Mishpatim 5636 תרל”ו

תרל”ו

במדרש ואלה מוסיף על הראשונים עשרת הדיברות כו’ דאיתא מגיד דבריו ליעקב אלו עשרת הדיברות חקיו ומשפטיו לישראל זה המשפטים. 

The Midrash (Shemos Rabba 30:3) “And these are the laws” the letter vav – and teaches us that just as the ten commandments were given by HaShem on Sinai, so too all these laws were also given on Sinai. This is referred to in the pasuk (Tehillim 147:19) “He tells His word to Yaakov ” this refers to the ten commandments. “His statues and laws to Yisrael ” this refers to the mishpatim – laws. 

והם ב’ מדריגות זו למעלה מזו כענין יעקב וישראל. כי מקודם צריך אדם לקיים מצות הבורא בלי חקירת השכל והוא ענין הדברות להיות נמשך אחר הנהגת הבורא מגיד דבריו הוא סדר הנהגתו כמ”ש דבר מלך שלטון. 

These are two stages just as Yaakov and then Yisrael, are different levels. First one must perform the mitzvos of HaShem without intellectual examination. This is the concept of the commandments דיבור that one should be drawn to the leadership of HaShem. “He tells His word to Yaakov”, this is the way of HaShem’s instruction. As we see in the pasuk (Koheles 8:4) “A king’s command is authoritative”

אח”כ זוכין להשיג טעמי המצות והם המשפטים שהם עפ”י שכל. 

And afterwards one can merit to understand the reason of the mitzvos, which are the mishpatim – the laws that can be understood logically.

והתחכמות האדם ע”י התורה צריך ג”כ שמירה. ולכן אין יכולין לבוא לזה עד שמקבלין מקודם עול מלכות שמים ביראה כמאמר כל שיראת חטאו קודמת כו’. 

However, using one’s intellect to understand Torah needs special protection. (As explained above, the danger is that one may think that the reason for the mitzvos is all logical, however it is really the desire of HaShem). Therefore one can only attain the level of really understanding the laws, if one first accepts the yoke of Heaven, with fear. As it says (Avos 3:9) “If one’s fear of sin preceded one’s knowledge, then his knowledge will last”

ז”ש ואלה כי לא שייך אלה כי א”י להיות בפ”ע רק אם הוא בדרך תוספות על עבודת האדם אז יש לה קיום. 

(This is why the parsha starts with the vav connecting it to the previous parsha) Ve’eleh for it is not possible to receive just these laws – eleh, on their own without connecting them as an addition to one’s service of HaShem, then it can be lasting. 

וז”ש רש”י אמר ה’ למשה רע”ה אל תעלה ע”ד כו’. פי’ שירא מרע”ה שאין בנ”י ראוין להשיג הטעמים ויש בזה סכנה. ואמר הקב”ה כי ראוין הם בנ”י לכך. 

With this we can understand the Rashi. HaShem said to Moshe don’t think you can just tell Bnei Yisrael the laws, you must teach them the reasoning. The (reason why Moshe was afraid to teach them the reason) was because Moshe was concerned of the danger if Bnei Yisrael were not worthy to understand the reasoning. However HaShem said to Moshe that they actually are worthy. (As explained above, with their commitment of na’aseh before nishma they showed their level of commitment to the will of HaShem)

ואיתא בזוה”ק כי כל איש ישראל צריך לעבוד השי”ת בבחי’ עבד לקיים פקודת המלך ובבחי’ בן לחפשא בגנזין דמלכא. והם בחי’ הדברות והמשפטים כנ”ל. 

(We find the same concept in Zohar) It says (Zohar 3:111b) Every Jew must serve HaShem as a slave to do His will, and also as a son, to search the treasure houses of the King. These two levels are also the dibros – commandments and the Mishpatim – the laws. 

והוא עבודת ימי החול. ושבת בחי’ בן שאנו זוכין בשבת להתגלות דעת האדם שיסכים השכל לקיים רצון אבינו שבשמים בלי מלחמות. 

