Mishpatim bind by ratzon Hashem, revealing inner Torah

ברש"י מה ראשונים מסיני כו'.

In Rashi: "Just as the former ones [were given] from Sinai…" (Rashi, Shemos 21:1).

The Sefas Emes opens with Rashi's comment on the "vav" of "ve'eileh," teaching that the mishpatim too were given at Sinai.

והלא כל המצות נאמרו בסיני.

But surely all the mitzvos were stated at Sinai?

He raises the obvious difficulty: since every mitzvah was given at Sinai, why does Rashi need to stress this specifically about the mishpatim?

אך אא"ז מו"ר זצלה"ה הגיד עמ"ש רש"י ז"ל להבינם טעמי הדבר.

But my grandfather, my teacher and master (zecher tzaddik livrachah), said regarding what Rashi wrote, "to make them understand the reasons of the matter."

The Chiddushei HaRim addresses Rashi's further point that Moshe was to teach Bnei Yisrael the reasoning behind these civil laws.

למה זה אצל המשפטים.

Why is this [emphasis on understanding the reasons] specifically by the mishpatim?

The question sharpens: of all the mitzvos, why is the demand to grasp the reasons attached precisely to the mishpatim, which are the rationally comprehensible laws?

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

But the essential point (ratzon) is that they should know that even the mishpatim — which are understood by means of human intellect — are nonetheless [binding] only because such is His will, may He be blessed.

The whole purpose is to teach that even laws our own reason endorses are obligatory not because reason demands them, but solely because they are ratzon Hashem.

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

And this is the reason that it is forbidden to litigate before non-Jews even when they would rule as Jews would, for "judgment belongs to Elokim" (Devarim 1:17) — and even the reason and the agreement of the intellect are entirely because such is His will, may He be blessed. End of his words.

This is why one may not bring a case before gentile courts even if their verdict would match halacha: the binding force of mishpat comes from Hashem, not from the logic itself. Even when reason agrees, it is Hashem's will that gives the law its authority.

וז"ש מסיני אף שמובן עפ"י שכל.

And this is the meaning of "from Sinai" — even though [the mishpatim] are understood by means of intellect.

Rashi's "from Sinai" tells us that even these comprehensible laws derive their force from the Divine giving at Sinai, not from human reasoning.

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

And in the Midrash: "He tells His words to Yaakov… and His statutes and judgments (mishpatav) to Yisrael" (Tehillim 147:19) — for Hashem also fulfills the mishpat. End [of the Midrash].

The Midrash teaches that Hashem Himself keeps the very laws He commands. The mishpatim are not merely human conventions but reflect Hashem's own conduct.

פי' דכתיב אחר שהגיד להם מרע"ה דברי ה' והמשפטים השיבו כל הדברים כו' נעשה כו'.

The explanation: for it is written that after Moshe Rabbeinu told them the words of Hashem and the mishpatim, they answered, "All the words [that Hashem has spoken] we will do (na'aseh)…" (Shemos 24:3).

The Sefas Emes turns to Bnei Yisrael's response of "na'aseh ve'nishma," doing before hearing, in accepting both the "words" and the "judgments."

דאיתא בזוה"ק פי' הקדמת נעשה לנשמע עושי דברו כו' שע"י הכנת ישראל עושין הדיבור וזה עושי דברו.

For it is brought in the Zohar HaKadosh the explanation of placing "na'aseh" (we will do) before "nishma" (we will hear) — "those who do His word" (Tehillim 103:20) — that through the preparation of Bnei Yisrael they "make" the [Divine] utterance; and this is "those who do His word."

The Zohar reads "osei devaro" as Bnei Yisrael being co-makers of the Divine word: by readying themselves, they actively bring the Divine speech into effect. Their "na'aseh" empowers the very utterance of Hashem.

פי' כי כן בעסק התורה ובתפלה עפ"י עבודת האדם להוציא הדיבור וו בכח ורצון פנימי כן מתחדש האותיות של התורה שיש בהם חיות להיגיעים בהם וז"ש מגיד דבריו ליעקב שכח המשכת חיות פנימי של דברי ה' ניתן לישראל.

The explanation: for so it is in the engagement with Torah and in tefillah — according to a person's avodah in bringing forth the spoken word with inner power and ratzon, so are the letters (osiyos) of the Torah renewed, having within them life-force (chiyus) for those who toil in them. And this is "He tells His words to Yaakov" — that the power of drawing down the inner life-force of the words of Hashem was given to Bnei Yisrael.

When a person learns Torah or davens with genuine inner force and will, he renews the very letters of the Torah, releasing the chiyus stored within them. This is the gift "told to Yaakov": the capacity to draw forth the inner vitality of Hashem's words is placed in the hands of Bnei Yisrael.

