Mishpatim - Day #3

Mishpatim מִּשְׁפָּטִים - Laws  

Torah Portion: Exodus: 21:1-24:18

Exodus 22:4–26

22:4 If the stolen property is found in his hand alive, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he shall pay double.

5 “If a man causes a field or vineyard to be eaten by letting his animal loose, and it grazes in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field, and from the best of his own vineyard.

6 “If fire breaks out, and catches in thorns so that the shocks of grain, or the standing grain, or the field are consumed; he who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

7 “If a man delivers to his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it is stolen out of the man’s house, if the thief is found, he shall pay double. 8 If the thief isn’t found, then the master of the house shall come near to Elohim, to find out whether or not he has put his hand on his neighbor’s goods. 9 For every matter of trespass, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any kind of lost thing, about which one says, ‘This is mine,’ the cause of both parties shall come before Elohim. He whom Elohim condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.

10 “If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies or is injured, or driven away, no man seeing it; 11 the oath of Hashem shall be between them both, he has not put his hand on his neighbor’s goods; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution. 12 But if it is stolen from him, the one who stole shall make restitution to its owner. 13 If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He shall not make good that which was torn.

14 “If a man borrows anything of his neighbor’s, and it is injured, or dies, its owner not being with it, he shall surely make restitution. 15 If its owner is with it, he shall not make it good. If it is a leased thing, it came for its lease.

16 “If a man entices a virgin who isn’t pledged to be married, and lies with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

18 “You shall not allow a sorceress to live.

19 “Whoever has sex with an animal shall surely be put to death.

20 “He who sacrifices to any god, except to Hashem only, shall be utterly destroyed.

21 “You shall not wrong an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

22 “You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child. 23 If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

25 “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor. You shall not charge him interest. 26 If you take your neighbor’s garment as collateral, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down…

Today’s Meditation:

We are learning more about Hashem's fairness. What I particularly appreciate is that if we borrow or use someone else's property and it becomes damaged or broken, we are required to make restitution. Many people who do this will claim to be sorry, but they often fail to replace or repair the item. It is so fair to provide restitution. It makes things right and just. If your conscience is jarred about something you did similar to this, then I encourage you to make restitution today. This is part of making the world better, because you are improving your relationships.

Today’s Challenge:

Verse 21 guides how to treat strangers. Remember, we were once strangers, as we all are, whether in a new neighborhood, a new job, or a new relationship. We had to adjust to new surroundings and new people. So, we are to look out for the stranger who comes into our lives. It reminds me of going to a community event. If I have been there before and I notice a new person, I try to go out of my way to make them comfortable. You should do the same. It is a Commandment. And you will be blessed—especially the next time you are the new person in a group.

Mishpatim - Day #2

Mishpatim מִּשְׁפָּטִים - Laws 

Torah Portion: Exodus: 21:1-24:18 

Exodus 21:20–22:3

21:20 “If a man strikes his servant or his maid with a rod, and he dies under his hand, the man shall surely be punished. 21 Notwithstanding, if his servant gets up after a day or two, he shall not be punished, for the servant is his property.

22 “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. 2 If the thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt of bloodshed for him. 3 If the sun has risen on him, he is guilty of bloodshed. He shall make restitution. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

Today’s Meditation:

Today’s reading teaches us about justice. If someone does you harm, there must be compensation. The punishment should match the crime. And apparently, if you can’t find a way to initiate equal justice, then here is the remedy—a life for a life. In our time, it’s called capital punishment. We are responsible to live under the law in our land, as were the Israelites. The instructions and Laws are clearly given. For every crime there is a consequence.

Today’s Challenge:

How do you feel about equal justice? Do you think everyone who does something intentionally wrong should be punished? Is it a fault among our family and friends that we are not penalized for wrongdoings? For instance, if your young child hits you, do you say, “Oh, don’t hit daddy. That’s not nice.” Or do you spank him for hitting you? This section of Scripture really makes you think about equity in punishment. The end goal is to become a better person. To learn how to treat others. Make changes where necessary, but do so equitably.

MIshpatim - Day #1

Mishpatim מִּשְׁפָּטִים - Laws  

Torah Portion: Exodus: 21:1-24:18

Exodus 21:1–19

21 “Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them:

2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free without paying anything. 3 If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he is married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. 5 But if the servant shall plainly say, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I will not go out free; 6 then his master shall bring him to Elohim, and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.

7 “If a man sells his daughter to be a female servant, she shall not go out as the male servants do. 8 If she doesn’t please her master, who has married her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her. 9 If he marries her to his son, he shall deal with her as a daughter. 10 If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marital rights. 11 If he doesn’t do these three things for her, she may go free without paying any money.

12 “One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death, 13 but not if it is unintentional, but Elohim allows it to happen; then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee. 14 If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbor to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.

15 “Anyone who attacks his father or his mother shall be surely put to death.

16 “Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

17 “Anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

18 “If men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone, or with his fist, and he doesn’t die, but is confined to bed; 19 if he rises again and walks around with his staff, then he who struck him shall be cleared; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall provide for his healing until he is thoroughly healed.

Today’s Meditation:

Israel is becoming a nation. They have escaped slavery and are being led into the Promised Land. There, they will need a constitution—the Law—to keep things in order. And now we see how the Ten Commandments will be applied, in more detail. I find it interesting that Hashem would begin with the treatment of slaves and others. But that makes sense. That Hashem wants us to love Him and to love others. So, now we are learning what happens when we mistreat others. We serve an Elohim of order.