This (service of HaShem as a slave) is the idea of the work performed during the days of the week. However on Shabbos we are like a son, where we merit the revelation of HaShem’s wisdom, and our minds are in sync with His will, that we are filled with desire to do His will without any battle. 

וזהו שנק’ שבת שלום כי משפטי ה’ אמת ובשמים הכל מעידין על צדקת הבורא 

This is why Shabbos is referred to as Shalom – peace and completion. For the laws of HaShem are true, and in Heaven everything testifies to the justice of the Creator, (it is on Shabbos when there is a revelation, that there is peace and completion, without opposing forces).

וכ’ ה’ עוז לעמו יתן כו’ יברך כו’ בשלום. פי’ ע”י שגוברין בכח התורה על היצה”ר זוכין אח”כ לשבת בחי’ שלום. 

(Tehillim 29:11) “HaShem gives His nation strength, HaShem will bless His nation with Shalom”. This means that when one uses the Torah to overcome the evil inclination (עוז – the strength of commitment without necessarily understanding), then one merits Shabbos the idea of shalom.

וע”ז איתא מחלוקת לשם שמים בחול סופו להתקיים פי’ בשבת 

This is also referred to in the Mishna (Avot 3:17) “Any dispute for the sake of Heaven will endure in the end”. The dispute is what takes place during the days of the week when there are opposing forces. However since it is for the sake of Heaven it will endure on Shabbos.

כמ”ש חז”ל שלא הי’ לעולם קיום עד שבא השבת. 

Just as our sages taught (Ohr Hachaim Bereishis 2:2), that the world cannot exist without Shabbos.

פי’ שיש בעולם בחי’ המחלוקת מעלמא דשיקרא ובשבת לית שולטנא אחרא בכולהו עלמין. וזהו מקיים העולם כמ”ש שבת קביעא וקיימא. 

This means that in the world there are disputes (things that oppose the holiness), that are sourced in the world of falsehood, however on Shabbos there is no other force in all the worlds (even the world of falsehood *), and it is this therefore that gives the world existence. As we know Shabbos endures forever.

והעבד מוכן ללחום מלחמת המלך. ובשבת בחי’ מנוחה לבנים על שולחן אביהם:

So too the slave is prepared to fight the battle of the King (during the days of the week, when we are in constant battle), yet on Shabbos there is rest, when we are like sons at their fathers table.

2

בפסוק וכי ישאל כו’ בעליו עמו לא ישלם. 

(Shemot 22:13-14) One who borrows items is responsible for damages, even complete accidents (“ones”). However if the owner is together in the transaction then he is exempt.

כי כל מעשי האדם נמשכין אחר עצמות האדם בכללו. והשי”ת נתן לכל אדם כלים יקרים כל החושים ונשמה הטהורה שכ’ בזוה”ק ע”פ כי ימכור כו’ בתו לאמה כו’ והאדם עושה בה כל חפצו. וכל הנאה שלו וא”כ חייב באונסין. 

This is because all of one’s actions are connected to the person in his essence (The level that a person is on determines the outcome of his actions).

And HaShem gave each person precious tools, and all of one’s senses, and a pure neshama – As the Zohar explains on the pasuk “when a person sells his daughter as a maidservant”. Now a person is free to do whatever he will with it, and all the pleasure is his, for this reason a person is responsible even for complete accidents – “ones” that are caused due to his actions. 

אך העצה ע”י מס”נ להקב”ה בכלל נק’ שאילה בבעלים. כי לא שייך שיהי’ ה’ נשאל לאדם רק ע”י השתעבדות במס”נ למקום כמאמר אם ישים אליו לבו כו’ ונשמתו אליו יאסוף הרי הוא עמו במלאכתו ופטור באונסין. 

Yet the advice (to be saved from such a strict level of judgement, being liable for the slightest event), is through sacrificing one’s soul. For it is only possible to also have HaShem (the owner)  “borrowed” in  the transaction, if a person completely commits with self sacrifice to HaShem. As our sages have taught, “if he places his trust in Him, and his spirit and neshama are drawn to Him. Then (with such a level of commitment)  HaShem is with the person in everything that he does and he is exempt from “ones”. 