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

And according to a person's ratzon, the life-force of the letters is opened, and he is able to hear constant renewal (hischadshus) within those very words.

The strength of one's inner desire determines how much of the letters' hidden vitality is unlocked, allowing a person to perpetually hear fresh meaning in the same words of Torah.

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.

And this is "which you shall place before them" (Shemos 21:1) — "ready to eat," as Rashi explained [and so too "for the matter is very near to you… in your mouth" (Devarim 30:14)] — for the mishpatim are "high above high" and their root is in Heaven; only that "you shall place before them" so that they may find the mishpat of Hashem through their toil (yegiah).

Rashi reads "before them" as a table set "ready to eat." The mishpatim originate in the loftiest heights of Heaven, yet Moshe is to place them within reach so that, through diligent effort, Bnei Yisrael can discover Hashem's judgment that lies within them.

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.

And so my grandfather, my teacher and master, said in the name of the holy Rav of Pshischa, explaining "before them (lifneihem)" in the sense of placing "na'aseh" before "nishma," which is by way of mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice); and this is "before them" — that the word of Hashem should be before their very essence and vitality. End of his words.

The Rav of Pshischa read "lifneihem" as: the word of Hashem must come "before" — that is, take precedence over — a person's own essence and life. This is the mesirus nefesh embedded in "na'aseh ve'nishma," subordinating one's very self to the Divine word.

ואם האדם מכין עצמו כך לשמוע אז נפתח מעין התורה ובודאי אין רצון השי"ת שידעו אלו המשפטים בפרט.

And if a person prepares himself thus to hear, then the wellspring (ma'ayan) of the Torah is opened; and certainly it is not Hashem's will that they should know merely these particular mishpatim.

When a person readies himself with such self-nullifying receptivity, the inexhaustible spring of Torah opens before him. Hashem's intent was never that Bnei Yisrael know only this finite set of civil laws.

רק שבדברים אלו נכללים כל משפטי ה' ע"י היגיעה.

Rather, that within these matters are included all the judgments of Hashem, [accessed] through toil.

These particular laws are a gateway: contained within them, and revealed through yegiah, are the whole of Hashem's mishpatim.

וז"ש רש"י לא תעלה על דעתך כו' רק לפרש להם טעם הדבר ופירושו כו'.

And this is what Rashi said: "Do not let it enter your mind [to teach them by rote]… rather, to explain to them the reason of the matter and its explanation…"

Rashi insists Moshe was not to teach the laws as mere memorized rulings but to convey their underlying reasons, opening up their inner depth.

וכי מרע"ה רעיא מהימנא שמסר נפשו עבור כל אחד מכלל ישראל רצה למעט ידיעת התורה מישראל 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.

For would Moshe Rabbeinu — the faithful shepherd (ra'aya mehemna) who gave over his soul for every single one of Klal Yisrael — want to diminish the Torah-knowledge of Bnei Yisrael? Rather, he wanted the mishpat to be explicit, without concealment [for this is the matter of Moshe Rabbeinu being the "shining lens" (aspaklaria ha'me'irah)] — only that in truth the Torah was given to us in garments (levushim); only through the reasons of the Torah being handed over to Bnei Yisrael can they find the inner will (penimiyus ratzono) of Hashem by means of the letters of the Torah, as above.

Far from limiting Bnei Yisrael, Moshe — the faithful shepherd who sacrificed himself for each Jew and saw through the "clear lens" — wanted the law revealed without concealment. Yet the Torah comes clothed in garments; only by Moshe transmitting its reasons can a person penetrate those garments and reach Hashem's innermost will hidden within the letters.

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

And also in the plain sense, "which you shall place…" — that every member of Bnei Yisrael, through a true ratzon, can find the true judgment in every matter, so as not to err, chas ve'shalom.

On the simple level too, "place before them" empowers every Jew: with a sincere inner will, a person can arrive at the true mishpat in any situation and be guarded from error.

Summary: The Sefas Emes teaches that even the rationally comprehensible mishpatim bind us solely because they are ratzon Hashem, given "from Sinai" — which is why one may not litigate in gentile courts even when their ruling matches halacha. Through "na'aseh ve'nishma" and mesirus nefesh, Bnei Yisrael become partners who draw forth the inner chiyus latent in the letters of Torah. Moshe Rabbeinu transmitted the reasons of the law not to limit but to open the wellspring: the finite mishpatim are a garment containing all of Hashem's judgments, and through true ratzon and toil every Jew can uncover Hashem's innermost will and reach true mishpat.