Today’s Challenge:

In verse 17, we read that we are not to curse our parents. This must be a serious curse, because the punishment is death. Could it be that Hashem wants us to treat our parents as we treat Him? He created us, and our parents created us. If we are not going to honor our parents, then it is obvious we are not honoring Him. It is a valuable life lesson. We must respect our parents, because they came from the Father. If you are not doing so, start doing so in many ways today. It may affect your (spiritual) life.

Yitro - Day #7

Yitro יִתְרוֹ - Jethro  

Torah Portion: Exodus: 18:1-20:22

Haftarah: Isaiah 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6

Shabbat: Exodus 20:15–23

20:15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

18 All the people perceived the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled and stayed at a distance. 19 They said to Moses, “Speak with us yourself, and we will listen; but don’t let Elohim speak with us, lest we die.”

20 Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for Elohim has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, that you won’t sin.” 21 The people stayed at a distance, and Moses came near to the thick darkness where Elohim was.

22 Hashem said to Moses, “This is what you shall tell the children of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 23 You shall most certainly not make gods of silver or gods of gold for yourselves to be alongside me.

Today’s Meditation:

It seems like every day and every week, as I study a particular Torah portion, it applies to my life and what is happening now. For instance, the Commandment not to covet your neighbor’s house. We are in the process of purchasing a house and selling our current one. We are moving to the same city, and need to downsize. So, we take walks and drives and look at houses. Even houses that are not for sale, we look at and make comments. I had to be careful this week, because I was starting to covet some houses. However, because I have been studying and trying to follow the Commandments and have repented quickly, I told Hashem that, whatever house He gives us, we will be delighted. 

Sometimes, following the Commandments is a daily task, especially when we examine what is going on in our minds. I don’t know about you, but it seems the more I study and get to know Hashem’s desires for us, the quicker I feel convicted of my own sins. And I am learning to repent quickly, to change, and to take one day at a time.

Today’s Challenge:

During my coveting experience this week, I also had a strong thought about those who are in need. Here I am, thinking about buying a new house, when many people around the world don’t even have houses. We must remember to help those who are less fortunate than we are. We must not forget to pray for hunger, abuse, and poverty to stop. And we must not forget to pray for the Mashiach to return, so that the earth can return to its original plan, just like the Garden.

This Week’s Haftarah Reading: Isaiah 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6

6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw Hashem sitting on a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each one had six wings. With two, he covered his face. With two, he covered his feet. With two, he flew. 3 One called to another, and said,

“Holy, holy, holy, is Hashem of Armies!

    The whole earth is full of His glory!”

4 The foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, “Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, Hashem of Armies!”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. 7 He touched my mouth with it, and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin forgiven.”

8 I heard Hashem’s voice, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”

Then I said, “Here I am. Send me!”

9 He said, “Go, and tell this people,

‘You hear indeed,

    but don’t understand.

You see, indeed,

    but don’t perceive.’

10 Make the heart of this people fat.

    Make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes;

lest they see with their eyes,

    hear with their ears,

    understand with their heart,

    and turn again, and be healed.”

11 Then I said, “Hashem, how long?”

He answered,“Until cities are waste without inhabitants,

    houses without man,

    the land becomes utterly waste,

12 and Hashem has removed men far away,

    and the forsaken places are many within the land.

13 If there is a tenth left in it,

    that also will in turn, be consumed,

as a terebinth, and as an oak, whose stump remains when they are cut down;

    so the holy seed is its stock.”

7 In the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it. 2 David’s house was told, “Syria is allied with Ephraim.” His heart trembled, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the forest tremble with the wind.

3 Then Hashem said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you, and Shearjashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway of the fuller’s field. 4 Tell him, ‘Be careful, and keep calm. Don’t be afraid, neither let your heart be faint because of these two tails of smoking torches, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. 5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have plotted evil against you, saying, 6 “Let’s go up against Judah, and tear it apart, and let’s divide it among ourselves, and set up a king within it, even the son of Tabeel.”

Isaiah 9:5 For all the armor of the armed man in the noisy battle, and the garments rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire. 6 For a child is born to us. A son is given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty Elohim, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Today’s Haftarah Meditation:

He is the Hashem of armies. We sometimes forget the ultimate power of our Elohim. Not only is He sovereign over all the world, but He also leads the spiritual armies in the heavens. He wages war on our behalf daily. He must be encouraged by our prayers and our needs. He wants to join us in our battles. But, only if we let Him. It’s time to let Hashem be in control of your needs, your struggles. It’s time to let go.

Today’s Haftarah Challenge:

Can you imagine a whole world full of the glory of Hashem (verse 3)? Are you prepared for this? Am I prepared? That is why Hashem gave us His Law. It gets us ready. In a world full of sin and temptation, He has outlined a clear path to holiness for us. And He tells us it is not too difficult. 

Today is a good day (Shabbat) for self-reflection. Take a hard look at your life and praise Hashem for the things you are doing right and ask His help to correct the things you are doing wrong. Each day is a new day. Continue to strive to overcome sin in your life. If you fall, get right back up. And hold unto Him, the author and finisher of your faith.