ובאמת כי איך יחייב ה’ על אונס רק שאם אינו מקבל עומ”ש כראוי כל האונסין נחשבין כפשיעה. 

Now in truth we need to understand how can one be indeed liable for “ones” (something out of one’s control)? However since the person does not completely accept HaShem’s dominion, then when there is an “ones” it is actually considered like the person has been negligent (for his lack of commitment).

ואם בכללו תחת עול יראת ה’ נחשבים המעשים לאונסין. 

And if a person in his essence is committed to the yoke of fear of HaShem, then all of his actions (misdemeanors included) are considered like “ones” (and he is not accountable for them.) 

ומצינו מתה מחמת מלאכה. אף כי השכל מחייב שכל החסרונות מצד האדם השואל. 

(Similarly) we have found by a borrowed animal that dies due to its work (the borrower is exempt). Even though logically we would assume that anything that goes wrong is blamed on the borrower (yet in this case he is exempt).

אעפ”כ לפעמים כך רצונו ית’ שנותן לאדם עבודה שלא יוכל לגמרה ע”כ לא יפול לב האדם בראותו שאין השעה עומדת לו לגמור כל מעשיו כראוי. והבן:

Nevertheless sometimes this is the will of HaShem, that He gives a person a mission that the person cannot complete. Therefore a person should not become disheartened when he sees that he is not able to complete all his actions properly. And understand this.

(Even though logically we would assume that a person has responsibilities to accomplish certain things with the gifts he has been given, nevertheless sometimes one is not able to complete what one considers one’s mission with the tools that one has. 

3

בזוה”ק ע”פ ובכל אשר אמרתי כו’ תשמרו ושם אלהים אחרים לא תזכירו כו’. 

The Zohar on the pasuk (Shemos 23:13) “In all the things I have said you will be guarded (“tishameiru”)”, it should have said ‘tishmeru’ you will guard, however it says you will be guarded”.

כי דברי תורה הם שמירה לאדם. 

This is because the words of Torah are actually a protection for a person.

והשי”ת נתן לנו תורה ומצות אשר בזה יכולין למצוא כל הצורך לנו ואין צריכין לבקש עצות ממקום אחר לשום דבר. 

This is because HaShem has given us the Torah and mitzvos through which we can find all our needs and we do not need to seek out solutions anywhere else.  

וכתיב בכל אשר אמרתי פי’ בכל דיבור ואות שבתורה נמצא שמירה זאת. 

Furthermore it says “in everything that I have spoken”, this teaches us that this protection can be found in every expression and letter of the Torah.

וכן שמעתי מפה קדוש אא”ז מו”ר ז”ל על פסוק קול גדול ולא יסף ומתרגמינן ולא פסק ואמר בכל אות שבתורה יכול כל אדם למצוא כל הצריך לו בכל עת כי אין לו הפסק עכ”ד. 

So too I heard in the name of the Chidushei Harim on the pasuk (Devarim 5:19) “A great voice (was heard on mount Sinai), ‘lo yosaf’ ” the Targum explains “lo yosaf” to mean that it did not stop. This means that in every letter of the Torah a person can find everything he needs at any given moment, for the words never stop.

והוא ענין השלימות שיש בכל נקודה מתורה ומצות הכל 

This is the competition that every single thing gets from the Torah and the mitzvos.

ואעפ”כ נכתב זה בלשון ציווי כי שמירה זו תלוי’ באדם כפי מה שאדם יודע זאת ומחזק [עצמו] בדברי תורה ויודע שאין לו מקום אחר בכל הצריך לו רק בתורה כמאמר הפוך בה כו’ דכולה בה. 

Nevertheless it is written as an expression of a commandment, for this protection is dependent on the person. With a person’s knowledge and understanding and strengthening his convictions that he requires nothing other than the words of Torah, as it states (Avot 5:22) delve deeply in it, for everything can be found in it. 

כפי ידיעתו זאת. כך מתגלה לו הכל ונתקיים פעולת התורה כי הכל תלוי בבחירת האדם כנ”ל:

And to the extent of one’s understanding of this, it becomes revealed to him and he fulfils the commandments of the Torah, for everything is dependant on the choice of man. As above.