisrael should realise that even the laws which are seemingly logical and understood by man’s intellect, nevertheless they are really just becasue this is the will of HaShem. 

(We can’t understand them because they are logical, rather HaShem enabled us to understand His logic in certain things. However this is unique to Bnei Yisrael)

וזהו הטעם שאסור לדון לפני גוים אף שדנין כישראל כי המשפט לאלקים וגם הטעם והסכמת השכל הכל ע”י שכן רצונו יתברך עכ”ד. 

It is for this reason that Jews cannot take their judgement to a gentile court, even though we know that these gentiles follow the Jewish laws. This is because the law is really HaShem’s, and  the fact that it can be understood on a logical level is also just because this is the will of HaShem.  

(To explain this further. There are chukim, eidot and mishpatim, Chukim are not at all understood, eidot are understood after we toil in them (for example Shabbos), and mishpatim are laws that are seemingly logical. It is therefore on the mishpatim which are the most logical yet it is these that teach us about all the other teachings that nothing is logical, everything is from HaShem. This is the main reason why HaShem gave us mishpatim, to realise that the logical is only HaShem’s will. This therefore means that one needs to nullify one’s understanding of the logic, to the will of HaShem, to truly understand it.

A Gentile is not able to, and does not aim to reach this level of nullification of his intellect to HaShem, and therefore his “torah” is not valid. The gentile is therefore limited to his physical intellect, whereas a Jew becomes part and parcel of the word of HaShem through learning Torah.)

וז”ש מסיני אף שמובן עפ”י שכל.

This is the meaning of the word “Sinai” (In the Rashi above: “Just as the previous laws were fro Sinai so too these are from Sinai”), even though it is understood by the intellect. 

(Sinai was the complete acceptance “lifted the mountain on top of us”. This forcing is what gives us the power to force our physical nature to do things we aren’t naturally inclined to do. And SInai was also the smallest symbolising bitul.

This forcing is also the idea of mishpatim, that we take our first logical understanding of the law, and nullify our understanding to the words of HaShem, and ‘force’ it into the understanding of Torah)

ובמדרש מגיד דבריו ליעקב כו’ ומשפטיו לישראל כי השי”ת ג”כ מקיים המשפט ע”כ. 

the Midrash (Shemos Rabba 30:9) Explains that HaShem teaches us His words. This means that He also keeps His commandments.

פי’ דכתיב אחר שהגיד להם מרע”ה דברי ה’ והמשפטים השיבו כל הדברים כו’ נעשה כו’. דאיתא בזוה”ק פי’ הקדמת נעשה לנשמע עושי דברו כו’ שע”י הכנת ישראל עושין הדיבור וזה עושי דברו. 

This means based on Bnei Yisrael’s response to Moshe telling them about the torah, they said “We will do everything HaShem tells us”. The Zohar explains that therough this commitment of doing before hearing what it is we are commanded to do, we create the words. 

פי’ כי כן בעסק התורה ובתפלה עפ”י עבודת האדם להוציא הדיבור ובכח ורצון פנימי כן מתחדש האותיות של התורה שיש בהם חיות להיגיעים בהם 

This means that when learning Torah and praying, it is mans effort by his will and inner energy, that brings a renewal to the words of the Torah, and they give life to those words of the Torah. 

(Through learning Torah and prayer, the toiling of bringing out the deepest words of the Torah that are deep in one’s essence (not just through an intellectual stimulation which logic dictates), brings out and gives life force to the words of the Torah.)

וז”ש מגיד דבריו ליעקב שכח המשכת חיות פנימי של דברי ה’ ניתן לישראל. 

This is the meaning of “He tells His words to Yaakov”. That HaShem gives the power of drawing the inner life force from the words of the Torah, only to Bnei Yisrael.

(His words are only to Bnei Yisrael)

וכפי הרצון של האדם נפתח חיות האותיות ויוכל לשמוע התחדשות תמיד באותן הדיבורים. 

It is proprtionate to one’s will that the life force of the words are opened to him, and one is able to find a constant renewal in those words.

וז”ש אשר תשים לפניהם מוכן לאכול כמ”ש רש”י ז”ל [וכ”כ קרוב אליך הדבר כו’ בפיך] כי המשפטים הם גבוה מעל גבוה ושורשם בשמים רק אשר תשים לפניהם שיוכלו למצוא משפט ה’ ע”י יגיעתם. 

