Judging Rules

Parashat Mishpatim begins with, “And these are the judgments which you will set before them.” Sometimes the word for judgments, the title of this parsha, mishpatim, gets translated as rules…which isn’t quite right. However, this is how we often view the Torah, as well – a set of rules. The Torah is generally thought of as encompassing two genres: narrative and law. Even when the stories seem confusing, readers tend to understand that there are a variety of messages communicated, including an account of occurrences, or their memory, perhaps.

But what about the law – the rules – the judgments?

In this section we encounter one of the first instances of pure “law” in the Torah. G!d seems to be giving the Israelites a laundry list of dos and don’ts, a formula for the life he expects. Many of the instructions make perfect sense throughout history, while some cause questioning looks and a necessary but fraught analysis of their perpetual application.

Looking closer, though, we see G!d’s love and care for the Israelites (and us) in the painstakingly detailed way the mitzvot are laid out for the hearers (and now readers). These judgments set a standard for living – allowing for Moses and his counsel to actually judge the people.

Wrapped up in a physical (and mystical?) cloud, Moses receives G!d’s judgments and communicates them to the people. These enduring words can be obeyed literally, analyzed for their continuing value, and interpreted for deeper meaning. While they present rules, they also tell us about the giver and the receivers throughout time.

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This week I got to see a friend from NYC. Catching up was wonderful and really buoyed the rest of this cold week!

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I’m now in the phase of Komps Kaos where I’m finalizing my bibliographies and will set dates for the tests. My reading has gotten faster, and though my attitude hasn’t, at least the increased speed helps me feel like I’m accomplishing more.