WHO COMES FIRST?

25 Shevat 5778 / 9-10 February 2018

Parashat Mishpatim

Torah: Exodus 21:1 - 24:18

Maftir: Exodus 30:11-16 (Shabbat Shekalim)
Haftarah: Ashkenazim - 2 Kings 12:1-17; Sephardim - 2 Kings 11:17 - 12:17

Calendar and dedications follow below. For a full calendar of events and other info about Temple B’nai Hayim/Congregation Beth Meier, check out: www.bnaihayim.com

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WHO COMES FIRST?

“Now these are the laws which you shall set before them.” Exodus 21:1

“You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Exodus 22:20

The rules set forth in this parashah are primarily two types: civil and criminal legislation, and humanitarian matters. This follows last week’s receiving of Aseret Hadib’rot (the ten utterances, aka “Ten Commandments”). The Torah here continues to deal with matters arising between humans, such as: how to treat slaves, strangers, converts, widows and orphans; the requirement to pay damages for personal injuries; protecting others from dangerous livestock and conditions of property; and, much more. Some brief laws regarding sacrifices and the observance of the holidays come later in the parashah.

The Chasidic Master Simcha Bunim of Pshischa wonders why the first verse says “before them”. He suggests that “them” is not the Israelites. Rather, he reads it as “those”, to teach us that the commandments between fellow humans (mitzvot bein adam l’chavero) come before the commandments between humans and God (mitzvot bein adam la’Makom). Not just literally, as in the text, but in terms of importance as well. Heresy? Hardly.

Simcha Bunim is on to something. What is the point of rigid ritual observance as a form of worshiping God, if one is going to mistreat fellow human beings, who are made in God’s very image? It's not only hypocritical; it's a chillul hashem (a desecration of God's name).

The commentary Avnei Azel makes a similar point. It raises the question, why do the mitzvot bein adam l'chavero immediately follow commandments concerning the altar (at the end of last week's parashah)?  The response: Just as the sacrifices were the worship of God in the Temple, observing the "civil" mitzvot (charity, lovingkindness, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, etc.) is also the worship of God.

Regarding our second verse, Rabbi Eliezer the Great (BT Bava Metzia 59b), says that the Torah warns 36 times, and some say 46 times, that we should not mistreat the stranger. This person is often identified as “the stranger (or alien) within your gates”. Add Rabbi Eliezer’s teaching to those of Simcha Bunim and Avnei Azel, and we know that the Torah way of treating the strangers and aliens among us is perhaps the most important of all the mitzvot bein adam l’chavero. The Torah doesn’t demand their papers – and neither should we. It commands us to treat them the same way we would like to be treated – not the way we were treated in Egypt! It’s the law!

I wish you Shabbat Shalom Uv’rakhah – A Shabbat of Peace and Blessing.

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Temple B’nai Hayim/Congregation Beth Meier

Blogging at: http://rav-rich.blogspot.com

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Twitter: @DrahcirMolf

"שתיקה כהודאה דמיא"

"Silence in the face of wrongdoing is consent.”

BT Yevamot 88a

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Candle lighting: 5:14 pm

Friday – Shabbat Evening Service – 7:30 pm – followed by Oneg Shabbat

Saturday – Breakfast and Torah study - 8:45 am. Shabbat Morning Service – 9:30 am. Kiddush luncheon follows - sponsored this week by Mike Sommer.

Both Friday evening and Saturday morning, we are observing Sharsheret Pink Shabbat to educate our community about breast and ovarian cancer, how it impacts the Jewish community, and how to be proactive about our health. We encourage you to not only join us for this program, but to take a moment to follow this link:

www.sharsheret.org/sharsheretsignin

Sunday – Religious School – 9:30 am. Adult Hebrew – 10:00 am. Rehearsal for Purim Shpiel, written and directed by Reb Jason – 12:30 pm. Everyone is invited to join in!

Tuesday – Lunch and Learn – 12:00 noon.

Looking Ahead -

Wednesday, February 28 – Purim begins at sundown! Our Purim Dinner begins at 6:00 pm and the Purim Shpiel begins at 7:00 pm. 

Saturday, March 17 – Women’s Rosh Chodesh Shabbat Morning Service. Contact Carol Herskowitz or Lynn Kronzek for details.

Next time you come to TBH/CBM, please bring some non-perishable canned and packaged foods and personal items (no glass) for SOVA.

This d'var torah is offered in memory of Barney Meskin, who passed away earlier this week. Y’hi zikhro liv’rakhah – May his memory be a blessing.

This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Avi Shmuel Yosef Hakohen ben Bella, Ze’ev ben Adeline, HaRav Chana Rivka bat Doronit, Eilite bat Miriam, HaRav Tzvi Hersh ben Frimet, Sarah bat Devorah, Hiroe Andriola, Susan Arbetman, Ken Bitticks, Jerry Daniels, Maya Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Leonard Foint (Eliezer Moshe ben Esther), Jerry Forman, Bernard Garvin, Myra Goodman, Leah Granat, Simon Hartmann, Brandon Joseph, Gabor Klein, Philip Kovac, Tonya Kronzek (Zlata Malkah bat Sarah Emanu), Lyndia Lowy (Leah bat Sarah), David Marks, Gil Robbins, Debra Schugar Strauss (Devorah bat Chaya Feiga), Helen Schugar (Chaya Feiga bat Kreina), Jonathan Woolf, Howard Yudell, and Meagan Yudell.

PLEASE NOTE: I am updating the above refuah shleimah list. Please let me know by return email ASAP if you or someone you know should remain on the list – otherwise, the names will be deleted. Please also note that all of these names, and dozens more, are included on the list we read at the synagogue during the Torah service. That list is also going to be culled.

Please let me know if there is anyone you would like to add to this list or if there is anyone who may be removed from this list.

Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):

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Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net

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