This is the meaning of the Rashi above, “You shall place it before them ready to eat”, [or as we see a similar idea “It is close to you in your mouth” the idea of eating]. Because the laws of the Torah (are really) from the very highest levels (not from logic), and their source is in hte Heaven, yet Moshe needs to place it before them, so that we can find the law of HaShem (not the logic of man) through our toil.

וכן הגיד אא”ז מו”ר ז”ל בשם הרב הק’ מפרשיסחא פי’ לפניהם כענין הקדמת נעשה לנשמע שהוא ע”י מס”נ וזה לפניהם שיהי’ להם דבר ה’ לפני עצמותם וחיותם עכ”ד. 

The Chidushe Harim said i the name of the Reeb MiParshischac, that “place before them”, is like the idea of na’ase before nishmai, which refers to the sacraficig of oneself. So too the words “Before them” can also mean they should value the words of the Torah before themselves and their own life (ie. that they are prepared to sacrafice themeselves).

ואם האדם מכין עצמו כך לשמוע אז נפתח מעין התורה

And when a person prepares themselves like this   (with mesiras nefesh, preparing to sacrafice one’s own desires), then the wellspring of the Torah opens up.

ובודאי אין רצון השי”ת שידעו אלו המשפטים בפרט. רק שבדברים אלו נכללים כל משפטי ה’ ע”י היגיעה.

Now it is obvious that HaShem doesn’t want Bnei Yisrael to only know these laws (and not the rest of the Torah), it is teaching us however that in these words all of the laws of HaShem can be found (as will be explained)

וז”ש רש”י לא תעלה על דעתך כו’ רק לפרש להם טעם הדבר ופירושו כו’. וכי מרע”ה רעיא מהימנא שמסר נפשו עבור כל אחד מכלל ישראל רצה למעט ידיעת התורה מישראל 

This is what is meant by the Rashi “Don’t think to just teach them two or three times, rather explain the reason to them”. 

Now why would Moshe Rabeinu who is called the faithful shepherd, and who sacraficed his life for Bnei Yisrael, would want to minimise the understanding of the Torah (and not want to teach us the reasons of the Torah)?! 

אך כי רצה שיהי’ המשפט מפורש בלי הסתר [שזה ענין מרע”ה אספקלריא המאירה] רק באמת ניתן התורה בלבושים לפנינו רק ע”י שנמסר טעמי התורה לישראל יכולין למצוא פנימיות רצונו ית’ ע”י אותיות התורה כנ”ל. 

However the explanation is that Moshe wanted the law of theTorah to be completely revealed without anything hidden. [Which is Moshe the illuminating light- no hiddenness]. And yet the Torah was given in many “clothings” (layers of hiddenness). It is only because HaShem gave Bnei Yisrael the reasons of the Torah that they are able to find the inner will of HaShem, (the inner light of the Torah) through the words of the Torah. As explained above. (Therefore it is not only these that need to be understood, rather it is these laws that teach us how to become a part of the great words of HaShem*).

(Moshe wanted no levush, but HaShem wanted the levush so that we can find the pnimius through toiling in the words of the Torah. This perfects the neshama and also the body, the physical part of man, whereas Moshe’s level was a completely spiritual level.)

וגם פשוט אשר תשים כו’ שכל איש ישראל ע”י רצון אמת יכול למצוא משפט אמת בכל דבר שלא לטעות ח”ו:

This idea is also clear in the simple reading of the pasuk. “that you shall place before them”. This means that every Jew (lifnehem), through a true desire can find the true law in everything and not err, Heaven Forbid.

2

הנה אנכי שולח מלאך כו’. 

הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י שֹׁלֵ֤חַ מַלְאָךְ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמָרְךָ֖ בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ וְלַהֲבִ֣יאֲךָ֔ אֶל־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲכִנֹֽתִי׃

I am sending an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have made ready.

