Rabbi Serotta writes that our experience of oppression over centuries in Egyptian exile must impact our behavior. When we experience being “the other”, we may identify with the oppressor or the oppressed. Ecclesiastes 3:15 states that “God will always seek out those being pursued / othered.” Yet during Passover, we emphasize our experience as strangers rather than slaves.
Rabbi Leon observes that slavery was a common practice during the 19th and 20th centuries in the United States – wherein a person could be offered freedom, yet choose to remain in servitude out of love for a family. The need to even make such a choice is a travesty.
In Mishpatim, the text transitions from narrative to law. Interestingly, it does not abolish slavery, despite the marvelous redemption of the Israelite people. Instead, the law allows for time to adapt…seven years in fact, until the Hebrew servant (slave) will go free.
Yitro, Moses’ father-in-law, gives him important advice: it is not beneficial to a community to rely on a single leader – a leader who can burn out. Furthermore, spreading the responsibility of leadership facilitates the Israelites’ growing away from their past slavery.
Rabbi Richman describes this parashah – Matan Torah – as the central point of the entire Torah. There was no parallel to this event in the world – a God who cares about the world. The events of Joseph and Jacob going down to Egypt and all that followed were for the sole purpose of the giving of the Torah. God, in fact, at the time of Creation, conditioned it upon the ultimate acceptance of the Torah by Israel.
During the time of the Temple Cult, the Ten Commandments were incorporated into the Shema section of the daily service. However, at a certain point the rabbis opposed this practice. According to the Talmud, it was because of the “claim of the sectarians” – possibly early Christians, who claimed that only the Ten Commandments—received directly from God–were binding whereas the rest of the mitzvoth, which were received through Moses, were not binding.
Rabbi Sacks states that Judaism is a religion based on asking questions. Even children are obligated to ask questions. At the Passover Seder, children ask the 4 questions. Abraham asks questions. The book of Job is primarily questions. Judaism is not a religion of blind obedience; there is no Hebrew word for “obey”. In fact, intelligence is God’s greatest gift to humanity.
There are plenty of reasons to feel down as discouraging news and images are all around us. However, it doesn’t take much effort to raise someone up or to recognize when someone has lifted us from sadness. A kind word, good deed, mitzvah, or even just being together are some of the ways we can support each other during these trying times.
Rabbi Sacks states that Judaism is a religion based on asking questions. Even children are obligated to ask questions. At the Passover Seder, children ask the 4 questions. Abraham asks questions. The book of Job is primarily questions. Judaism is not a religion of blind obedience; there is no Hebrew word for “obey”. In fact, intelligence is God’s greatest gift to humanity.