הִשָּׁ֧מֶר מִפָּנָ֛יו וּשְׁמַ֥ע בְּקֹל֖וֹ אַל־תַּמֵּ֣ר בּ֑וֹ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יִשָּׂא֙ לְפִשְׁעֲכֶ֔ם כִּ֥י שְׁמִ֖י בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃

Pay heed to him and obey him. Do not defy him, for he will not pardon your offenses, since My Name is in him;

כי כל ימי המעשה דכתיב ששת ימים תעבוד. תעשה מלאכה. ואעפ”כ יש קדושה גנוזה גם בעשי’ ממש 

(Even though) the days of the week, are days of work as it says (Shemos 20:8)  “Six days you shall work, and on the Seventhh day you shall rest no workd shall be done”, nevertheless (this does not mean that the six days do not contain holiness), rather there is a hidden holiness in th actual work that is performed during those days. 

(The Gemara in Brachos 63a:

דָּרַשׁ בַּר קַפָּרָא: אֵיזוֹהִי פָּרָשָׁה קְטַנָּה שֶׁכָּל גּוּפֵי תוֹרָה תְּלוּיִין בָּהּ — ״בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ דָעֵהוּ וְהוּא יְיַשֵּׁר אֹרְחֹתֶיךָ״. 

Bar Kappara taught: Which is a brief passage upon which all fundamental principles of Torah are dependent? “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:6).)

והוא בחי’ מלאך ושליח כי כל דבר יש בו חיות מהשי”ת ונשתלח לעולם כדי לעשות רצון השי”ת שיש מצות בכל מעשה האדם. רק שנתלבש בעניני עוה”ז 

These (mundane acts that actually have holiness in them) are the idea of an angel and messenger. For everything has the life force of HaShem in it, and it has all been sent tot he world to do His will. For contained in every action of man are mitzvos (even seemingly mundane actions). However they are enclothed in things of this world (and therefore can appear bereft of holiness). 

וצריך שמירה יותר אל תמר בו. 

However when performing such ‘mundane’ actions it requires extra protection. As the pasuk says “Do not defy him”.

רק לידע כי גם זה מחיות השי”ת כי שמי בקרבו כו’ 

Rather one must be aware that (even these mundane things) are from the life force of Hashem, for “My name is in him”.

ועבדתם את ה’ כו’ 

וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֗ם אֵ֚ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵרַ֥ךְ אֶֽת־לַחְמְךָ֖ וְאֶת־מֵימֶ֑יךָ וַהֲסִרֹתִ֥י מַחֲלָ֖ה מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ׃

You shall serve HaShem your G-d, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will remove sickness from your midst. (Shemos 23:25)

הוא בחי’ שבת בלי התלבשות המעשה כי שבת מעין עוה”ב ואז והסירותי מחלה מקרבך כו’. 

(This continuation of the above pesukim) is referring to Shabbos. When there is no ‘enclothing’ of actions. (There is absolute clatrity and no need for an intermediary). This is because Shabbos is a taste of the world to come, and therefore “I will remove sickness from your midst”.

וזה שא”צ בקשה על שום דבר בשבת. 

It is because of this that on Shabbos we do not need to make any personal requests. (For all sickness is removed, for we become a part of the world to come, disconnect from this world and its needs).

וכתיב וברך את לחמך פי’ להיות כל המעשים נמשכים אחר עבודתו ית”ש מלשון הברכה והרכבה. 

“And He will bless your bread and water”, this means that all our actions should be drawn to service of HaShem. The word brocha means connection. (Therefore the pask reads you shall connect to HaShem through your bread and water)

וכן בגמרא נלמד ברכת המזון מוברך את לחמך כו’.

And we find this idea in the Gemara (Brachos 48b), from this pasuk we learn that we need to make a blessing after eating bread.

(This is seemingly difficult: What is the connection between HaShem blessing us and us blessing Him after eating bread? However it is because HaShem gives us strength to be connected and drawn to Him, so too in food there is the brocha, ie the connection that we are drawn to His G-dliness through the food, which contains His blessing). 

וכשהאכילה באופן זה. והסירותי מחלה 

And when we are able to eat in this fashion (with a connectoin to Him) then “I will remove illness from your midst”.

[כי כל החולאים בגוף ונפש רק ע”י אכילה ושתיה כמ”ש בזהר מתגאה עלי’ דב”נ וכמ”ש ושבעת השמרו כו’. ובשבת אכילת מצוה כנ”ל]:

[This is because all sickness in the body and soul comes from eating and drinking.(See Rambam 4:15) As the Zohar says, when eating incorrectly one becomes haughty. Yet on Shabbos eating is a mitzva, and it uplifts the food, and therefore no harm comes from such an eating]